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Looking out for a CAD Designer? Need to know how and where to find the best candidates? Here is a comprehensive guide to finding the best CAD Designers. Read on!

How to hire a CAD designer?

A Computer-Aided Designer or CAD Designer is an expert in creating plans, landscape, engineering drawings of a project related to a construction business or houses. A freelance CAD designer utilizes various technologies and tools to curate the images, including graphical design, 2D and 3D modeling.

Engineering and construction companies hire CAD designers for their infrastructure-related projects, creating office spaces, housing complexes, stadiums, bridges, roads, and many more. The demand for a CAD designer is never a dearth in the job market.

Question is, “How to hire a CAD designer who is skilled and proficient in executing the projects?” The article will provide a detailed outline of the skills and qualities that you need to check while hiring a freelance CAD designer.

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Hiring market for CAD Designer

The job opportunities for a CAD design engineer is huge. Construction is one such domain that will continue forever and demands for facilities are rising constantly year after year. Any construction facility would need a well-designed plan. Hence the demand for CAD designers for hire is expected to rise very fast.

The US Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts an 8% growth in the CAD designing jobs; faster than the growth rate of normal occupations. The growth of 8% is predicted till the year 2026 as per the study and analysis performed by BLS.

The average salary of a 3D CAD designer varies between USD 42K to USD 60K per annum in the US. With experience and skill set, the 3d CAD designers may earn up to USD 81K per year which is quite lucrative in the modern era.

A CAD artist engaged in drafting jobs is expected to experience faster growth than others; almost 10% to 13% growth is expected at least till the year 2022. This is quite phenomenal, a positive impact on the CAD design services profession and also on the individuals proficient in freelance CAD design.

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Top 15 recent job titles for CAD Designers

You can hire a CAD designer for a number of job titles utilizing their CAD experience and expertise for creating plans and designs. Here is a list of the top 15 job titles that can be offered to a freelancing CAD professional

1. CAD Designer

Can be hired at an entry-level or at an experienced level to create plans and designs for various projects across multiple domains. They must have the expertise in leveraging the latest tools and technologies in CAD designing. The freelance CAD designer rates varies between USD 42K to USD 60K per annum

2. CAD Drafter

Responsible for transforming the raw or initial rough designs of products into final documents using CAD tools. They even take part in reviewing the engineering drawings and designs as per the mentioned specifications and standards. The annual salary ranges from USD 46K to USD 67K for an experience level of 5 to 9 years.

3. CAD Specialist

Experienced professionals are hired for this particular job title with proper educational qualifications and certifications. They create blueprints, technical drawings, schematics through creative thinking. Salary varies between USD 59K to USD 64K per annum for professionals with more than 6 years of experience.

4. CAD Technician

Proficient in creating plans and technical drawings for various industrial sectors like manufacturing, engineering, construction, etc. utilizing CAD software and tools. They are also popularly known as draughts person and their work is termed as draughting. Yearly salary is between USD 60K and 70K.

5. CAD Engineer

Develops 3D and 2D plans using applications and tools like AutoCAD, SolidWorks, etc. They are experts and highly skilled in mathematics, science, physics, engineering principles. The annual salary of CAD engineer is high almost USD 72K.

6. CAD Operator

CAD operators work under the guidance and supervision of CAD designers and drafters. They prepare technical drawings and plans especially related to buildings, goods for the manufacturing industry, and structures. Their annual salary is between USD 27K to USD 40K.

7. Mechanical Design Draftsperson

Responsible for preparing and creating technical drawings of mechanical devices, robotics and machinery for the manufacturing industrial sector. They provide both freelance and contract CAD services. Their salary varies between USD 34K to USD 60K for an experience level of more than 5 years.

8. Engineering Draftsperson

An engineering draftsperson converts the designs provided by engineers and architects into blueprints and technical drawings. They use CAD software to create the images; specializing in mechanical, civil, architectural, and electrical sectors. The annual salary varies between USD 46K to USD 62K.

