Architectural Draftsperson

Role & responsibilities

Architectural Draftsman Design

Role Purpose

The Architectural Draftsman is part of Unearth's Technical Architecture Team and is responsible for translating design decisions into accurate, coordinated and construction-ready architectural drawings throughout the project lifecycle.

At Unearth, the Designer owns the design.

The Architectural Draftsman owns the drawings.

The role exists to create a clear division of responsibility between:

Design Thinking Design Team

and

Technical Documentation Technical Architecture Team

The objective is to create a sustainable roughly 50:50 division of project effort between design and technical documentation across a typical 56 month project lifecycle.

Core Responsibilities

1. Convert Design into Drawings

Work closely with the Designer / Design Lead to translate approved design decisions into accurate architectural documentation.

2. Own the Drawing Stages

The Architectural Draftsman is responsible for the drawing deliverables across the architectural process.

3. Technical Coordination

The draftsman is a key part of the technical coordination process.

They are expected to identify clashes and inconsistencies in drawings before reaching site, not discovered during construction.

4. Drawing Quality Control

The Architectural Draftsman is responsible for the accuracy and completeness of their drawing packages.

5. Drawing Standards & Systems

Contribute to maintaining Unearth's architectural documentation standards.

6. Site & Construction Understanding

The objective is to produce drawings that are buildable, not merely graphically correct.

7. Coordination with the Designer

The Designer should be able to rely on the draftsman to carry the technical documentation forward without having to redraw or micromanage it.

Project Time Model

A typical Unearth project is expected to run approximately 5-6 months.

The project team should aim for an approximate:

50% Design effort
+
50% Technical Documentation effort

across the complete project lifecycle.

What This Role Is NOT

The Architectural Draftsman is not expected to:

• Own the overall design direction.
• Lead client design presentations independently.
• Develop the project's design concept independently.
• Make major aesthetic decisions without the Designer.
• Replace the Designer.
• Produce drawings without understanding their technical purpose.
• Wait passively for the Designer to dictate every line.
• Take responsibility for contractor execution.

At the same time, this is not merely a drafting-production role.

The person is expected to develop enough architectural and construction knowledge to take ownership of the technical documentation process.

Preferred candidate profile

Skills & Qualifications

Required

• Diploma / Bachelor's degree in Architecture, Civil Engineering, or relevant technical qualification.
• 14 years of relevant architectural documentation experience.
• Strong AutoCAD skills.
• Ability to read and understand architectural drawings.
• Good understanding of architectural construction.
• Ability to develop plans, sections and elevations independently.
• Strong attention to dimensions and technical accuracy.
• Ability to manage drawing revisions.
• Ability to work within drawing standards and templates.

Preferred

• Experience with residential architecture.
• Experience with premium / high-detail residential projects.
• SketchUp proficiency.
• Revit or other BIM experience.
• Experience with architectural detailing.
• Knowledge of materials and construction systems.
• Experience coordinating architectural and structural drawings.
• Basic understanding of MEP coordination.

What We Are Looking For

Technical ownership

Someone who can take a drawing package and say:

"I'll take this from here."

Attention to detail

Someone who catches inconsistencies before they become site problems.

Architectural understanding

Someone who understands that a drawing represents a spatial and construction decision, not just lines on a sheet.

Independence

Someone who can work from design direction without requiring continuous supervision.

Communication

Someone who knows when to proceed independently and when to raise a technical question.

Accountability

Someone who owns the drawing package until it is complete, coordinated and ready to issue.

Key Performance Measures

Performance will be assessed primarily on:

Drawing Accuracy
How often drawings contain avoidable errors.

Technical Completeness
Whether the information required for execution is actually documented.

Coordination
How effectively architectural information is coordinated with other requirements.

Timeliness
Whether drawings are delivered within the project programme.

Independence
How much supervision is required to complete a drawing package.

Revision Quality
Whether comments and changes are incorporated correctly without creating new errors.

Buildability
Whether the drawings can be understood and executed by the build team.

The ultimate measure:

Can the Designer hand over a design decision and trust the Architectural Draftsman to turn it into accurate, coordinated, construction-ready information without having to personally produce the drawings?

Reporting & Team Structure

Reports to: Technical Architect / Design Lead

Works closely with: Designer, Senior Architect, Technical Architect, Build Team and consultants

Primary responsibility: Technical documentation and drawing delivery across assigned architectural projects.

Project model: Designer + Architectural Draftsman operate as a paired team, with responsibility divided between Design and Technical Documentation across the 56 month project lifecycle.

Perks and benefits

Project Completion Bonus

Early Completion Bonus