Technical Designer

Location: BLOQS London, 2 Anthony Way, London, N18 3QT
Salary: £40,000–£45,000 per year, depending on experience
Job type: Full-time, Permanent
Hours: Monday to Friday, 9am–5pm
Work location: Office-based, with occasional client site work as required
Reports to: Creative Director
Works closely with: Production Manager, Project Manager and Creative Director

Build bold ideas into accurate drawings, reliable estimates and beautifully made work.

BLOQS Create is looking for a Technical Designer to join our fabrication and machining studio.

This is a key role at the front end of every project. You will turn architectural drawings, client briefs and design intent into accurate 3D models, fabrication drawings and CNC-ready outputs. You will also lead the estimating process, pulling together the right information from tender packages and working with the Production Manager to produce realistic, well-structured cost and time estimates.

Your work will form the bridge between the architects and designers who commission us and the makers on the workshop floor who bring the work to life. We’re looking for someone who takes equal pride in the accuracy of their drawings and the reliability of their numbers.

About BLOQS

BLOQS is a factory for ideas — a place where people make things, make connections and make a living.

We’re the UK’s first open-access factory, built to democratise access to manufacturing technology for makers, designers and creative businesses. Our community spans hundreds of professionals — from artists and architects to engineers and entrepreneurs — all sharing tools, space and knowledge in a thriving ecosystem of creativity and craft.

At BLOQS, we believe that when you open the doors to production, you open the doors to possibility.

About BLOQS Create

BLOQS Create is a full-service fabrication and machining studio delivering bespoke interiors, public-realm works, furniture, installations and more.

Operating from Europe’s largest open-access factory, BLOQS Create brings together traditional craft and modern digital manufacturing — combining CNC machining, metalwork, woodwork and finishing under one roof.

Every project reflects our commitment to sustainability, material efficiency and exceptional quality, enabling designers, architects and makers to turn bold ideas into built reality.

The role

This is a dual technical and commercial role, combining design development, CAD modelling, fabrication drawing and estimating.

You will be responsible for interpreting incoming briefs and architectural packages, identifying what is needed to make a project buildable, producing clear technical information for the workshop and creating estimates that allow BLOQS Create to price work competitively and plan resources properly.

This role suits someone who is design-literate, CAD-confident and commercially aware. You’ll be comfortable moving between Fusion 360, architectural drawings, workshop conversations, supplier information and cost breakdowns. You’ll know when something looks wrong, when something will be difficult to make and when an assumption needs to be clarified before it becomes a problem.

The role is primarily office-based at BLOQS, working closely with the studio and production teams. There will also be occasional client site visits as required.

What you’ll do

• Interpret architectural drawings, specifications and client briefs, developing them into accurate 3D models in Fusion 360.
• Produce fabrication drawings, DXF files and CAD outputs for CNC machining and workshop use.
• Review incoming tender packages and architectural drawings to produce detailed material, labour, machine-time and space estimates.
• Prepare clear estimates for review and approval, including assumptions, inclusions, exclusions and key cost considerations.
• Work with the Production Manager to validate time estimates against real workshop capacity.
• Respond quickly and clearly to estimating requests, understanding that speed of response can be a commercial differentiator.
• Identify constructibility issues early and raise them before they reach the workshop floor.
• Maintain a practical working knowledge of ironmongery, fixings and hardware, including Blum systems, Unistrut bracketry and equivalent products.
• Factor hardware, fixings, materials and production methods accurately into both designs and estimates.
• Support the Creative Director with design development on complex, unusual or technically challenging briefs.
• Manage multiple drawing packages and estimates at the same time, keeping work organised, accurate and moving.
• Attend client sites when required to support project understanding, clarification, measurement or technical review.
• Communicate clearly with internal teams so that makers have the information they need to deliver work safely, efficiently and to a high standard.