9. Electronic Draftsperson

An electronic draftsperson produces drawings related to wiring, circuit boards, layouts typically used in the manufacturing industry and in the installation of electronic devices or components. Their yearly salary is between USD 50K to USD 55K.

10. Civil Draftsperson

A civil draftsperson creates plans and drawings that are leveraged for civil engineering projects like bridges, pipelines, highways, sewerage systems, etc. They prepare the sketches as per the design specifications provided by civil engineers or technologists. The annual salary varies between USD 32K to USD 48K.

11. Geological Draftsperson

A geological draftsperson prepares diagrams, plans, maps, and cross-sections for locations and structures related to a geophysical or geological sector like oil deposits, gas deposits, etc. The salary varies between USD 62K to USD 65K per annum.

12. Marine Draftsperson

A marine draftsperson creates drawings and blueprints for freighters, cruise ships, oil tankers, and any others related to the marine sector. Floor plans, 3D models form a part of their activities. Their annual salary ranges between USD 37K to USD 75K.

13. Mining Draftsperson

A mining draftsperson is responsible for creating 3D or 2D models, layouts, draughts, plans, and drawings related to the mining industry like oil and gas extraction, quarrying, etc. They use CAD software and tools for preparing the designs and plans. Salary varies between USD 55K to USD 60K per annum.

14. Group Leader, Drafting

Monitor and oversee a team of CAD engineers, designers, and drafters. Responsible for adhering to the deadlines, meet the project objectives and goals, and ensures the design and drawings meet the expected specifications and standards. Salary varies between 75K to 85K per annum for an experience level of more than 6 years.

15. Chief Draftsperson

A chief draftsperson is essentially a person with 10 to 15 years of experience in CAD designing and drawing. Controls and monitor multiple CAD projects with group leaders or team leads assigned to each project. Their salary ranges from USD 90K to 100K per annum.

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Qualifications to look for in CAD Designer

You must verify and validate the educational degree and qualifications of CAD professionals during the hiring process. The list of valid degrees to check when you are looking for CAD designer is as follows,

• Diploma in Architecture, Arts (Commercial or Fine Arts) or graphic design
• Bachelor’s Degree in Architecture, Arts (Commercial or Fine Arts) or graphic design
• Master’s Degree in Architecture, Arts (Commercial or Fine Arts) or graphic design

Here are the top US schools and universities which provides degrees and learning courses for computer-aided drafting services or design services,The

1. University of Pennsylvania, located in Philadelphia, has a Fine Arts and graphic design department
2. Harvard University in Massachusetts offers learning programs and courses on Architecture and Arts
3. Boston University has a department for fine arts offering both bachelor’s and Master’s degree in Arts or graphic design
4. Stanford University provides a Bachelor of Science degree on Architecture
5. Columbia University in New York is a renowned university for providing both Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in Architecture
6. University of California in Berkeley offers a Master of Science in architecture as well as an M.Arch degree.
7. Rochester Institute of Technology has a department for Imaging arts and sciences.
8. Maryland Institute College of Art has a department for Fine Arts and graphic design offering degree programs
9. The University of Minnesota providing undergraduate and graduate courses for fine arts
10. Yale University conducts classes with a focus on Architecture and Fine Arts, offering both Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees.

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Skills to look for in CAD Designer

Judging a CAD freelance professional on both technical and soft skills is crucial in the CAD designer recruitment activity. The key skills you must verify in a CAD professional are highlighted below,

1. Knowledge of the principles and techniques related to engineering design and drawings
2. Check the skills and abilities of the candidate to create AutoCAD designs using tools like FreeCAD, TinkerCAD, Fusion 360 degree and others
3. Possess mathematical computation and numerical skills for calculations required in the graphic designs and plans
4. Thorough understanding of the manufacturing, engineering and construction domain for better design and plan
5. Knowledge of material properties that form the key criteria in a construction project
6. Creative and innovative mindset to frame quality design best suited for the buildings, roads, etc. in concern
7. Excellent written and verbal communication skills
8. Planning and organizing skills for timely delivery of the freelance CAD work assignments
9. The CAD graphic design specialists mainly work in remote locations at their homes or co-working space. They must be capable to handle majority of their work independently.
10. Check whether the CAD designer for hire is able to interact comfortably and easily leveraging the audio and video conferencing tools.
11. AutoCAD designers must be aware of the latest trends and developments in CAD designs

