Associate Designer Jobs in Ontario (NOW HIRING)

R.J. Burnside & Associates Limited (Burnside) and Neegan Burnside Ltd. (Neegan) are expanding our team in conjunction with the recent opening of the Thunder Bay office, and we’re looking for a CAD / Civil 3D Designer to help us deliver exceptional infrastructure solutions.

At Burnside, the difference is our people. We foster a welcoming and collaborative culture where you'll thrive in a connected environment that champions mentorship and career development supported by colleagues across the organization. Our teams work with public, Indigenous, and private sector clients on diverse range of civil infrastructure projects including land development, municipal roadways, linear infrastructure, drainage and hydrology, water/wastewater systems, solid waste, and stormwater management.

What You’ll Do

You’ll be a key contributor to our engineering design team, turning concepts into accurate, buildable designs that support land development, water/wastewater, drainage, municipal infrastructure and First Nation projects. You’ll help our projects move from vision to reality – on time, on budget, and with precision that earns client trust.

· Produce complete, accurate, and well-organized drawings – plans, profiles, grading layouts, and details – that meet client and regulatory standards the first time

· Build and refine complex 3D models (solid, surface, and mesh) that improve design accuracy and help engineers make better decisions

· Use hydrology and stormwater design tools to model catchments, optimize flow paths and integrate stormwater systems seamlessly into site designs

· Design roadway corridors and underground pipe networks that met functionality, safety, and constructability targets.

· Coordinate inputs from internal teams and external sub consultants to produce cohesive, high-quality drawing sets on schedule.

· Assist with design calculations, quantity take-offs, and field coordination to keep projects moving smoothly from concept to construction.

· Support engineers and project managers by addressing design changes or contractor inquiries quickly and accurately

What You Bring

· Diploma in Civil/Environmental/Construction Management or Computer Drafting (AutoCAD/Civil 3D), or equivalent experience.

· Minimum 2 years of experience using AutoCAD and Civil 3D. 5+ years of experience is preferred.

· Strong design skills and a passion for precision and creativity.

· Excellent time management and organizational skills.

· Proficiency in Microsoft 365 (Word, Excel, SharePoint) and PDF editing tools.

· Effective communication skills and a collaborative mindset.

· High attention to detail and commitment to standards.

· Experience with municipal infrastructure design is an asset.

What Success Looks Like

· You consistently produce accurate, high-quality drawings that meet project requirements.

· You collaborate effectively across teams and disciplines to ensure smooth project delivery.

· You respond quickly and professionally to field inquiries and design adjustments.

· You contribute to a positive team culture and demonstrate initiative in learning and growth.

· You help us exceed client expectations through your technical expertise and dedication.

This is your chance to kickstart your career by working on meaningful projects that impact communities. At Burnside, we prioritize mentorship and foster an environment where you can learn, grow, and thrive. You’ll join a team that values innovation, teamwork, and a passion for civil engineering.

Why You’ll Love Working Here

· Contributing to the growth and development of a new office in Thunder Bay.

· Meaningful, community-focused projects across the North and West Region.

· Supportive environment where collaboration and knowledge-sharing are encouraged.

· Opportunities to work on a variety of project types that expand your skills and experience.

· Flexibility to apply both your technical field expertise and civil design knowledge in a balanced role.

Salary Range: $65,000 - $85,000

The final compensation offered will be based on factors such as relevant experience, skills, internal equity, and market conditions.

Position Type: New Position

Why Choose the Burnside Group of Companies?

The Burnside Group of Companies includes R.J. Burnside & Associates Limited with a focus on municipal, public agencies and private sector clients; Neegan Burnside Ltd. with a focus on Indigenous communities and sector clients; and Well Initiatives Limited, a full-service water well contractor.

Depending on your experience, background, and interest you will be part of a sector-based team that is the best fit for your career. As a Burnside employee, you will become part of a supportive group of colleagues across the organization that work together to provide value and service to our clients, while extending care to each other. We know that our employees are our greatest asset, and thus we strive to provide a positive work/life balance.

As a proud Canadian owned, operated and led company for over 50 years, Burnside has built a great reputation both internally with their staff and externally with their clients, as an established leader in quality engineering, environmental, project management and consulting services. Becoming part of the Burnside team opens the door to a wide range of career development, advancement, mentorship and collaboration opportunities across our 12 office locations.

We offer a wide variety of opportunities for our staff, geared to your level of independence and interests. As an agile firm willing to consider a multitude of opportunities as presented by our long-term client base, and in a number of emerging disciplines, we are willing to work with you to set a meaningful career path.

We offer:

· A collaborative culture where friendship, honesty and respect are part of our core values and practices

· Flexible working hours and office locations, including hybrid working opportunities

· A competitive compensation and benefits package

· RSP company matching plan

· Career growth and professional development opportunities

· Potential for performance-driven bonusing

· Active social committees

· A welcoming, positive, and inclusive work environment

We are an equal opportunity employer committed to valuing diversity in the workplace and we welcome resumes from all qualified candidates. Burnside will provide reasonable accommodations to applicants with disabilities throughout the entire recruitment, assessment, and selection process, as required. If you are a person with a disability and require an accommodation during these processes, please contact our Human Resources department.

R.J. Burnside and Associates Limited and Neegan Burnside Ltd. Company Profiles

Founded in 1970, R.J. Burnside & Associates Limited is a growing values-driven employee-owned multidiscipline Canadian engineering and environmental consulting firm with over 450 staff. Our consistent commitment to investing in technological advancements and training, in addition to encouraging and promoting professional development, has enabled our firm to meet our ongoing and stated goal of continual improvement.

Founded in 1999, Neegan Burnside Ltd. is a majority-Indigenous owned firm committed to working with Indigenous (First Nation, Metis and Inuit) communities, agencies and industries to meet their infrastructure, development and economic goals while remaining sensitive to culture, values and beliefs. We have completed over 1,500 projects for more than 300 Indigenous communities and agencies throughout North America, many of them repeat clients with whom we work to develop long term and meaningful relationships. We endeavor to provide opportunities with our organization for Indigenous staff, as well as for community members in the projects we deliver.

Our Companies are uniquely integrated, allowing us to coordinate and access resources across both firms. As a result, we offer our clients expertise in many technical disciplines including but not limited to water and wastewater, transportation planning and design, land development, stormwater management, bridges and culverts, building engineering and sciences, municipal drainage, municipal advisory services, environmental planning and ecology, hydrogeology, air and noise, asset management, solid waste, landscape architecture and well drilling & diagnostics.

Together, we actively seek to develop relationships with a broad and diversified client base in the Public, Private and Indigenous sectors. We work on a variety of projects throughout Canada, with 11 office locations in Ontario and one in Manitoba.

We look forward to considering you as a part of our team!

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