CAD Design Expert - Remote Contract Role
Listing checked October 29, 2026 · pay as published by AfterQuery
Key details
- Pay
- $88/hr
- Location
- Remote
- Job type
- contract
- Posted
- July 29, 2026
Overview
AfterQuery, an early-stage Y Combinator-backed company, brings on experienced CAD professionals to handle modeling, drafting and design-review work project by project. Accepted experts choose assignments and log roughly 10 to 20 hours a week on the ones they take, all on an asynchronous schedule they control. Expect to work in SolidWorks, AutoCAD, Fusion 360, CATIA or NX, depending on what each brief calls for. Project details reach you after you clear intake. The company pays up to $100 per hour for this work.
What You'll Do5
- Take on modeling and design assignments of varying scope, one project at a time
- Build 3D models and technical drawings that meet professional drafting standards
- Inspect designs submitted with each brief and flag gaps, errors or incomplete detail
- Record the steps behind each model and drawing so another engineer can reproduce the result
- Adjust deliverables when a project's requirements change mid-stream
Requirements6
- Hands-on background in CAD design, drafting, or mechanical and product design work
- Deep command of at least one major platform such as SolidWorks, AutoCAD, Fusion 360, CATIA or NX
- A track record of producing models and drawings clean enough for professional use
- Sharp eye for detail and the discipline to finish technical tasks without supervision
- Comfort working across several CAD tools and familiarity with common manufacturing processes, both preferred
- Degree in engineering, design technology or comparable professional experience is a plus
Who Should Apply
CAD specialists with professional modeling and drafting experience who want project work on their own schedule. If you know one major platform inside out and can document your work so others can follow it, this fits. Multi-platform experience and manufacturing process knowledge strengthen a candidacy.
Salary Insight
The listing quotes $88.00 per hour, with project-based pay reaching $100 per hour. That sits well above typical contract CAD rates, which usually land in the $35 to $70 range for remote drafting work, so expect the review to weigh portfolio quality and platform depth rather than years alone.
Pay and demand for Design & Creative roles
Market estimates from live NearSkill listings — separate from this job's published terms.
This role · as published
$88/hr
Taken from the listing itself.
Typical pay · estimated
$80/hour
Median of 267 similar roles that publish pay · 34 publish only a top rate; those count at the rate they gave
Most Design & Creative roles pay $55–$96 per hour. This role's pay falls inside that range.
Rates shown per hour. Yearly and monthly pay converted; one-time fees and non-USD pay are not included.
- Live similar roles
- 326
- Listed in last 30 days
- 193
- Remote
- 85%
Hiring most right now: micro1 (87) · Mercor (62) · AfterQuery (44)
Most requested skills · share of roles
- technical writing14%
- python10%
- matlab8%
- ai evaluation7%
Figures from Design & Creative roles live on NearSkill when this page loaded. A role can close before you apply, so check the listing itself.
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How applying works
1. Pre-screen on NearSkill
A quick application on NearSkill checks your fit against this role.
2. Finish on the employer’s site
We hand you to AfterQuery’s official application page to complete the form.
3. Wait for a response
The employer’s hiring team reviews applications and gets back to you.
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