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Certifications to look for in CAD Designer

CAD designer freelance professionals need to obtain added certifications for gaining competency and expertise in 2d or 3d CAD drawing services. The key certifications that you can verify while CAD design professionals are,

1. Bachelor of Computer Science (BCS) Certificate in 2D Computer-Aided Design (ECDL CAD) Level 2 for a duration of 6 to 12 months
2. Business and Technology Education Council (BTEC) Certificates and Diplomas in Engineering levels 2 and 3
3. Business and Technology Education Council (BTEC) National Certificates and Diplomas in Mechanical, Manufacturing or Civil Engineering Level 3
4. City and Guilds Certificate in Computer-Aided Design Parametric Modelling levels 1 to 3
5. City and Guilds Certificate in 2D Computer-Aided Design Level 2
6. City and Guilds Certificate in 2D Computer-Aided Design Level 3

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Rate per hour of CAD Designer

“How much does CAD cost for hiring designers?” or “How much does a computer-aided designer make?” Questions that arise among the firms hiring CAD designers. For the benefit of all, let us discuss the CAD designer hourly rate prevailing in the job market.

In the US, the average hourly rate of a CAD designer is almost USD 23. The rate for a CAD drafter of category 1 is normally in the range of USD 22 to USD 29 per hour, category II is USD 28 to USD 30 per hour and category III is USD 32 to USD 42 per hour.

In the UK too, the average hourly rates are almost similar to that of the US, about USD 22. At the entry-level, the rate per hour is about USD 18 and the experienced CAD designers earn almost USD 25 per hour.

For hiring at cheap CAD design hourly rates, India and the Asian countries are the best places where you can find CAD experts with low hourly rates. In India, the average hourly rate of a CAD designer is almost USD 10 to USD 15.

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Top 10 job boards to find best CAD Designer

Let us now try to check the prominent job boards to find a CAD designer. There are ample job profiles registered in them related to CAD design and CAD drawing freelance work. You just need to post the expected job description, role and mention the probable 2D or 3D CAD designer salary. Enlisted below are the popular job boards for searching for a CAD designer,

1. Indeed – One of the most popular job websites with a huge pool of prospective profiles to search a CAD designer
2. Upwork – One of the largest job boards to find a CAD designer. You can post your job requirements on the website.
3. unremot.com – Enables you to gain access into a global workforce where you just mention the job roles and descriptions for the CAD designers or CAD drawings for hire.
4. LinkedIn –LinkedIn is the ideal place to search for CAD designers with convincing profiles and past experiences.
5. Glassdoor – Another popular job website for searching for an expert CAD designer.
6. AngelList – Popular and recommended job board to sort and search the best profile for a CAD designer.
7. Fiverr – In Fiverr, you can hire freelance CAD designer after verifying and negotiating on the hourly rates.
8. Craigslist – Great place to hire a CAD designer for various job positions or titles in your company
9. SimplyHired – A similar popular website to post job opportunities or search through the profiles of CAD designers
10. Ziprecruiter – The preferred job board to connect to CAD designers, drafters or technicians for recruitment.

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Top 10 companies hiring CAD Designer and salaries offered

In this section, we will discuss the top 10 companies that hire CAD designers.

