How to hire a senior drafter

How to hire a senior drafter, step by step

Here's a step-by-step senior drafter hiring guide:

• Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
• Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
• Step 3: Make a budget
• Step 4: Write a senior drafter job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new senior drafter
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

Post a senior drafter job for free, promote it for a fee

Post free

1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you post your senior drafter job, you should take the time to determine what type of worker your business needs. While certain jobs definitely require a full-time employee, it's sometimes better to find a senior drafter for hire on a part-time basis or as a contractor.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   You should also consider the ideal background you'd like them a senior drafter to have before you start to hire. For example, what industry or field would you like them to have experience in, what level of seniority or education does the job require, and how much it'll cost to hire a senior drafter that fits the bill.

   The following list breaks down different types of senior drafters and their corresponding salaries.

   Type of Senior Drafter	Description	Hourly rate
   Senior Drafter	Drafters use software to convert the designs of engineers and architects into technical drawings. Most workers specialize in architectural, civil, electrical, or mechanical drafting and use technical drawings to help design everything from microchips to skyscrapers.	$15-28
   Architectural Internship	The job of architectural interns is to assist an architect with all aspects of architectural work. Their duties and responsibilities may include maintaining project files, conducting research on construction sites such as zoning laws and regulations, and preparing presentations for clients... Show more	$19-33
   Architectural Designer	An Architectural Designer is specialized in planning and designing structures/urban landscapes. They ensure that company policies and standards are maintained when providing services to clients.	$21-37

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Autocad
   • Layout Drawings
   • CAD Standards
   • Engineering Drawings
   • Aided Design
   • Revit
   • Autodesk
   • Drawing Packages
   • HVAC
   • Production Drawings
   • Parts List
   • Assembly Drawings
   • Creo
   • Shop Drawings

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Manage the design history of 3D part models, assemblies, and drawings using PDM software.
   • Produce design and construction drawings electrical and HVAC departments for commercial and residential projects per applicable national codes and regulations.
   • Create BIM design from concept.
   • Detail and draft structures in Revit.
   • Maintain an engineering change notice (ECN) system.
   • Design HVAC and plumbing layouts on existing architectural xrefs.

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your senior drafter job description is one of the best ways to attract top talent. A senior drafter can vary based on:

   • Location. For example, senior drafters' average salary in alabama is 35% less than in district of columbia.
   • Seniority. Entry-level senior drafters 45% less than senior-level senior drafters.
   • Certifications. A senior drafter with certifications usually earns a higher salary.
   • Company. Working for an established firm or a new start-up company can make a big difference in a senior drafter's salary.

   Average senior drafter salary

   $44,988yearly

   $21.63 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level senior drafter salary

   $33,000 yearly salary

   Updated January 22, 2026

4. Writing a senior drafter job description

   A job description for a senior drafter role includes a summary of the job's main responsibilities, required skills, and preferred background experience. Including a salary range can also go a long way in attracting more candidates to apply, and showing the first name of the hiring manager can also make applicants more comfortable. As an example, here's a senior drafter job description:

   Senior drafter job description example

   Job Details
   
   POSITION OVERVIEW
   
   Prepares clear, complete and accurate product and/or part drawings from rough or detailed sketches, customer order specifications or notes by performing the following duties.
   
   ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
   
   Must be capable of reading customer architectural and mechanical plans.
   
   Uses computer aided drafting (CAD) software to create drawings for customer and manufacturing processes. Drawings are based on designs and sketches provided by engineers or more experienced staff.
   
   Must be capable of reading and understanding customer requirements in the form of quotations and specifications and applying applicable Ruskin (CAD) details.
   
   Must have working knowledge of drafting fundamentals including orthographic views, standard dimensioning practices, scaling plus English and metric units of measure.
   
   Creates drawings involving checking dimensions of parts, documenting materials to be used, verifying form, fit and function of parts in assemblies.
   
   Follows direction and is capable of learning Ruskin drafting standards.
   
   Has a working knowledge of manufacturing processes, machines and various building materials.
   
   Must be capable of mentoring others.
   
   Must be capable of verifying the work of others.
   
   Must be capable of developing and documenting drafting standards with an understanding of efficiency and financial impact.
   
   Other duties may be assigned.
   
   QUALIFICATIONS
   
   To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
   
   EDUCATION and/or EXPERIENCE
   
   Associate's degree (A. A.) or equivalent from two-year college or technical school; or ten to twenty years related experience and/or training; or equivalent combination of education and experience. Experience with AutoCad dynamic blocks a plus but not required.
   
