CAD Design Expert

What you'll do

AfterQuery wants working CAD professionals for a mix of modeling, drafting and design-review tasks, assigned project by project. You produce models and drawings to professional standards, review existing designs for quality and completeness, and document your work clearly and reproducibly.

Specific project details are shared only with accepted experts, so the ad cannot tell you which industries or part types you will see. It does promise variety "across industries and applications".

Who fits

• Professional experience in CAD design, drafting, or mechanical or product design
• Strong proficiency in at least one major CAD platform (the ad names SolidWorks, AutoCAD, Fusion 360, CATIA and NX, or equivalent)
• A demonstrated ability to produce clean, well-structured models and drawings
• Attention to detail and the ability to work independently

Preferred: experience across several CAD platforms, familiarity with common manufacturing processes, and a degree in engineering or design technology (or equivalent professional experience). No minimum number of years is stated.

What it pays

The AfterQuery board shows $88/hour. The ad text describes project-based pay "up to $100/hour" and gives no lower bound, so $88 is the only concrete figure here. The expected commitment is 10–20 hours a week for the projects you accept.

This listing does not publish its payment terms (payout schedule or method). The AfterQuery company page covers how payment generally works.

Worth knowing

Good:

• Open to any major CAD platform, not tied to one tool
• Flexible, asynchronous scheduling
• Varied tasks, including reviewing other people's designs

Less good:

• Project-based, with details only revealed after acceptance
• The ceiling of $100/hour is "up to", not a guaranteed rate
• The ad does not describe the hiring steps

About this listing

Read from the AfterQuery Experts board on 18 October 2026; the ad was posted on 29 July 2026. The ad says the work is for an early-stage Y Combinator-backed company. If you apply, AfterQuery's help centre describes an unpaid, one-attempt assessment and ID verification. See AfterQuery.