Lead CAD Technician / Designer

SunEnergy1; Bethel (NC); On-site; USD 70,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

SunEnergy1, located in Bethel, North Carolina, is seeking a skilled Lead CAD Technician / Designer. This position focuses on the design and development of utility-scale renewable energy projects including high-voltage infrastructure. The ideal candidate should have a strong background in CAD drafting and possess leadership skills to mentor junior designers.

The role involves leading CAD standards, overseeing drawing production, and collaborating with engineering and construction teams. Applicants should have a degree in Drafting or a related field and significant experience in utility-scale projects.

Qualifications

• 8+ years of CAD drafting/design experience.
• 3+ years leading CAD teams or serving as a senior designer.
• Experience supporting utility-scale infrastructure projects.

Responsibilities

• Lead preparation and coordination of engineering drawings.
• Produce detailed engineering drawing packages.
• Coordinate drawing revisions through all project phases.
• Perform quality control reviews of drawings.

Skills

AutoCAD

Autodesk Civil 3D

Bluebeam Revu

Microsoft Office Suite

Education

Associate's degree in Drafting, Engineering Technology, or related discipline

Bachelor's degree preferred

Tools

Autodesk Vault

Bentley MicroStation

Autodesk Revit

Job description

Position Summary

SunEnergy1 is seeking an experienced Lead CAD Technician / Designer to support the design and development of utility-scale renewable energy and high‑voltage electrical infrastructure projects. This role will lead CAD standards, oversee drawing production, mentor junior designers, and collaborate closely with engineering, project management, procurement, and construction teams. The ideal candidate has extensive experience producing engineering drawings for substations, transmission lines, solar PV facilities, battery energy storage systems (BESS), or other utility infrastructure projects.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead the preparation and coordination of engineering drawings for utility‑scale renewable energy and T&D projects.
• Develop and maintain company CAD standards, templates, libraries, and drafting procedures.
• Produce detailed engineering drawing packages including:
  • Site layouts
  • Civil plans
  • Electrical plans
  • One‑line diagrams
  • Three‑line diagrams
  • General arrangements
  • Equipment layouts
  • Grounding plans
  • Conduit and cable routing
  • Elevations and sections
• Coordinate drawing revisions through all project phases from conceptual design through IFC (Issued for Construction) and As‑Built documentation.
• Perform quality control reviews of drawings for accuracy, completeness, and compliance with company standards.
• Coordinate with civil, structural, electrical, and protection & controls engineers.
• Work closely with project managers and construction teams to resolve design issues.
• Review vendor drawings and incorporate approved changes into design packages.
• Mentor and train junior CAD technicians and designers.
• Assist in developing workflows that improve drafting efficiency and project delivery.
• Support multiple projects while meeting aggressive schedules.

Qualifications

• Associate's degree in Drafting, Engineering Technology, or related discipline (Bachelor's degree preferred).
• 8+ years of CAD drafting/design experience.
• 3+ years leading CAD teams or serving as a senior designer.
• Experience supporting utility‑scale infrastructure projects.

Preferred Project Experience

• Utility‑scale solar
• Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS)
• High‑voltage substations
• Transmission lines
• Distribution systems
• Industrial electrical facilities

Technical Skills

• AutoCAD
• Autodesk Civil 3D
• Autodesk Vault (preferred)
• Bluebeam Revu
• Microsoft Office Suite

Experience With Any Of The Following Is a Plus

• Bentley MicroStation
• Autodesk Revit
• AutoCAD Electrical
• GIS platforms
• Drone survey data integration
• LiDAR point cloud modeling

Knowledge & Experience

• Utility and NEC drafting standards
• Civil and electrical design principles
• Utility construction methods
• Survey data interpretation
• Engineering document control
• Drawing revision management
• Multi‑discipline project coordination

Leadership Expectations

• Establish and maintain drafting best practices.
• Mentor and develop junior CAD personnel.
• Coordinate workload across multiple projects.
• Improve drafting quality and efficiency.
• Promote collaboration across engineering and construction teams.
• Deliver projects on schedule while maintaining high‑quality standards.

Preferred Client Experience

Candidates with experience supporting EPC firms, electric utilities, engineering consulting firms, or renewable energy developers are strongly preferred. Experience working with clients such as major utilities, independent power producers (IPPs), and renewable energy developers is highly desirable.