Architectural and Civil Drafters

Also called: Architectural Computer-Aided Design Technician (Architectural CAD Technician), Architectural Designer, Architectural Drafter, Architectural Draftsman, Architectural Technician

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Architectural and civil drafters prepare detailed drawings of architectural and structural features of buildings or drawings and topographical relief maps used in civil engineering projects, such as highways, bridges, and public works. Use knowledge of building materials, engineering practices, and mathematics to complete drawings.

Produce drawings, using computer-assisted drafting systems (CAD) or drafting machines, or by hand, using compasses, dividers, protractors, triangles, and other drafting devices.
Draft plans and detailed drawings for structures, installations, and construction projects, such as highways, sewage disposal systems, and dikes, working from sketches or notes.
Coordinate structural, electrical, and mechanical designs and determine a method of presentation to graphically represent building plans.
Analyze building codes, by-laws, space and site requirements, and other technical documents and reports to determine their effect on architectural designs.
Draw maps, diagrams, and profiles, using cross-sections and surveys, to represent elevations, topographical contours, subsurface formations, and structures.
Lay out and plan interior room arrangements for commercial buildings, using computer-assisted drafting (CAD) equipment and software.
Supervise and train other technologists, technicians, and drafters.
Determine the order of work and method of presentation, such as orthographic or isometric drawing.
Finish and duplicate drawings and documentation packages according to required mediums and specifications for reproduction, using blueprinting, photography, or other duplicating methods.
Draw rough and detailed scale plans for foundations, buildings, and structures, based on preliminary concepts, sketches, engineering calculations, specification sheets, and other data.
Correlate, interpret, and modify data obtained from topographical surveys, well logs, and geophysical prospecting reports.
Check dimensions of materials to be used and assign numbers to lists of materials.
Determine procedures and instructions to be followed, according to design specifications and quantity of required materials.
Supervise or conduct field surveys, inspections, or technical investigations to obtain data required to revise construction drawings.
Explain drawings to production or construction teams and provide adjustments as necessary.
Obtain and assemble data to complete architectural designs, visiting job sites to compile measurements as necessary.
Determine quality, cost, strength, and quantity of required materials, and enter figures on materials lists.
Locate and identify symbols on topographical surveys to denote geological and geophysical formations or oil field installations.
Create freehand drawings and lettering to accompany drawings.
Calculate excavation tonnage and prepare graphs and fill-hauling diagrams for use in earth-moving operations.
Prepare colored drawings of landscape and interior designs for presentation to client.
Calculate weights, volumes, and stress factors and their implications for technical aspects of designs.
Plot characteristics of boreholes for oil and gas wells from photographic subsurface survey recordings and other data, representing depth, degree, and direction of inclination.
Reproduce drawings on copy machines or trace copies of plans and drawings, using transparent paper or cloth, ink, pencil, and standard drafting instruments.
Calculate heat loss and gain of buildings and structures to determine required equipment specifications, following standard procedures.
Prepare cost estimates, contracts, bidding documents, and technical reports for specific projects under an architect's or engineer's supervision.
Represent architect or engineer on construction site, ensuring builder compliance with design specifications and advising on design corrections, under supervision.
Review rough sketches, drawings, specifications, and other engineering data to ensure that they conform to design concepts.

Work Context

Electronic Mail —
Face-to-Face Discussions —
Indoors, Environmentally Controlled —
Importance of Being Exact or Accurate —
Spend Time Sitting —
Work With Work Group or Team —
Telephone —

Work Activities

Interacting With Computers — Using computers and computer systems (including hardware and software) to program, write software, set up functions, enter data, or process information.
Drafting, Laying Out, and Specifying Technical Devices, Parts, and Equipment — Providing documentation, detailed instructions, drawings, or specifications to tell others about how devices, parts, equipment, or structures are to be fabricated, constructed, assembled, modified, maintained, or used.
Getting Information — Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.
Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards — Using relevant information and individual judgment to determine whether events or processes comply with laws, regulations, or standards.
Making Decisions and Solving Problems — Analyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.
Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates — Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.
Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge — Keeping up-to-date technically and applying new knowledge to your job.
Thinking Creatively — Developing, designing, or creating new applications, ideas, relationships, systems, or products, including artistic contributions.

Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work — Developing specific goals and plans to prioritize, organize, and accomplish your work.

Documenting/Recording Information — Entering, transcribing, recording, storing, or maintaining information in written or electronic/magnetic form.