   LANGUAGE SKILLS
   
   Ability to read, analyze, and interpret general business periodicals, professional journals, technical procedures, or governmental regulations. Ability to write reports, business correspondence, and procedure manuals. Ability to effectively present information and respond to questions from groups of managers, clients, customers, and the general public.
   
   MATHEMATICAL SKILLS
   
   Ability to work with mathematical concepts such as probability and statistical inference, and fundamentals of plane and solid geometry and trigonometry. Ability to apply concepts such as fractions, percentages, ratios, and proportions to practical situations.
   
   REASONING ABILITY
   
   Ability to solve practical problems and deal with a variety of concrete variables in situations where only limited standardization exists. Ability to interpret a variety of instructions furnished in written, oral, diagram, or schedule form.
   
   COMPUTER SKILLS
   
   Required knowledge / experience in MS Office and email using MS Windows platform; AutoCad (applicable release), Inventor or other solid modeling software.
   
   OTHER SKILLS AND ABILITIES
   
   Attendance is an essential job requirement defined as having regular, consistent, reliable, punctual and predictable attendance including the ability to work regular hours and shifts, overtime before and after shifts and on weekends. Ability to work as part of a team, including all related departments/plants or independently as required to achieve internal and external customer satisfaction.
   
   TRAVEL REQUIREMENTS
   
   Occasional travel required (less than 10%).
   
   PHYSICAL DEMANDS
   
   The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
   
   While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to sit; use hands to finger, handle, or feel; reach with hands and arms; and talk or hear. The employee is occasionally required to stand; walk; and stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl. The employee must regularly lift and/or move up to 25 pounds and occasionally lift and/or move up to 50 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, depth perception, and ability to adjust focus.
   
   WORK ENVIRONMENT
   
   The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
   
   While performing the duties of this job, the employee is occasionally exposed to moving mechanical parts, fumes or airborne particles, toxic or caustic chemicals, and risk of electrical shock. The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate.
   
   Johnson Controls International plc. is an equal employment opportunity and affirmative action employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, protected veteran status, genetic information, sexual orientation, gender identity, status as a qualified individual with a disability or any other characteristic protected by law. To view more information about your equal opportunity and non-discrimination rights as a candidate, visit EEO is the Law. If you are an individual with a disability and you require an accommodation during the application process, please visit here.

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   To find senior drafters for your business, try out a few different recruiting strategies:

   • Consider internal talent. One of the most important talent pools for any company is its current employees.
   • Ask for referrals. Reach out to friends, family members, and your current work to ask if they know any senior drafters they would recommend.
   • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit entry-level senior drafters with the right educational background.
   • Social media platforms. LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter have more than 3.5 billion users, and they're a great place for company branding and reaching potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your senior drafter job on Zippia to find and recruit senior drafter candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites such as dribbble, authentic jobs, working not working, coroflot.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   Recruiting senior drafters requires you to bring your A-game to the interview process. The first interview should introduce the company and the role to the candidate as much as they present their background experience and reasons for applying for the job. During later interviews, you can go into more detail about the technical details of the job and ask behavioral questions to gauge how they'd fit into your current company culture.

   It's also good to ask about candidates' unique skills and talents. You can move on to the technical interview if a candidate is good enough for the next step.

   The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

7. Send a job offer and onboard your new senior drafter

   Once you've found the senior drafter candidate you'd like to hire, it's time to write an offer letter. This should include an explicit job offer that includes the salary and the details of any other perks. Qualified candidates might be looking at multiple positions, so your offer must be competitive if you like the candidate. Also, be prepared for a negotiation stage, as candidates may way want to tweak the details of your initial offer. Once you've settled on these details, you can draft a contract to formalize your agreement.

   It's also good etiquette to follow up with applicants who don't get the job by sending them an email letting them know that the position has been filled.

   After that, you can create an onboarding schedule for a new senior drafter. Human Resources and the hiring manager should complete Employee Action Forms. Human Resources should also ensure that onboarding paperwork is completed, including I-9s, benefits enrollment, federal and state tax forms, etc., and that new employee files are created.

8. Go through the hiring process checklist

   • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
   • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
   • Define job responsibilities and requirements
   • Establish budget and timeline
   • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
   • Write job description
   • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
   • Promote the job internally
   • Process applications through applicant tracking system
   • Review resumes and cover letters
   • Shortlist candidates for screening
   • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
   • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
   • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
   • Conduct background checks on top candidates
   • Check references of top candidates
   • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
   • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
   • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
   • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
   • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
   • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)

   Sign up to download full list

   Sign up

How much does it cost to hire a senior drafter?