INDUSTRIES AND ROLES: HIRING REMOTE ARCHITECTURAL/ENGINEERING STAFF AT NEXTPHASE REMOTE

As technology advances, computer-aided design software has improved to the point where architects and engineers no longer have to work in your office. We strive to make this experience as stress-free and enjoyable as possible.

Take a look at some common architectural roles we employ here at NextPHase Remote!

Index:

We find and recruit the best talent, getting you the people you need quickly and at cost-effective price points. In the event that you are looking for something more specific, we work with you to find the right fit. As an HR and IT company, we have staff to take care of those needs so you can focus on the operational side of your team. Without being bogged down in the minutia, you have all the time you will need to interact with your staff and do other tasks as well.

With a plethora of applications that help architects and engineers, a majority of the work can now be done remotely, saving you time and money. CAD and BIM programs allow remote staff to do the work you need and send it over to you in a timely manner. In terms of communication, you can use a variety of team chat applications that will allow you to stay up to date on the tasks and well-being of your staff.

In terms of scheduling, ideally, you want your remote staff to work the same shift as you, but if you don’t need to collaborate with them for the entirety of your shift, you can opt to have them on hours that overlap with yours while giving them time to work autonomously.

You will be provided an account manager to take care of the administrative side of your remote staff. In addition to them, our HR and IT staff will also be working to make sure that everything runs smoothly. While your team is small it is still easily manageable, but once your team grows in number, it is a good idea to hire a team lead/supervisor in order to keep your team on the right track. It also makes meetings easier as you will only meet with one person instead of something like a team of 12 people.

3D Architectural Designers

In a remote setting nothing much changes with these designers. Most people are used to collaborating with each other online, now you can do it at a fraction of the cost. The resumes you’re going to see will be from architectural graduates. Depending on your budget you can get fresh graduates all the way to seasoned professionals, with some of them having worked all over the world. If you simply state 3d architectural designers, you’ll get people with a wide variety of CAD software experience.

Training for these types of employees would include your specific processes. It is rare that someone with no prior experience with the CAD software you use will be chosen unless there are other factors that make the candidate more qualified. In the instances where you do choose someone with no working experience with specific software, training will take longer, the duration depends on how fast your new staff picks everything up.

3D Rendering

Online communication allows remote staff to do this job as easily as they could in your office. The resumes sent to you will include people who have working experience with 3D modeling and texturing. If you don’t specify what types of 3D rendering you need, you will get applicants with many different backgrounds. Some may be former 3D designers for the gaming industry, some from the film and television industries, and of course the architectural industry as well.

In terms of tools, this is dependent on the requirements you listed before recruitment started for you. If you do hire someone with experience with the program of your choosing, then the training aspect will mostly consist of learning your processes and getting acclimated to the rest of the team and your company culture. In the event that you go with someone without said experience, then you would have to train them to your standards.

Architectural Drafter

As the main responsibility of an architectural drafter is to create detailed plans for structures, this job can easily be done remotely. CAD programs make this process painless and the files can be sent back and forth digitally, each time new revisions can be made. A majority of the resumes you will see will have years of experience in 1 or multiple CAD programs. You will also find that many resumes have Photoshop or InDesign as that is where their presentations are created. Education-wise, they will at least have an associate’s degree in architecture or related fields.

When hiring an experienced drafter, you don’t need to worry about training them in the specific program you use if you hire someone with experience. If however, you like the designs of a candidate who has no experience, you will have to spend time or organize someone to do training with the new remote staff. Getting your new staff situated and comfortable with your specific processes will take time, but it shouldn’t affect their overall productivity. Communication won’t be a problem as they will use whatever team chat application you require. In addition, you could use emails to coordinate official decisions while the chat functions as a sort of social area where anything can be discussed.

AutoCAD Operator

As an umbrella term relating to all positions that use AutoCAD for work, you will find people who have work experience with AutoCAD. This means that the pool of candidates presented to you will essentially be able to “plug and play.” If you elect to hire through us, the candidates you will look through will have a minimum of a bachelor’s degree. The more experienced candidates would have prior experience working for clients overseas, whereas the less experienced candidates will have experience in local businesses only.

Training on how to use the tools needed for the job isn’t required here, as everyone will have prior experience with AutoCAD. Onboarding is necessary if you plan on having the remote staff stay long-term. Having your staff feel like a real part of the team is critical when working remotely. The feeling of isolation is lessened when properly onboarded and integrated with the team.

Building Information Modelling (BIM Operator)

Experts in software such as ArchiCAD and Revit, BIM Operators are perfect for remote work as the software they use enables communication even without being physically onsite. The vast majority of CVs and resumes sent to you will have 1 or more years of working experience at other remote staffing companies for overseas clients. This is to ensure that they have a general idea of how the workflow will be. This does not mean they don’t need to be taught your process, it just means they’ll be able to grasp it a lot quicker. For the most part, everyone will have a bachelor’s degree in architecture, engineering, or other related fields. You will also run into a handful of them who are versed in electrical systems, which allows them to work on the electrical diagrams as long as they have proven they can do it correctly. Since BIM software is used to collaborate with multiple parties, your candidates will all have excellent communication skills, both written and verbal, in order to avoid miscommunication.

Training for BIM operators is important as the process that you use will need to be followed in order to get the most out of the software. Otherwise, the people you hire will already have experience with it, so no real software training will be required, saving you time.

Just because the BIM software allows for communication doesn’t mean you forgo a team chat. The chat will allow you all to be on the same page, it also functions as a way to socialize, which is important for remote staff, as it lets them really interact with the team.

Without the need to meet in person, landscape designers can do their job virtually. With advancements in technology pictures and videos can be sent that accurately depict the space they will be designing. Higher resolution images coupled with the accessibility of drones allow for high-quality images and videos to be shared. Making going to the actual site less and less of a necessity. Landscape designer resumes will all be bachelor’s degree holders. Their experience should cover both private and public jobs. It is your choice as to who will get hired so if you favor more private residential style jobs, you can look for that specifically.

In terms of training, you will only really need to get them up to speed on how your company functions. They will already know the software and in the event that you add a new step in your process that calls for another program, then you will handle the training.

Retail Space Designer

Similar to all of the other design jobs listed above, coordination is easy even with remote staff. Since the plans that will be shared will all be digital, there is an easy back and forth as long as all parties involved have access to the internet. The resumes you will be presented with will have multiple years of design experience. Usually, they will have 2+ years of real-world experience. They will also all include a portfolio that you can use to gauge their abilities and pick the one that matches up with your needs.

In terms of training, with all the years of experience under their belts, they shouldn’t need to be taught how to use certain software. In the event that they do, the transition period shouldn’t take long at all. A proper onboarding process is needed as they need to understand your company and its marketing strategy.

Wrap Up

For all architectural and engineering departments that you’d like to supplement or even create on a budget, remote staffing is a great choice. With flexible schedules and competitive prices, you can grow your business organically while keeping your costs low. Contact us to find out how we can help you raise your bottom line.