VDC Engineer Job Descriptions, Average Salary, Interview Questions

In any building project, a large team of professionals is required. One of the essential employees is a virtual design and construction (VDC) engineer. We are looking for an exceptional VDC engineer who can manage the planning and computer modeling of building projects. As a VDC engineer, you will need to be able to effectively work with designers, modelers, and architects to make sure information is up-to-date and accurate across departments as the project moves forward.

We are looking for someone who can generate construction drawings using CADD and AutoCAD software and who can work well under pressure to meet tight deadlines. You will need to be someone with high attention to detail who can identify any issues with structural and architectural documents that might not be appropriate according to local code requirements. If you have these skills, can multitask, and enjoy working as a team, this might be a great fit for you.

Typical duties and responsibilities

• Use design and modeling software to create 3-D plans for projects
• Collaborate with BIM modelers, architects, and clients 
• Determine the proper elements and scale for buildings
• Gather and analyze data on costs, materials, and labor

Education and experience

• High school diploma or equivalent required
• Bachelor’s degree from an accredited program preferred, ideally in an engineering or construction-related field
• Master’s degree and certifications preferred

Required skills and qualifications

• Excellent verbal and written communication skills
• Strong collaborative and interpersonal skills
• Knowledge of BIM modeling and Autodesk Revit software
• Time-management skills and the ability to meet deadlines
• Ability to understand technical drawings and plans
• Advanced math and computer skills
• Creativity and artistic ability
• Keen attention to detail

Preferred qualifications

• Engineering experience
• High attention to detail
• Structural and architectural design experience
• Bachelor’s degree in engineering or a related field

Qualifications

• Understand building construction and/or architecture
• Have on the job or class experience with BIM software programs and technology
• Thrive in a team environment both contributing to larger projects and producing independent work
• Have an innately curious, forward-thinking personality to be push innovative ideas in all aspects of daily tasks

Typical daily tasks include creating modeled visualizations for site logistics, safety concerns, building sequencing, scheduling, and VR experiences.

Education and experience

• Bachelor degree with preference given to Architecture, Civil Engineering, or Construction Management related degrees or Associate degree in a VDC/BIM technical concentration with 2-4 years of experiency
• VDC/BIM tool knowledge & proficiency

Software skills required

• General Computing Skills
• SketchUp
• CAD
• Revit

Software skills preferred

• Coding
• Unity
• Unreal Engine
• Assemble
• Synchro
• Adobe Photoshop
• Adobe Illustrator
• Adobe Premiere Pro
• 3ds Max
• Lumion

Bring your implementation, architectural, and construction management mastery to work for an industry leader.

Duties

• Work on the project management of VDC/BIM projects across the VDC spectrum
• Serve as the interface to clients and cultivate client relationships. Present work to the client. Conduct and/or actively participate in meetings with the client
• Identify opportunities for efficiency improvements. Enhance VIATechnik’s goal of continuous improvement within our company, for our clients, and for the industry
• Coordinate and lead interesting digital model creation efforts globally for large GC coordination projects
• Contribute to our culture of professional development and knowledge sharing by participating in and leading training efforts

Required qualifications

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Architecture, Civil Engineering, Construction Management, or similar
• Interest in or up to 3 years of experience providing implementation, training, and support in BIM and VDC
• Excellent organizational skills
• Knowledge of primary building systems – foundations, primary building structure and walls, mechanical, electrical and plumbing, fire protection, specialty systems, conveying systems and interior finishes, and the sequence of assembly of each
• A knack for managing multiple simultaneous projects requiring frequent communication, organization, time management, and problem-solving skills
• Capability to read and interpret construction contracts
• Availability to work hybrid out of one of our offices

Preferred qualifications

• A background working for a general contractor, especially in a VDC capacity
• Experience in combining and coordinating BIM updates, running clash detection on revised components and communicating results to internal and external stakeholders
• Understanding of leading online meetings and training sessions across remote project teams using platforms such as Asana
• Ability to create and manage complex commercial and industrial design projects within Revit, Navisworks, BIM360, AutoCAD, and other supporting programs
• Familiarity with managing BIM and VDC across the project lifecycle including operations and facilities management
• A track record of effectively working with and/or managing teams remotely
• Aptitude for working effectively in an extremely fast-paced, ambiguous environment
• Proactive and flexible attitude, willingness to take an “all hands on deck” approach

The VDC Engineer’s primary responsibility is to develop 3D models used for proposal graphics and animations needed to construct large bridges, tunnels, highway interchanges, power plants, and other infrastructure systems.

Role responsibilities

• Effectively communicate with project teams, construction contractors, and others as applicable and necessary
• Effectively utilize computer design and drafting software, and 3D Modeling/BIM software to produce construction drawings, and construction coordination modeling
• Collaborate with project teams to analyze constructability, build construction sequence animations, and help to create 4D/5D and 6D models for some of the largest civil and infrastructure projects across the United States
• Support all design disciplines (architecture, civil engineering, structural engineering, mechanical engineering, and electrical engineering)
• Provide timely services that meet the needs of clients and the overall project schedule requirements

Qualifications

• Ability to independently calculate quantities
• Ability to independently generate 3D models
• Have a strong working knowledge of AutoCAD Civil 3D
• Knowledge of general construction, Roadway, Paving, Bridges, Drainage, etc.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills
• Ability to perform quickly and effectively under pressure and deadlines
• Demonstrate a high standard of professionalism, client focus/customer service, and ownership/responsibility
• Demonstrates proficiency of MS Office products (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, etc.)
• Functions effectively as part of a team
• Dependability
• Ability to understand and follow directions
• Must be well organized
• Ability to multitask, work well under pressure and meet deadlines
• Ability to quickly learn and run new software and updated programs
• 2-5 years of experience with 3/D Modeling/ BIM software
• Bachelors degree in Engineering or Architecture preferred, but not required