What does a detailer/designer do?
A detailer/designer specializes in planning project concepts or models according to client specifications. Although their duties may depend upon their industry or place of employment, it usually involves identifying and understanding the project's requirements or the client's needs, conducting research and analyses, adhering to deadlines and budgets, developing drafts for client approval, and performing revisions as necessary. A detailer/designer usually works together with engineers or developers, which requires an active and transparent communication line for an efficient workflow.
Detailer/designer responsibilities
Here are examples of responsibilities from real detailer/designer resumes:
- Develop custom macros for SolidWorks to automate many redundant processes.
- Design curve, surface, solid model with UG NX.
- Require to follow standards set by entities such as ANSI, AWS, and ASTM.
- Prepare BOM's for purchasing.
- Programme jobs for the CNC wood cutting machinery.
- Follow all ASME, ANSI standards and OSHA requirements.
- Utilize SOLIDWORKS to interrogate models and piece parts for accuracy and completeness.
- Used PDM, PGCC for product data management, interface with manufacturing for prototype engine deck builds.
- Used Pro/Engineer with Intralink, create 3D component and assembly models of CNC machines and detail 2D drawing.
- Maintain a filing system to allow for align drawing formats, naming conventions, change management and ISO procedures.
- Prepare new and modify designs for studies, prototype, finalization and production release using UNIGRAPHICS 2D and 3D software.
- Work on Autocad and Cimatron simultaneously with side by side monitors to design components and checking fixtures for progressive dies.
- Design and implement a plastic variable extrusion process.
- Design fixtures and detail machine components for a government space project utilizing Unigraphics.
- Produce PowerPoint presentations to clarify aircraft engine support cost, effectiveness, reliability and maintainability.
Detailer/designer skills and personality traits
We calculated that 15% of Detailer/Designers are proficient in Revit, Shop Drawings, and BIM. They’re also known for soft skills such as Detail oriented, Technical skills, and Time-management skills.
We break down the percentage of Detailer/Designers that have these skills listed on their resume here:
- Revit, 15%
Prepared complex Architecture and Engineering construction drawings for residential and commercial projects utilizing AutoCAD Architecture and REVIT.
- Shop Drawings, 12%
Detail designer preparing detailed shop drawings for power plant applications.
- BIM, 7%
Provide support for interdisciplinary BIM coordination of construction projects * Create electrical layouts to expedite field installation process
- Plumbing, 6%
Prepare also Electrical, Reflected Ceiling and Plumbing layout plans with Plumbing actual layouts per approve drawing design.
- HVAC, 5%
Planned and developed HVAC layouts for large industrial projects and plans and isometric views for sewer and freshwater piping details.
- Commercial Buildings, 5%
Job Description: Design and Prepare Fire Protection Sprinkler System for Industrial and Commercial Buildings
"revit," "shop drawings," and "bim" are among the most common skills that detailer/designers use at work. You can find even more detailer/designer responsibilities below, including:
Detail oriented. One of the key soft skills for a detailer/designer to have is detail oriented. You can see how this relates to what detailer/designers do because "drafters must take care that the plans they convert are technically accurate according to the outlined specifications." Additionally, a detailer/designer resume shows how detailer/designers use detail oriented: "distributed construction drawings and details to different shop locations. "
Technical skills. Many detailer/designer duties rely on technical skills. "drafters in all specialties must be able to use computer software, such as cad, and work with database tools, such as building information modeling (bim).," so a detailer/designer will need this skill often in their role. This resume example is just one of many ways detailer/designer responsibilities rely on technical skills: "maintain technical support for customers assist in training new candidates in detailing rebar. "
Time-management skills. Another skill that relates to the job responsibilities of detailer/designers is time-management skills. This skill is critical to many everyday detailer/designer duties, as "drafters often work under deadline." This example from a resume shows how this skill is used: "ensured customer satisfaction by providing complete drawing packages on or before the set deadline. "
Math skills. For certain detailer/designer responsibilities to be completed, the job requires competence in "math skills." The day-to-day duties of a detailer/designer rely on this skill, as "drafters work on technical drawings." For example, this snippet was taken directly from a resume about how this skill applies to what detailer/designers do: "make math computations when needed to accurately define dimensional control on detail or assembly drawings. "
Creativity. A commonly-found skill in detailer/designer job descriptions, "creativity" is essential to what detailer/designers do. Detailer/designer responsibilities rely on this skill because "drafters must be able to turn plans and ideas into technical drawings of buildings, tools, and systems." You can also see how detailer/designer duties rely on creativity in this resume example: "experience operating: solidworks, inventor, auto cad, pro-e and arc gis. "
The three companies that hire the most detailer/designers are:
- Harder Mechanical Contractors3 detailer/designers jobs
- Crown Castle International3 detailer/designers jobs
- Viad2 detailer/designers jobs
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Compare different detailer/designers
Detailer/designer vs. Mechanical draftsman
A Drafting Engineer designs and draws the blueprints needed to bring new concepts and products to life. There are three major types of drafting positions: mechanical drafters, electrical and electronics drafters, and architectural and civil drafters.
