Piping Designer

Actalent; Houston (TX); On-site; USD 83,000 - 99,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, dental & vision

401(k) Retirement Plan

Life Insurance

Short and long-term disability

Health Spending Account

Transportation benefits

PTO / Vacation

Job summary

Actalent is seeking a Piping Designer for on-site work in Houston to develop and produce moderately complex piping drawings for refinery and petrochemical facilities. You will follow department standards, interpret project scope, and collaborate with field and office teams to ensure constructible designs.

This role requires 6+ years in mechanical/piping drafting, strong AutoCAD and Plant 3D skills, and the ability to read P&IDs and GA drawings.

Qualifications

• Minimum of 6+ years of relevant industrial experience in mechanical/piping drafting and design.
• Strong proficiency in AutoCAD for piping design and drafting.
• Hands-on experience with Plant 3D, including developing piping models and drawings.
• Ability to read, interpret, and develop designs from P&IDs and general arrangement (GA) drawings.
• Associate degree in Engineering Technology or CAD.

Responsibilities

• Apply and adhere to established department design and drafting standards in all piping design work.
• Review and interpret project scope, specifications, and design criteria upon assignment to each project task team.
• Develop and draft moderately complex piping drawings using input from P&IDs, GA drawings, piping specifications, equipment drawings, and related documentation.
• Perform field design work to verify existing conditions, locate and route new systems, and ensure designs reflect actual site constraints.
• Communicate effectively with site and client personnel to clarify requirements and support construction activities.
• Prepare accurate material take-offs from piping drawings to support procurement and construction planning.
• Plan and manage site design activities to achieve optimum results in quality, schedule, and constructability.
• Recognize scope and design changes promptly and communicate them clearly to the appropriate project stakeholders.
• Provide on-site assistance during system startup, helping resolve design-related issues and ensuring successful commissioning.
• Collaborate with multidisciplinary project teams to integrate piping designs with other engineering and drafting disciplines.
• Maintain organized project documentation and drawing files in accordance with department standards.

Skills

Piping design

AutoCAD

Plant 3D

Refinery/petrochemical experience

P&ID interpretation

GA drawings

Field design

Documentation

Communication

Education

Associate degree in Engineering Technology or CAD

Tools

AutoCAD

Plant 3D

Job description

Job Description

The Piping Designer will develop and produce moderately complex piping designs and drawings for industrial facilities, with a particular focus on refinery and petrochemical environments. This role applies established department design and drafting standards, interprets project scope and specifications, and collaborates closely with field and office teams to ensure accurate, constructible designs. The position also supports field design activities, material take-offs, and on‑site startup assistance while proactively identifying and communicating scope and design changes.

Job Title: Piping Designer

Job Description

The Piping Designer will develop and produce moderately complex piping designs and drawings for industrial facilities, with a particular focus on refinery and petrochemical environments. This role applies established department design and drafting standards, interprets project scope and specifications, and collaborates closely with field and office teams to ensure accurate, constructible designs. The position also supports field design activities, material take-offs, and on‑site startup assistance while proactively identifying and communicating scope and design changes.

Responsibilities

• Apply and adhere to established department design and drafting standards in all piping design work.
• Review and interpret project scope, specifications, and design criteria upon assignment to each project task team.
• Develop and draft moderately complex piping drawings using input from P&IDs, general arrangements (GAs), piping specifications, equipment drawings, and related documentation.
• Perform field design work to verify existing conditions, locate and route new systems, and ensure designs reflect actual site constraints.
• Communicate effectively with site and client personnel to clarify requirements and support construction activities.
• Prepare accurate material take-offs from piping drawings to support procurement and construction planning.
• Plan and manage site design activities to achieve optimum results in quality, schedule, and constructability.
• Recognize scope and design changes promptly and communicate them clearly to the appropriate project stakeholders.
• Provide on‑site assistance during system startup, helping resolve design-related issues and ensuring successful commissioning.
• Collaborate with multidisciplinary project teams to integrate piping designs with other engineering and drafting disciplines.
• Maintain organized project documentation and drawing files in accordance with department standards.

Essential Skills

• Minimum of 6+ years of relevant industrial experience in mechanical/piping drafting and design.
• Strong proficiency in AutoCAD for piping design and drafting.
• Hands‑on experience with Plant 3D, including developing piping models and drawings.
• Demonstrated expertise in piping design within refinery and petrochemical industry environments.
• Ability to read, interpret, and develop designs from P&IDs and general arrangement (GA) drawings.
• Solid understanding of piping specifications, equipment drawings, and industrial design criteria.
• Experience performing field design work to verify existing conditions and support installation of new systems.
• Capability to prepare accurate material take-offs from piping drawings.
• Ability to identify and communicate scope and design changes in a timely and professional manner.
• Associate degree in Engineering Technology or Computer‑Aided Drafting.
• Ability to plan and manage own site design activities to meet project deadlines and quality standards.

Additional Skills & Qualifications

• Experience working in refinery and petrochemical facilities, including familiarity with typical equipment and piping systems.
• Strong attention to detail and commitment to producing accurate, constructible piping drawings.
• Effective communication skills for coordinating with field personnel, project teams, and client representatives.
• Ability to work independently while collaborating effectively within project task teams.
• Comfort with supporting on‑site startup activities and resolving design‑related issues in the field.
• Certification is not required for this role, but relevant professional training or courses in piping design and CAD tools are beneficial.

Work Environment

This is an office‑based role with a standard schedule of 40 hours per week worked on‑site. The work environment is focused on industrial projects, particularly in refinery and petrochemical settings, with regular collaboration between office and field teams. The position involves extensive use of AutoCAD and Plant 3D software, as well as interaction with project documentation such as P&IDs, general arrangements, piping specifications, and equipment drawings. Occasional visits to client or project sites may be required for field design work and on‑site startup support. The organization offers paid time off, holiday benefits, and salary with access to overtime, providing flexibility in how compensation is structured.

Job Type & Location

This is a Contract position based out of Houston, TX.

Pay And Benefits

The pay range for this position is $60.00 - $72.00/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 fully onsite position in Houston,TX. Application Deadline This position is anticipated to close on Oct 5, 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.