1. RK mechanical, a leader in the engineering, construction, and manufacturing sector and headquartered in Denver, Colorado with 10 office locations. The salary offered is USD 29 to USD 36 per hour
2. F. Ahern, headquartered in Wisconsin, provides services related to fire protection, mechanical contracting, water treatment, pipe fabrication, etc. Has 14 office locations in the US.
3. Altair Engineering, a technology company with a global reach for providing software and cloud solutions. Has 23 office locations and headquartered in Michigan.
4. HDR Engineering company, headquartered in Nebraska and with 31 office locations. It focuses on construction, engineering, architecture, and environmental services
5. Cupertino Electric, one of the largest specialty contractors for electrical construction projects. Headquartered in San Jose, California, and has 4 office locations
6. Ford Motor Company, renowned in the world for manufacturing Ford cars, SUVs, trucks, etc. Headquartered in Dearborn, Michigan, and has 26 office locations.
7. Siemens, a multinational conglomerate, headquartered in Munich, Germany. It is Europe’s largest manufacturing company with 36 office locations.
8. John Deere in Silicon Valley, US is a leading manufacturer for machines related to forest, agriculture, construction, etc. Headquartered in Illinois with 27 office locations
9. Daimler Trucks is headquartered in Portland, Oregon. It is the leading manufacturer of heavy-duty trucks in North America.
10. Sargent & Lundy, the leader in the energy and power sector specializing in grid modernization, nuclear power, renewable energy, etc. Headquartered in Chicago, Illinois.

At an entry-level freelance CAD drafter or freelance CAD designer salary ranges between USD 33K to 49K per annum. For CAD operators or individuals with lesser educational qualifications the entry-level salary maybe a bit low, about USD 22K per annum.

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Top 10 interview questions for CAD Designer

An important step in the hiring process of a CAD designer is to ask appropriate questions in the interview. These would equip you to judge the credibility and potential of the CAD designer. To aid you in the recruitment, enlisted below are the top 10 mandatory interview questions you must ask during the hiring process.

1. How to do CAD drawings or How to CAD design?

Rationale: To understand the basic knowledge of the candidate on CAD designing. Mainly asked freshers or entry-level professionals.

Expected Answer: The candidate must mention the usage of computers and software for creating a technical drawing or a plan related to engineering or a related field. Ensure the person specifies about leveraging the hardware and software part of the CAD system for preparing the design.

2. What are the stages in a CAD design process?

Rationale: Helps to guarantee the experience of the candidate in following the correct steps in CAD designing

Expected Answer: Ensure the candidate mentions geometric modeling, design analysis and optimization, design review and evaluation, and drafting in sequence.

3. Mention the drawing entities

Rationale: Helps to validate the knowledge level of the candidate in utilizing the correct features for CAD design

Expected Answer: The key drawing entities are arc, line, point, circle, ellipse, rectangle, etc.

4. What are the drawing utilities?

Rationale: To verify whether the candidate has leveraged the key drawing utilities during the design and drafting process

Expected Answer: Line type, screen size, layers, grid, units, scaling, snap, etc. are the expected answers

5. Are you aware of geometric modeling?

Rationale: Ask this question to check the candidate’s expertise in 2D and 3D modeling.

Expected Answer: If the candidate specifies about developing a mathematical description of the object’s geometry through modeling, then you can consider the answer as correct.

6. Mention the different types of geometric modeling

Rationale: Along with the above question, this particular clarification is needed to understand the candidate’s depth of knowledge.

Expected Answer: The broad type of 2D and 3D modeling must be checked from the candidate’s response. Besides, the candidate must be able to mention the subtypes of 3D modeling – wireframe, surface, solid.

7. What are the different CAD software packages or tools generally used or you have used?

Rationale: To understand whether the candidate is aware of the CAD tools and software and their usage.

Expected Answer: AutoCAD, SolidWorks, TurboCAD, IronCAD, etc. are the expected answers along with a brief description of their usage and features.

8. Define Constructive Solid Geometry or CSG

Rationale: To validate and verify the advanced level knowledge of the CAD designer.

Expected Answer: Ensure the candidate talks about Boolean operations in his or her response.

9. Define Boundary Representation or B-Rep

Rationale: To check the experience and expertise level of the candidate, this question is a mandatory one.

Expected Answer: The expected answer is entering or creating the boundary edge for all the surfaces in the drawing.

10. How to become a CAD designer?

Rationale: A very vital question to ask to judge whether the candidate has followed the appropriate educational and training path to be a CAD designer

Expected Answer: The candidate must speak about the educational qualifications related to architectural design, graphic design, or arts. Besides he or she must mention the professional certifications to be undertaken and even internship level from a company.