Senior Telecom CAD Drafter / Team Lead

About the Role

Empire Communications is seeking an experienced Senior Telecom CAD Drafter / Team Lead to oversee a small team of permit drafters supporting ongoing telecommunications right of way permitting projects. This role is ideal for a highly skilled AutoCAD professional who thrives in a fast-paced production environment and enjoys leading others while maintaining exceptional quality standards. The successful candidate will be responsible not only for producing accurate permit drawings but also for driving team performance, troubleshooting technical issues, ensuring compliance with customer and jurisdictional requirements, and maintaining strict accountability for production timelines.

Responsibilities

• Lead and mentor a team of telecom permit drafters while promoting accountability and high-quality work.
• Produce and review permit drawings for aerial and underground telecommunications construction projects.
• Operate and troubleshoot AutoCAD independently without requiring additional technical support.
• Create, modify, and manage shapefiles, permit typicals, exhibits, and construction diagrams.
• Coordinate closely with Permit Quality Control personnel to ensure all deliverables meet customer specifications and jurisdictional requirements.
• Verify permit packages comply with local, municipal, county, state, and utility regulations.
• Monitor drafting production and ensure turnaround time commitments are consistently achieved.
• Review completed work for drafting accuracy, completeness, and adherence to company standards.
• Identify workflow improvements and implement best practices to increase team efficiency.
• Assist with training and development of junior drafting staff.
• Communicate project status, risks, and production updates to management.

Required Qualifications

• Minimum of 5 years of professional AutoCAD drafting experience, preferably in telecommunications engineering or permitting.
• Demonstrated experience leading or supervising drafting teams.
• Strong understanding of telecom right of way permitting processes.
• Advanced proficiency in AutoCAD with the ability to diagnose and resolve drafting issues independently.
• Experience creating and manipulating GIS shapefiles and integrating mapping data into drafting workflows.
• Experience developing permit typicals and construction detail sheets.
• Excellent attention to detail and commitment to producing accurate deliverables.
• Strong organizational skills with the ability to manage multiple deadlines simultaneously.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience supporting Comcast or other major telecommunications providers.
• Familiarity with aerial and underground fiber network design.
• Experience working with municipal, county, and state permitting agencies.
• Knowledge of GIS platforms and mapping software.
• Experience with production tracking platforms such as Smartsheet or similar project management systems.

What We Offer

• Competitive salary up to $60,000 annually, based on experience.
• Fully remote work environment.
• Opportunity to lead an experienced drafting team and influence production standards.
• Long term project pipeline with opportunities for advancement.
• Collaborative culture focused on quality, accountability, and continuous improvement.

If you are an experienced telecom CAD professional who takes pride in producing high quality work, enjoys solving technical challenges, and has the leadership skills to drive team success, we encourage you to apply. Pay: Up to $60,000.00 per year Benefits:

• 401(k)
• Dental insurance
• Health insurance
• Health savings account
• Paid time off
• Vision insurance

Application Question(s):

• Are you able to troubleshoot AutoCAD issues without the help of IT support?
• Do you have experience drafting permits for telecom right-of-way permits?
• How many years of AutoCAD experience do you have?
• What kind of leadership qualities do you possess that will suit you to this role?

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