Technical Lead (Utilities Drafting and Shop Drawings)

Job Description

• Technical Lead, Utilities Drafting / Shop Drawings

Job Purpose

• Lead the utilities drafting and shop drawing team for UAE infrastructure projects.
• Lead utilities drafting, technical review, coordination, and full ownership of utilities shop drawings from IFC review until consultant approval and site release.
• Ensure utility drawings are accurate, constructible, coordinated with roads and structures, compliant with authority requirements, and issued according to the submission programme.

Scope of Work

• Stormwater
• Sewerage
• Potable water
• Irrigation
• Firefighting
• Electrical ducts
• Telecom ducts
• Street lighting
• ITS ducts
• Utility corridors
• Manholes
• Chambers
• Gullies
• Catch basins
• Valve chambers
• Duct banks
• Crossings
• Utility protection
• Diversions
• Relocation works
• NOC support drawings

Key Responsibilities

• Lead the utilities shop drawing team and distribute work to senior engineers, engineers, junior engineers, draftsmen, and Civil 3D modellers.
• Prepare, draft, amend, or correct utility drawings when required.
• Review and approve internal utilities shop drawings before submission.
• Control preparation of utility layouts, profiles, long sections, cross sections, chamber details, manhole schedules, valve chamber details, duct bank sections, protection details, and setting out drawings.
• Review gravity networks for slopes, invert levels, cover, flow direction, manhole depths, pipe sizes, tie-ins, and constructability.
• Review pressure networks for alignment, fittings, valves, chambers, thrust blocks, air valves, washouts, and protection details.
• Review dry utility networks, including electrical, telecom, street lighting, ITS, duct banks, crossings, chamber locations, and corridor coordination.
• Check utility interfaces with road levels, pavement layers, kerbs, gullies, catch basins, road grading, and proposed surface levels.
• Coordinate utilities with roads, structures, bridges, underpasses, retaining walls, culverts, pumping stations, foundations, temporary works, and existing services.
• Identify utility clashes, insufficient cover, incorrect invert levels, slopes, chamber conflicts, authority conflicts, and non-constructible details.
• Prepare or review RFIs related to utility conflicts, missing information, authority requirements, design gaps, and site constraints.
• Review consultant comments and ensure proper closure in revised drawings.
• Control the utilities drawing submission programme.
• Maintain and review drawing trackers, comments logs, RFI logs, submission records, approval status, and pending information registers.
• Guide engineers and draftsmen on utility drafting, profile preparation, chamber detailing, CAD standards, revision control, and authority requirements.
• Conduct internal quality checks.
• Coordinate with the roads team.
• Coordinate with the structures team.
• Monitor team productivity and deliverables.
• Train and develop junior engineers and draftsmen.
• Ensure no utility drawing is submitted or issued without checking, coordination, traceability, and technical acceptance.

Requirements

Software Requirements

• AutoCAD – Good level (Mandatory)
• Civil 3D – Basic level (Preferred)
• MS Excel
• Navisworks or clash review software (Preferred)

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Civil Engineering.
• 10–15 years of experience in utilities shop drawings, utility coordination, or infrastructure technical office work.
• Minimum 3 years in a senior review or team lead role.
• UAE or GCC infrastructure experience (Preferred).
• Strong experience with road interface.