Maternity Leave Coverage — Approximately 4–6 Months

Nicholson Companies | Corona del Mar / Newport Beach
Nicholson Companies is a premier luxury home builder known for timeless design, thoughtful craftsmanship and meticulous attention to detail. We are seeking an organized and technically skilled Interior Designer / CAD Specialist to temporarily support our Interior Design team during a maternity leave. The position will begin immediately to allow approximately one month of cross-training before the current designer’s leave.

Position Summary
This is a CAD-forward role focused on drafting, construction-document production and drawing revisions. While technical accuracy is essential, the successful candidate must also have a strong design sensibility and the ability to translate design intent into thoughtful, well-proportioned and buildable drawings.

Responsibilities
• Prepare and revise AutoCAD drawings, including floor plans, elevations, reflected ceiling plans, electrical plans, cabinetry details and finish plans.
• Accurately incorporate redlines, field conditions and design revisions.
• Review drawings for alignment, proportion, consistency and overall design intent.
• Maintain organized CAD files, layers, blocks, Xrefs, sheet layouts and plotting standards.
• Coordinate project information with the Design, Purchasing and Construction teams, as well as outside consultants.
• Identify drawing conflicts, constructability concerns and design inconsistencies.
• Assist with product selections, tracking specifications, finish documentation and presentations as needed.
• Attend jobsite walks and project meetings and document decisions.
• Support multiple luxury residential projects while meeting deadlines.
• Communicate professionally and clearly with team members, vendors and consultants.

Qualifications
• Intermediate-to-advanced AutoCAD proficiency required.
• Experience preparing residential construction drawings and interior elevations strongly preferred.
• Strong eye for design, scale, proportion, materials and architectural detailing.
• Basic knowledge of residential construction, cabinetry and millwork.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office.
• SketchUp and Adobe Photoshop experience is a plus.
• Excellent organization, time management, cmmunication and attention to detail.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities and work independently after cross-training.
• Degree in Interior Design, Architecture or Drafting—or equivalent experience—preferred.
• One to three years of relevant experience preferred. Strong recent graduates with an exceptional portfolio will be considered.

Ideal Candidate
The ideal candidate enjoys detailed technical work, follows redlines carefully and can balance drafting responsibilities with creative design support. This person should be collaborative, proactive, dependable and able to recognize when a drawing may be technically correct but does not fully support the design intent.

Position Details
• Start Date: End of August
• Cross-Training: Approximately one month
• Duration: Approximately 4–6 months, with potential to extend
• Schedule: Monday through Friday, 9:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m.
• Work Setting: Primarily in person, with occasional jobsite visits and limited hybrid flexibility
• Reports To: Head of Design
• Compensation: $35-$40 per hour DOE
• Employment Status: Temporary, nonexempt/hourly
Candidates should submit a résumé and examples of personally completed AutoCAD drawings or construction documents that demonstrate both technical ability and design sensibility. Final candidates may be asked to complete a brief paid AutoCAD drafting assessment.

Nicholson Companies is a luxury residential developer and custom builder with a primary focus in the Corona Del Mar and surrounding beach communities. Through unique designs and quality construction this small but accomplished company has become a very recognized name in the luxury residential market of Orange County coastal living.

nicholsoncompanies.com