Due to a significant increase in recently awarded projects, Stopford are recruiting for a CAD & Piping Lead to join the team to support the design and delivery of major projects across all stages from design to commissioning. Experience working across nuclear, oil and gas and pharma sectors would be beneficial.
You will be based at our office in Knutsford, and there may be some travel to clients sites. This is a full-time permanent position, and in return, you will receive a competitive salary.
The CAD & Piping Lead role:
The CAD & Piping Lead will be working on a wide range of projects in the environmental and energy sectors ranging from water industry to waste to energy plants, biomass and plastic recycling facilities, new waste gasification technology and also supporting the development of our own cutting edge sustainable, low carbon technologies to name a few.
As a Lead, you will be responsible for the design of multi-sector projects from renewable energy, hydrogen generation and resource recovery to industrial chemicals, wastewater and also our own environmental technologies. Reporting to the Projects Group Director, and to the relevant Project Managers for project matters, you will be actively involved in the delivery of CAD and Piping deliverables for projects and supporting other Service Groups with CAD support as required.
You will manage a team of piping engineers, 3D designers and draughtspersons to deliver a strong technical solution that meets customer specifications and expectations, ensuring that all necessary reporting and administration deadlines are met.
You will liaise closely with other disciplines to fulfil CAD and piping requirements in their design work. You will demonstrate interpersonal and communication skills for dealing with different departments within the company.
You will be responsible for the delivery of 2D & 3D drawings, digital models and piping deliverables in accordance with Stopford Standard Procedures and industry best practice.

BENEFITS

Employment at Stopford brings many benefits including:

• Competitive salary
• Profit related bonus payment
• Pension (5% employer and 5% employee)
• 25 days holiday plus bank holidays
• Additional day off to celebrate your Birthday
• Private medical insurance
• Employee assistance programme
• Free on-site parking
• Reimbursement of professional membership fees
• Long service awards

Please go to our website for a full job description to familiarise yourself with all of the responsibilities, skills and experience required before you apply.
Please note that we do not accept applications from agencies, and you must be eligible to live and work in the UK.
We look forward to receiving your CV for the post of CAD & Piping Lead.
Closing date: 10 August 2025
Stopford reserves the right to bring forward the closing date if we receive a suitable number of quality applications from which to make a shortlist. Therefore, we would recommend that you apply as soon as possible.
Please note that due to the volume of applications we receive we are unfortunately not able to respond to each applicant. If you have not been called for interview within 3 weeks of the closing date, you should assume that on this occasion your application has been unsuccessful

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE CAD & PIPING LEAD INCLUDE:

• Contributing to the design evolution and formal design process.
• Creation, preparation, and modification of 2D and 3D drawings/models using AutoCAD Plant 3D, Navisworks, and other industry-standard software suites.
• Piping design at all design stages: conceptual, preliminary, detailed engineering, construction queries.
• Typical 2D output: PIDs, PFDs, GAs, details, pipe supports, isometrics, site layouts, hazardous area classification layouts.
• Typical 3D output: 3D piping, mechanical equipment modelling, Navisworks 3D models, clash detection, modelling from point cloud data, 3D point cloud manipulation, pipework general arrangements and isometrics.
• Development of piping and pipe support material specifications.

ROLE REQUIREMENTS FOR CAD & PIPING LEAD INCLUDE:

• Preferably educated to a higher / degree level in an Engineering discipline with significant 3D piping design experience in a relevant sector.
• Have experience in the petrochemicals, chemicals or renewable energy industries.
• Have experience of working in a design and engineering environment.
• An ability to think strategically and understanding the implication of changes to contract scope.
• An ability to work collaboratively with all engineering design and construction disciplines.
• Experience in estimation of budget hours and design scope.
• Sound understanding of engineering materials and manufacturing techniques in accordance with codes and standards. Conduct 3D model, round table, and constructability reviews and prepare survey and installation SOWs.
• Sound knowledge of Piping design elements to manage the overall department design activities.
• Knowledge of BIM and associated standards (ASME, BSi, ISO, etc), Navisworks, model federation and clash detection.