CADD Specialist

Luster National•San Francisco, CA

About The Position

Luster is seeking Computer-aided Drafting and Design (CADD) Specialists at various skill levels to support large, complex heavy civil infrastructure programs, including highways, roads, bridges, transit, aviation, and water/wastewater projects delivered through traditional and alternative methods. The roles focus on deep experience in a particular heavy civil plan-production discipline, such as roadway and bridge plan sets, rail and bus transit drawings, airfield and terminal packages, or water and wastewater conveyance drawings. Specialists verify submissions against project CADD standards, maintain controlled drawing sets, and develop exhibits and figures used to support and document program decisions. This posting is for future roles rather than a currently available specific opportunity. Luster accepts applications and conducts interviews in advance of upcoming hiring needs. Selected candidates may be activated in the talent pool for this specialty and notified first when a project need arises. The scope and complexity of responsibilities increase with experience level. The minimum qualifications include an associate degree in a related field or equivalent education and experience, and at least five years of CADD experience on large, complex heavy-civil infrastructure projects valued above $500 million. The expected salary range is $80,000–$135,000 per year ($38–$65 per hour), subject to factors such as experience, skills, education, certifications, and location. Luster offers flexible time off, paid holidays, parental leave, insurance, retirement contributions, professional development, and other benefits.

Requirements

Associate degree in drafting and design technology, computer-aided design, civil engineering technology, construction management, or a related field, or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
At least 5 years of CADD experience on large (greater than $500 million), complex heavy-civil infrastructure projects.
Experience developing and checking heavy civil plan sets, including plan and profile sheets, cross sections, and details, against defined CADD standards.
Ability to read and interpret engineering drawings, topographic surveys, and technical specifications.
Working knowledge of drawing revision control, file naming, and submittal or transmittal tracking across more than one contract or design team.
Proficiency with industry-standard CADD, modeling, common data environment, and drawing review software, such as Autodesk Civil 3D, Revit, Navisworks, Bentley MicroStation, OpenRoads, ProjectWise, Bluebeam Revu, or Adobe Acrobat.
Proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite/Office 365, including tools such as Outlook, Teams, Word, and PowerPoint.
Excellent written and verbal communication and interpersonal skills.
Excellent multitasking and organizational skills.
Collaborative mindset that fosters teamwork, trust, and positive relationships.
Curiosity, problem-solving abilities, and commitment to continuous improvement.

Nice To Haves

Associate or bachelor’s degree in drafting and design technology, computer-aided design, civil engineering technology, or construction management.
Active professional certifications such as Autodesk Certified Professional credentials, Bentley certifications, and/or CDT (CSI).
Experience supporting owner’s representative, program management, or construction management assignments on transportation, transit, aviation, or water infrastructure programs.
Experience serving as the lead CADD resource on a package exceeding $100 million in construction value.
Experience developing right-of-way, staging, or utility conflict exhibits used in owner decisions, change evaluation, or claim documentation.
Working knowledge of state DOT or comparable agency plan production and drafting requirements.
Proficiency with Microsoft Power BI, Oracle Cloud Analytics, or other dashboard KPI reporting software.

Responsibilities

Review consultant and contractor drawing sets against program CADD standards, including seed and template files, layer and level conventions, file naming, and sheet organization; log nonconformance for correction.
Check plan sets for completeness, cross-referencing, scale, and datum consistency before technical review.
Maintain controlled drawing sets, including revision control, submittal and transmittal logging, and release of current issued-for-construction sheets.
Develop CADD drawings, exhibits, and figures, such as right-of-way exhibits, staging and detour graphics, utility conflict figures, and exhibits supporting change and claim documentation.
Compile and mark up plan sheets with design review comments, and track comments to the drawing changes that resolve them.
Verify that as-built and record drawings reflect approved changes, field directives, and accepted requests for information before inclusion in the permanent record set.
Support quantity verification by taking off dimensions, areas, and lengths from approved plans and comparing them with contractor-submitted quantities.
Coordinate drawing files across adjacent contracts and disciplines to maintain consistency where separate design-team plan sets meet.
Confirm submitted drawings reference the program’s survey control, coordinate system, and datum before acceptance into the controlled set.
Manage CADD files in the program’s common data environment or document management system, including check-in/check-out, access control, and file structure.
Reconcile files between Autodesk and Bentley formats so deliverables from different design teams can be reviewed and combined in the controlled set.