Mechanical Drafter

Actalent; Poway (CA); Hybrid; USD 85,962,000 - 100,289,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical insurance

Dental insurance

Vision insurance

401(k) Retirement Plan

Life Insurance

Short/Long-term disability

Job summary

Actalent is seeking a Mechanical Drafter to support sustainment engineering through drawing updates, documentation control, and administrative drafting tasks. This entry-level role offers CAD skill development in a collaborative aerospace environment.

Ideal candidates have a HS diploma with drafting experience and familiarity with 2D/3D CAD tools like Creo, NX, SolidWorks, AutoCAD or CATIA, plus attention to detail and solid communication skills. Hybrid work is available after onboarding.

Qualifications

• Requires high school diploma with 1+ year drafting experience.
• Familiar with 2D/3D CAD; Creo preferred; NX, SolidWorks, AutoCAD or CATIA acceptable.
• Strong attention to detail and good communication skills.

Responsibilities

• Revise and update engineering drawings.
• Support documentation and change management activities, maintaining records and drawing packages.
• Assist with sustainment engineering paperwork and administrative tasks.

Skills

Drafting experience

CAD knowledge

Attention to detail

Communication skills

Math basics (trig/algebra)

Education

High school diploma

AS degree with no work experience acceptable

Tools

Creo

NX

SolidWorks

AutoCAD

CATIA

Job description

Job Description

The Drafter 2 position supports sustainment engineering efforts through engineering drawing updates, documentation control, and administrative drafting activities. This role is ideal for a junior drafter looking to develop CAD and engineering documentation skills in a structured environment.

Job Title: Mechanical Drafter

Job Description

The Drafter 2 position supports sustainment engineering efforts through engineering drawing updates, documentation control, and administrative drafting activities. This role is ideal for a junior drafter looking to develop CAD and engineering documentation skills in a structured environment.

Responsibilities

• Revise and update engineering drawings.
• Support documentation and change management activities, maintaining accurate records and drawing packages.
• Assist with sustainment engineering paperwork and administrative tasks.

Essential Skills

• High school diploma plus 1+ year of drafting experience, or additional education in lieu of experience.
• Working knowledge of engineering drawing techniques and drafting standards.
• Experience with 2D and 3D CAD software (Creo preferred; NX, SolidWorks, AutoCAD, or CATIA acceptable).
• Basic understanding of trigonometry and algebra.
• Excellent attention to detail, organization, and communication skills.

Additional Skills & Qualifications

• AS degree with no work experience is acceptable.
• Experience in CAD modeling and mechanical drafting.
• Familiarity with mechanical design and 3D modeling.

Work Environment

This position offers the opportunity to support a leading aerospace and defense organization developing advanced unmanned aircraft systems and next-generation aerospace technology. The role provides strong potential for contract-to-hire conversion and long-term career growth. Work is conducted in a collaborative engineering environment with in-house R&D, engineering, manufacturing, and technical support teams. Hybrid work flexibility is available after onboarding, combined with a 9/80 work schedule that provides every other Friday off. The company is focused on long-term innovation and technology development rather than short-term performance pressures.

Job Type & Location

This is a Contract position based out of Poway, CA.

Pay And Benefits

The pay range for this position is $30.00 - $35.00/hr.

Individual compensation offered for this position within this range will depend on many factors, including qualifications, skills, relevant experience, job knowledge, geographic location, internal equity, and other pertinent job-related factors.

Eligibility requirements apply to some benefits and may depend on your job classification and length of employment. Benefits are subject to change and may be subject to specific elections, plan, or program terms. If eligible, the benefits available for this temporary role may include the following:

• Medical, dental & vision Critical Illness, Accident, and Hospital 401(k) Retirement Plan Pre-tax and Roth post-tax contributions available Life Insurance (Voluntary Life & AD&D for the employee and dependents) Short and long-term disability Health Spending Account (HSA) Transportation benefits Employee Assistance Program Time Off/Leave (PTO, Vacation or Sick Leave)

Workplace Type

This is a hybrid position in Poway,CA.

Application Deadline

This position is anticipated to close on Oct 21, 2026.

About Actalent

Actalent is a global leader in engineering and sciences services and talent solutions. We help visionary companies advance their engineering and science initiatives through access to specialized experts who drive scale, innovation and speed to market. With a network of almost 20,000 consultants and 5,000 clients across the U.S., Canada, Asia and Europe, Actalent serves many of the Fortune 500. We are proud to be an Engineering News-Record (ENR) Top 500 Design Firm for our engineering design services and a ClearlyRated Best of Staffing® winner for both client and talent service.

The company is an equal opportunity employer and will consider all applications without regard to race, sex, age, color, religion, national origin, veteran status, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information or any characteristic protected by law.

If you would like to request a reasonable accommodation, such as the modification or adjustment of the job application process or interviewing process due to a disability, please email [e-mail] for other accommodation options.

San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance: Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, for all positions located in the city and county of San Francisco, we will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records.

Massachusetts Lie Detector: It is unlawful in Massachusetts to require or administer a lie detector test as a condition of employment or continued employment. An employer who violates this law shall be subject to criminal penalties and civil liability.

Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI): We may use Artificial Intelligence (AI) to support parts of our hiring process, including sourcing, screening, and evaluating candidates. AI helps assess applications and qualifications, but final decisions are made by our hiring team. By applying, you acknowledge and agree that your application may be reviewed using AI tools.