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Key Responsibilities and Required Skills for Design Technology Specialist

💰 $ - $

DesignArchitectureTechnologyBIMDigital Fabrication

🎯 Role Definition

The Design Technology Specialist leads the definition, implementation, and continuous improvement of digital design tools, BIM standards, computational workflows, and fabrication-ready outputs. This position bridges designers, engineers, and technical teams to optimize project delivery through automation, data-driven processes, and reproducible design systems. Responsibilities include authoring Revit families and templates, developing Dynamo/Grasshopper scripts, integrating fabrication/export workflows, maintaining version control and libraries, and training project teams to adopt and scale digital tools.

📈 Career Progression

Typical Career Path

Entry Point From:

  • CAD Technician / Revit Technician
  • BIM Coordinator / Junior Computational Designer
  • Architectural Technologist with scripting or digital fabrication experience

Advancement To:

  • Design Technology Lead / Senior Design Technologist
  • Head of Digital Design / Director of Design Technology
  • BIM Manager or Digital Innovation Manager

Lateral Moves:

  • Computational Designer / Parametric Designer
  • BIM Manager / Digital Delivery Manager

Core Responsibilities

Primary Functions

  • Lead the development, maintenance, and continuous improvement of BIM standards, Revit templates, families, and shared parameter schemas to ensure consistent, interoperable, and QA-checked project deliverables across multi-discipline teams.
  • Design, prototype, and deploy computational design scripts and automation tools using Dynamo, Python, or Grasshopper to reduce repetitive tasks, accelerate design iterations, and improve data quality in Revit and Rhino models.
  • Create and manage a centralized library of parametric components, families, blocks, and assets with version control and clear documentation to support rapid project setup and reuse across global offices.
  • Implement and maintain coordination workflows using Navisworks, BIM 360/ACC, or equivalent platforms to support clash detection, federated models, and automated coordination reporting during design and design-assist phases.
  • Partner with architects, engineers, fabricators, and contractors to translate design intent into model-based deliverables that meet downstream fabrication, costing, and construction requirements (CNC, CAM, nesting, BIM-to-Fabrication).
  • Develop and execute model auditing, QA/QC procedures, and automated validation checks to ensure models meet project standards for geometry, classification, data completeness, and performance targets.
  • Build integrations and APIs (REST, Forge, Dynamo Player, etc.) to connect Revit/Rhino environments with external systems such as PIM, ERP, cost-estimating, and project management platforms to enable seamless data flow.
  • Author clear, role-based documentation, how-to guides, and onboarding materials for new and existing tools, standards, and templates to accelerate team adoption and reduce support tickets.
  • Deliver targeted training sessions, workshops, and hands-on clinics for multidisciplinary project teams on Revit best practices, computational design workflows, and digital fabrication techniques.
  • Provide day-to-day technical support for project teams, triaging tool issues, reproducing bugs, and coordinating fixes or feature requests with software vendors and internal IT teams.
  • Lead pilot projects that test new software, plugins, or cloud-based design collaboration tools; evaluate ROI and produce executive summaries to inform tool adoption decisions.
  • Manage and track continuous improvement initiatives for digital design processes, establishing KPIs (model health, hours saved, errors reduced) and reporting outcomes to leadership.
  • Configure and maintain project templates, worksharing/central file setups, and cloud collaboration environments to optimize collaboration across dispersed teams and consultants.
  • Facilitate interdisciplinary design reviews leveraging model-based visualization and VR/AR tools to improve stakeholder alignment and accelerate design sign-offs.
  • Translate fabrication and engineering constraints into parametric rules and data structures to enable automatic generation of shop drawings, cut lists, and CNC code where applicable.
  • Advocate and embed data governance and classification strategies within models to ensure assets are searchable, reusable, and interoperable across platforms and phases.
  • Evaluate and implement digital twin strategies and lifecycle data handover processes to support operations and FM integration post-construction.
  • Collaborate with IT and security teams to ensure tool deployment, cloud services, and plugin usage comply with corporate IT policies and data protection requirements.
  • Coordinate with procurement and vendor partners to evaluate new SaaS tools, negotiate licensing models, and manage software rollouts and renewals.
  • Run cross-office communities of practice, governance boards, and feedback loops that prioritize tool backlog, standard updates, and training roadmaps.
  • Measure and document process efficiencies gained through automation, producing case studies and internal marketing materials to promote best practices and increase adoption.
  • Mentor junior technologists and BIM coordinators, providing coaching on advanced workflows, troubleshooting, scripting best practices, and career development paths.