Processing Information — Compiling, coding, categorizing, calculating, tabulating, auditing, or verifying information or data.

Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events — Identifying information by categorizing, estimating, recognizing differences or similarities, and detecting changes in circumstances or events.

Analyzing Data or Information — Identifying the underlying principles, reasons, or facts of information by breaking down information or data into separate parts.

Communicating with Persons Outside Organization — Communicating with people outside the organization, representing the organization to customers, the public, government, and other external sources. This information can be exchanged in person, in writing, or by telephone or e-mail.

Estimating the Quantifiable Characteristics of Products, Events, or Information — Estimating sizes, distances, and quantities; or determining time, costs, resources, or materials needed to perform a work activity.

Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships — Developing constructive and cooperative working relationships with others, and maintaining them over time.

Scheduling Work and Activities — Scheduling events, programs, and activities, as well as the work of others.

Monitor Processes, Materials, or Surroundings — Monitoring and reviewing information from materials, events, or the environment, to detect or assess problems.

Interpreting the Meaning of Information for Others — Translating or explaining what information means and how it can be used.

Detailed Work Activities

Create graphical representations of civil structures.
Create graphical representations of civil structures.
Create graphical representations of structures or landscapes.
Evaluate technical data to determine effect on designs or plans.
Create maps.
Create graphical representations of structures or landscapes.

Design

Knowledge of design techniques, tools, and principles involved in production of precision technical plans, blueprints, drawings, and models.

Building and Construction

Knowledge of materials, methods, and the tools involved in the construction or repair of houses, buildings, or other structures such as highways and roads.

Engineering and Technology

Knowledge of the practical application of engineering science and technology. This includes applying principles, techniques, procedures, and equipment to the design and production of various goods and services.

Active Listening

Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.

Critical Thinking

Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.

Reading Comprehension

Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.

Speaking

Talking to others to convey information effectively.

Oral Comprehension

The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.

Near Vision

The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).

Written Comprehension

The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.

Problem Sensitivity

The ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing there is a problem.

Oral Expression

The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.

Visualization

The ability to imagine how something will look after it is moved around or when its parts are moved or rearranged.

Information Ordering

The ability to arrange things or actions in a certain order or pattern according to a specific rule or set of rules (e.g., patterns of numbers, letters, words, pictures, mathematical operations).

Deductive Reasoning

The ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.

Written Expression

The ability to communicate information and ideas in writing so others will understand.

Inductive Reasoning

The ability to combine pieces of information to form general rules or conclusions (includes finding a relationship among seemingly unrelated events).

Speech Clarity

The ability to speak clearly so others can understand you.

Flexibility of Closure

The ability to identify or detect a known pattern (a figure, object, word, or sound) that is hidden in other distracting material.

Speech Recognition

The ability to identify and understand the speech of another person.

Category Flexibility

The ability to generate or use different sets of rules for combining or grouping things in different ways.

Mathematical Reasoning

The ability to choose the right mathematical methods or formulas to solve a problem.

Fluency of Ideas

The ability to come up with a number of ideas about a topic (the number of ideas is important, not their quality, correctness, or creativity).

Originality

The ability to come up with unusual or clever ideas about a given topic or situation, or to develop creative ways to solve a problem.

Number Facility

The ability to add, subtract, multiply, or divide quickly and correctly.

People interested in this work like activities that include ideas, thinking, and figuring things out.

They do well at jobs that need:

Achievement/Effort

Persistence

Initiative

Leadership

Cooperation

Concern for Others

Social Orientation

Self Control

You might use software like this on the job:

Spreadsheet software

Microsoft Excel

Computer aided design CAD software

ENERCALC FastFrame
Piping and instrumentation design PID software
Dassault Systemes SOLIDWORKS
PTC Creo Parametric
Computer assisted design software
Computer aided design and drafting software CADD
Computer aided design and drafting CADD software
Logitech 3D Pro
Graphisoft ArchiCAD
Bentley WaterCAD
VectorWorks ARCHITECT
Autodesk Architectural Desktop
Autodesk 3d Studio Viz
Trimble SketchUp Pro
Alias Wavefront Design Studio
UGS Solid Edge
Autodesk AutoCAD
Autodesk AutoCAD Civil 3D
Bentley MicroStation
Autodesk Revit Architecture
Dassault Systemes CATIA
Autodesk Softdesk
Three-dimensional modeling software
Autodesk Revit
Autodesk Land Desktop

Enterprise resource planning ERP software

SAP software
ERP software

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Architectural and Civil Drafters

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