These skill sets are where the common ground ends though. The responsibilities of a detailer/designer are more likely to require skills like "bim," "plumbing," "commercial buildings," and "construction drawings." On the other hand, a job as a mechanical draftsman requires skills like "r," "mechanical drawings," "technical drawings," and "machine shop." As you can see, what employees do in each career varies considerably.
Mechanical draftsmen tend to reach similar levels of education than detailer/designers. In fact, mechanical draftsmen are 2.6% less likely to graduate with a Master's Degree and 0.5% less likely to have a Doctoral Degree.Detailer/designer vs. Drafting engineer
Draftsmen are professionals with expertise in computer-aided design and drafting (CADD) drawings. They perform similar tasks as architects, such as preparing CADD drawings. They typically specialize in different areas, including construction, architecture, or civil engineering. They also prepare drawings for manufacturing. These drawings include technical specifications and details such as dimensions, procedures, and materials. Draftsmen also utilize technical handbooks, tables, and calculators, in addition to CADD. Employers often prefer a draftsman with drafting training, which you can obtain from community colleges or technical institutes.
Each career also uses different skills, according to real detailer/designer resumes. While detailer/designer responsibilities can utilize skills like "bim," "plumbing," "layout drawings," and "design software," drafting engineers use skills like "production drawings," "as-built drawings," "eco," and "civil engineering."
On average, drafting engineers earn a lower salary than detailer/designers. Some industries support higher salaries in each profession. Interestingly enough, drafting engineers earn the most pay in the utilities industry with an average salary of $63,683. Whereas detailer/designers have higher pay in the technology industry, with an average salary of $75,251.In general, drafting engineers achieve similar levels of education than detailer/designers. They're 0.5% more likely to obtain a Master's Degree while being 0.5% more likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Detailer/designer vs. Computer draftsman mechanical
Some important key differences between the two careers include a few of the skills necessary to fulfill the responsibilities of each. Some examples from detailer/designer resumes include skills like "revit," "bim," "plumbing," and "hvac," whereas a computer draftsman mechanical is more likely to list skills in "cadd," "design layouts," "solidworks," and "as-built. "
Most computer draftsman mechanicals achieve a similar degree level compared to detailer/designers. For example, they're 0.9% more likely to graduate with a Master's Degree, and 0.5% more likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Detailer/designer vs. Draftsman
Even though a few skill sets overlap between detailer/designers and draftsmen, there are some differences that are important to note. For one, a detailer/designer might have more use for skills like "bim," "plumbing," "gd," and "rebar." Meanwhile, some responsibilities of draftsmen require skills like "autocad lt," "technical drawings," "r," and "structural steel. "
In general, draftsmen earn the most working in the finance industry, with an average salary of $52,988. The highest-paying industry for a detailer/designer is the technology industry.draftsmen reach similar levels of education compared to detailer/designers, in general. The difference is that they're 0.2% more likely to earn a Master's Degree, and 0.4% less likely to graduate with a Doctoral Degree.Types of detailer/designer
Updated January 8, 2025