Secondary Functions

  • Support ad-hoc requests from project teams for custom scripts, model extractions, and CSV/JSON exports to meet analysis, costing, or sustainability tool inputs.
  • Contribute to the organization's digital strategy and roadmap by identifying strategic tool investments and pilot opportunities tied to measurable business outcomes.
  • Collaborate with business units and project leads to translate strategic goals into technical requirements and prioritized feature backlogs for the design technology team.
  • Participate in sprint planning, agile ceremonies, and technical grooming sessions within the design technology and digital delivery teams to manage prioritized tasks and tickets.
  • Administer and manage model repositories, backup policies, and cloud permissions to ensure project resilience and continuity during peak delivery periods.
  • Assist procurement and project managers in scoping technical requirements for subconsultants to ensure models and deliverables align with internal BIM execution plans (BxP).

Required Skills & Competencies

Hard Skills (Technical)

  • Advanced Revit modeling and family creation skills, including nested families, formulas, shared parameters, and Type/Instance parameter strategy.
  • Practical Dynamo scripting experience for Revit automation, with ability to author custom nodes and optimize graph performance.
  • Strong computational design skills in Rhino + Grasshopper and experience linking Rhino/Grasshopper workflows with Revit (e.g., Rhino.Inside.Revit).
  • Programming/scripting proficiency in Python (for automation, API integration, data parsing) and familiarity with Git or version control for code assets.
  • Experience with BIM coordination tools such as Navisworks, BIM 360 / Autodesk Construction Cloud (ACC), Solibri, or equivalent model checking platforms.
  • Knowledge of BIM standards and classification systems (IFC, COBie, OmniClass, UniFormat), model data schemas, and lifecycle handover requirements.
  • Familiarity with fabrication and CAM workflows including exporting to CNC, laser cutting, nesting, and producing shop/detailed drawings from models.
  • Experience integrating Revit with external systems via APIs (Autodesk Forge, RESTful APIs), data transformation (JSON, CSV, XML), and database usage.
  • Competence with cloud collaboration platforms, model management, and worksharing setups (Revit Server, BIM 360/ACC, Microsoft Azure, AWS).
  • Proficiency in 3D modeling/CAD tools beyond Revit (AutoCAD, SketchUp, 3ds Max, or similar) and visualization tools (Enscape, V-Ray, Unreal) for stakeholder communication.
  • Ability to author automated QA/QC tests and model-check routines using Dynamo, Python, or third-party validation tools.
  • Understanding of digital fabrication hardware and file preparation (STL, STEP, DXF) and experience with prototyping tools (3D printers, laser cutters, routers) is a plus.

Soft Skills

  • Strong communication and presentation skills for running training sessions, conducting technical reviews, and translating technical concepts for non-technical stakeholders.
  • Collaborative mindset with demonstrated ability to work across architecture, engineering, construction, and operations teams.
  • Analytical problem-solving and systems thinking to identify root causes, design scalable solutions, and measure impact.
  • Project-management aptitude: prioritization, time-boxing, and delivery of technical initiatives on schedule.
  • Change-management and coaching skills to drive adoption of new tools and processes in multi-office environments.
  • Attention to detail and discipline in documentation, naming conventions, and governance to maintain high model quality.
  • Customer-service orientation with patience to support users at different skill levels and to respond promptly to production issues.
  • Creativity and continuous-learning mindset to evaluate emerging tools, test hypotheses, and iterate on tooling solutions.

Education & Experience

Educational Background

Minimum Education:

  • Bachelor's degree in Architecture, Architectural Technology, Civil/Structural Engineering, Computer Science, Construction Management, or a closely related field.

Preferred Education:

  • Master's degree or post-graduate certificate in Computational Design, Building Information Modeling (BIM), Digital Fabrication, or a relevant technical discipline.
  • Professional certifications such as Autodesk Certified Professional (Revit), BIM Manager certificate, or relevant programming bootcamp credentials.

Relevant Fields of Study:

  • Architecture
  • Architectural Technology / Construction Technology
  • Civil / Structural / Mechanical Engineering
  • Computer Science / Software Engineering
  • Industrial Design / Digital Fabrication

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range:

  • 3–8 years working in BIM, design technology, computational design, or a closely related role in architecture, engineering, or construction environments.

Preferred:

  • 5+ years of hands-on Revit/BIM work including firm-wide standards development, plus demonstrable experience developing automation (Dynamo/Python) and integrating tools for production workflows.
  • Prior experience supporting multiple offices, managing tool rollouts, or leading a design technology initiative with measurable outcomes.
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