Civil CAD Designer Land Development Civil 3D

Senior Civil CAD Designer / Project Manager
Position Title: Senior Civil CAD Designer / Project Manager
Location: Baton Rouge, LA — In-Office
Employment Type:

Full-Time, Exempt
Salary Range:

$85,000 – $110,000 annually
About the Firm
Next Level Solutions is honored to recruit on behalf of one of our amazing local clients– a hands-on civil engineering firm specializing in commercial and residential site design. This team offers broad, end-to-end project exposure (feasibility through construction), a collaborative low-bureaucracy environment, and the chance to work closely with experienced engineers and leadership while making visible, meaningful impact.
Position Overview
We are seeking a Senior Civil CAD Designer / Project Manager with 10+ years of AutoCAD Civil 3D experience producing civil site construction documents for commercial and residential land development. In this role, you’ll lead plan production, manage design workflows and schedules, and drive quality from concept through final deliverables on complex projects
In this role, you will lead plan production from concept through final construction documents, manage project timelines and deliverables, coordinate directly with engineers and outside consultants, and mentor less experienced designers. This is an in-office role with daily collaboration alongside engineering staff, serving as the critical link between design intent and construction documentation.
Key Responsibilities
Plan Production & Technical Design
Lead production of complete civil site construction document sets in AutoCAD Civil 3D, including site layout, grading, drainage, utility plans (storm, sanitary, water), erosion and sediment control, road profiles, and construction details

Develop and manage Civil 3D surfaces, corridors, pipe networks, grading groups, and assemblies for commercial and residential site design projects

Create grading designs for commercial pads, parking lots, residential subdivisions, roadways, retaining walls, and stormwater management facilities

Produce utility plan and profile sheets for storm drainage, sanitary sewer, and water distribution systems

Prepare lot grading plans, road plans, and mass grading plans for residential subdivisions and phased developments

Generate earthwork quantity calculations, cut/fill analyses, and material takeoffs from Civil 3D surfaces

Develop and maintain CAD standards, templates, sheet sets, and block libraries to ensure consistency and production efficiency

Perform quality control reviews on plan sets prior to submittal to ensure accuracy, completeness, and compliance with applicable standards

Project Management & Coordination
Manage design production schedules across multiple concurrent projects; coordinate with engineers to prioritize deliverables and meet deadlines

Serve as a primary point of coordination between engineering staff, survey, and outside consultants on plan production matters

Track project progress, identify production bottlenecks, and proactively communicate schedule impacts to project leads

Coordinate with municipal agencies and review bodies on plan formatting, submission requirements, and responses to review comments (as applicable)

Participate in project kickoff meetings, design reviews, and client progress meetings

Support construction administration by producing record drawings, responding to contractor RFIs with revised details, and updating plans based on field conditions

Mentorship & Team Leadership
Train and mentor junior CAD designers and drafters on Civil 3D workflows, standards, and land development plan production best practices

Assign and manage workload for design/drafting support staff on project teams

Evaluate and recommend CAD tools, plugins, and workflow improvements to increase production efficiency

Serve as a go-to Civil 3D resource for complex modeling and troubleshooting

Required Qualifications
10+ years of professional experience producing civil site construction documents using AutoCAD Civil 3D for commercial and/or residential land development projects

Expert-level proficiency in AutoCAD Civil 3D, including surfaces, grading, corridors, alignments, pipe networks, profiles, cross-sections, quantity takeoffs, and sheet set management

Strong knowledge of civil site plan preparation including grading, drainage, utilities, erosion control, roadway design, and construction details

Strong understanding of land development construction practices, site construction sequencing, and how plans translate to field execution

Experience managing plan production schedules and coordinating deliverables across multi-discipline project teams

Demonstrated ability to perform independent QA/QC on construction document sets for completeness and accuracy

Degree/certificate in CAD/Drafting, Civil Engineering Technology, or related discipline (or equivalent professional experience)

Strong communication skills and ability to coordinate with engineers, project managers, clients, and reviewers

Ability to read and interpret civil engineering plans, survey data, geotechnical reports, and construction specifications

Preferred Qualifications
Experience working across diverse project types in a small-to-mid-size land development environment

Familiarity with local/state land development codes, agency submission standards, and stormwater management regulations

Bluebeam Revu experience for plan markup and review

Working knowledge of HydroCAD, StormCAD, or similar stormwater tools

GIS experience and/or data integration into Civil 3D workflows

Proficiency with Microsoft Office and project tracking/scheduling tools

Experience supporting construction administration, including as-built/record drawing production and contractor coordination

What This Role Offers
Ownership of plan production from concept through construction documents, with influence over quality standards and production workflows

Direct collaboration with engineering staff and project stakeholders

Diverse project mix across commercial and residential development

Opportunity for expanded responsibility as the organization grows

Compensation & Benefits
Competitive salary range: $85,000 – $110,000

Performance-based annual bonus program

Health, dental, and vision insurance

401(k) with employer match

Paid time off (PTO) and paid holidays

Professional development support (training, certifications, continuing education, conferences)