What we’re looking for

You’ll bring:

• At least 5 years’ experience in technical design, fabrication, architectural joinery, estimating, CNC-related production, metalwork, cabinetmaking or a closely related field.
• Strong proficiency in Fusion 360, including parametric modelling and DXF output for CNC.
• A solid grounding in how things are made — ideally through joinery, cabinetmaking, metalwork, fabrication or a closely related discipline.
• Experience reading and interpreting architectural drawings and translating them into buildable 3D models and fabrication information.
• A practical understanding of workshop processes, materials, tolerances, hardware and production constraints.
• Confidence with estimating, including labour rates, material costs, machine time and how these combine into a competitive price.
• Knowledge of ironmongery and fixings as they apply to furniture, interiors and architectural joinery.
• A methodical, detail-oriented approach — your drawings and estimates need to be trusted by the people using them.
• Strong organisational skills and the ability to manage several projects, estimates and drawing packages at once.
• Good written communication, with the ability to present estimates and assumptions clearly to internal teams, architects and clients.
• The confidence to work independently, ask the right questions and flag risks early.
• Willingness to attend client sites as and when required.

You’ll likely do well here if you:

• Enjoy the point where design intent meets workshop reality.
• Care about precision, pace and practical problem-solving.
• Can challenge a drawing constructively when something cannot be built as shown.
• Are comfortable switching between CAD, estimating, supplier details and conversations with makers.
• Understand that good technical design is not just about drawing what looks right — it is about making sure it can be made, costed and delivered well.
• Take pride in producing information that helps others do their best work.

What we offer

• Salary of £40,000–£45,000 per year, depending on experience.
• Full-time, permanent role.
• Monday to Friday working pattern, 9am–5pm.
• 20 days’ holiday, plus bank holidays and one celebration day.
• Company pension.
• Canteen.
• Discounted or free food.
• Employee discount.
• Free on-site parking.
• Access to BLOQS’ unique workshop and creative manufacturing environment.
• Work on genuinely interesting briefs across furniture, interiors, public-realm installations and bespoke architectural elements.
• Join a creative, hands-on environment where craft, technology and production sit under one roof.
• Take on a role with real variety, from quick-turnaround estimates to complex multi-week modelling projects.
• Work closely with experienced makers, designers and production leads.
• Have your technical judgment respected and your input shape how projects are approached.
• Join a growing team with scope to develop into a senior technical lead function as BLOQS Create expands.

Important to know

This is an office-based role at BLOQS London, with occasional client site work as required.

It is not a remote CAD-only position. You’ll be close to the workshop, the production team and the people making the work. That proximity matters: your drawings and estimates will directly affect how projects are built, resourced and delivered.

This is a hands-on, delivery-focused role. Speed matters, especially when responding to estimate requests, but accuracy and buildability matter just as much.

A BLOQS Person Is...

Boldness – Purpose-driven and unafraid to challenge convention or take decisive action.

Imagination – Curious, playful and creative — turning fresh ideas into meaningful impact.

Integrity – Honest, accountable and committed to excellence in everything they do.

Unity – Collaborative, respectful and driven by shared purpose and collective success.

In this role, that means having the boldness to flag problems early, the imagination to solve technical challenges, the integrity to produce reliable drawings and estimates, and the unity to work closely with makers, managers, architects and clients.

Equality, Diversity & Inclusion

At BLOQS, we believe that diversity drives creativity.

We are committed to building a team that reflects a wide range of backgrounds, perspectives and skills. We encourage applications from people of all identities, ages, experiences and communities. We are dedicated to creating an environment where everyone feels empowered, respected and supported to do their best work.

How to apply

Please apply with your CV and, where possible, a portfolio or examples of relevant technical drawings, fabrication drawings, CAD models or estimating work.

We’d also like to hear briefly why this role interests you and what kind of making, fabrication or technical design environment you have worked in before.

Pay: £40,000.00-£45,000.00 per year

Benefits:

• Canteen
• Casual dress
• Company pension
• Free parking
• Sick pay

Work Location: In person