Design Technician BIM

Smart4 Energy; Cape Town; On-site; ZAR 320,000 - 460,000; Full time

Job summary

Smart4 Energy in Cape Town seeks a Design Technician for the Mechanical Building Services team. The role sits between mechanical design and BIM/modelling, requiring hands-on experience with Revit and AutoCAD to develop detailed models, layouts and documentation for building projects.

You will collaborate with Mechanical Engineers and other disciplines to produce coordinated BIM models, drawings and schedules, supporting design reviews and project deliveries from concept through construction and

Qualifications

• Minimum 3+ years' relevant experience in mechanical engineering, building services or BIM.
• Strong practical experience using Autodesk Revit.
• Good working knowledge of AutoCAD.
• Exposure to mechanical building services incl. HVAC, wet services or piping.

Responsibilities

• Develop mechanical building-services models and drawings using Revit and AutoCAD.
• Assist in developing mechanical services designs with engineers.
• Translate concepts into accurate drawings and BIM models.
• Produce layouts, sections, details and construction documentation.
• Coordinate with multidisciplinary teams and review drawings during project stages.
• Attend design reviews and site verifications when required.

Skills

Autodesk Revit

AutoCAD

BIM Modelling

HVAC

Piping

MEP Coordination

Technical Drawings

Education

Mechanical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering Technology, BIM, Draughting or a related technical discipline

Tools

Autodesk Revit

AutoCAD

Job description

Design Technician – Mechanical Building Services

Location: Cape Town, Western Cape

Salary: Market related

Employment Type: Permanent

Industry: Consulting Engineering / Building Services

Experience: 3+ years

Role Overview

An established multidisciplinary consulting engineering firm is looking for a Design Technician to join its Mechanical Building Services team in Cape Town.

The position sits between mechanical design and BIM/modelling and would suit someone who has developed strong practical experience using Revit and AutoCAD within a building-services environment.

The successful candidate will work closely with Mechanical Engineers and other engineering disciplines to develop designs, BIM models, layouts and technical documentation for a variety of building projects.

This is an excellent opportunity for a technically strong candidate who wants to move beyond pure drafting or modelling and continue developing their mechanical building-services design capability.

Key Responsibilities

• Develop detailed mechanical building-services models and drawings using Autodesk Revit and AutoCAD.
• Assist Mechanical Engineers with the development of mechanical services designs.
• Translate engineering concepts, calculations and mark-ups into accurate technical drawings and coordinated BIM models.
• Produce layouts, sections, details, schedules and construction documentation.
• Support the design and modelling of HVAC, wet services, plumbing, piping and associated mechanical systems.
• Assist with equipment layouts, plantroom arrangements and service routing.
• Coordinate mechanical services with architectural, structural, electrical, fire and other building-services disciplines.
• Identify and assist with resolving clashes and coordination issues within multidisciplinary models.
• Review and update drawings and models throughout the different stages of a project.
• Produce documentation for concept, detailed design, tender, construction and as-built stages.
• Assist with technical calculations, equipment selections and schedules under the guidance of Mechanical Engineers.
• Participate in internal design reviews and multidisciplinary coordination meetings.
• Assist with site inspections, measurements and verification of installations where required.
• Maintain accurate project documentation and ensure drawings comply with company and project standards.

Minimum Requirements

• Minimum 3+ years' relevant experience within mechanical engineering, building services, BIM or technical design.
• Strong practical experience using Autodesk Revit.
• Good working knowledge of AutoCAD.
• Previous exposure to mechanical building services.
• Experience with HVAC, wet services, plumbing, piping or similar mechanical systems.
• Ability to interpret engineering drawings, technical specifications and design information.
• Understanding of BIM coordination and multidisciplinary building-services environments.
• Relevant qualification in Mechanical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering Technology, BIM, Draughting or a related technical discipline.

Highly Advantageous

• Advanced Revit/BIM training or certification.
• Experience within a consulting engineering environment.
• Exposure to both design and BIM modelling, rather than purely draughting.
• Experience assisting engineers with calculations, equipment selection and mechanical system design.
• Experience with multidisciplinary coordination and clash detection.
• ECSA registration or eligibility for registration.
• Experience working on projects from design through to construction.

Relevant Project Experience

Candidates with experience across commercial buildings, offices, retail developments, high-rise buildings, residential developments, hotels, hospitals, data centres, warehouses, industrial facilities and mixed-use developments would be particularly relevant.

Key Technical Skills

Autodesk Revit | AutoCAD | Mechanical Building Services | BIM Modelling | HVAC | Wet Services | Plumbing | Piping | Mechanical Design | Technical Drawings | MEP Coordination | Clash Detection | Equipment Layouts | Construction Documentation | Multidisciplinary Coordination

Ideal Candidate Profile

The ideal candidate is someone with approximately 2–3 years' experience who is already comfortable working in Revit but also understands the engineering behind the models they are producing.

They do not necessarily need to be a fully‑fledged Mechanical Design Engineer. The sweet spot would be a Mechanical Engineering Technician / Technologist, BIM Technician or Mechanical BIM Modeller who has strong Revit capability, exposure to HVAC and/or wet services, and wants to continue developing technically within a consulting engineering environment.

They should be comfortable working alongside engineers, taking responsibility for models and drawings, coordinating with other disciplines and gradually becoming more involved in the mechanical design process.