Design Assistant Jobs in Athens, GA (NOW HIRING)

Design Assistant

Webber Coleman Woodworks – Watkinsville, GA

If you are the person who reads model numbers character by character — and you want to become a designer the credible way — keep reading. In this role, your work is checked against a tape measure and a purchase order. A transposed digit becomes a wrong panel; an unconfirmed spec becomes a cabinet built around the wrong appliance; a file nobody opened becomes a problem someone else discovers. We are hiring the person who catches those things before they leave the building — because that person is the only kind we trust to design here.

Webber Coleman Woodworks is a boutique custom cabinetry and woodworking company in Watkinsville, GA. We design, build, finish, and install handcrafted cabinetry for high-end residential homes — work where the finish standard is “indistinguishable from furniture” and the paperwork standard has to match it. Our core values — Continuous Growth, Solution Oriented, Relentless WOW, Meticulous Quality, Consistent Craftsmanship, Thoughtful Compassion, and Constant Courage — are how we actually operate, not wall art.

This position is our designer pipeline, and we are honest about how it works. “Designer” means something specific at Webber Coleman Woodworks: it is the person whose drawings the shop builds from, whose selections the client lives with, and whose name is on the work. We do not hand that title to anyone — however talented — until they have mastered our processes, our products, and our standards from the inside. So everyone starts in this seat. You will learn how our cabinetry actually gets designed, specified, ordered, built, and installed, and as you demonstrate mastery, design responsibilities come to you: client meetings, selections, and eventually projects of your own. Advancement is earned by demonstrated competence, not tenure — there is no fixed clock, in either direction. If you want the title without the apprenticeship, we are the wrong shop. If you want to become the kind of designer whose work the shop never has to question, this is the seat that builds one.

The Design Assistant protects the designer’s time and extends the quality of our client experience. It sits at the intersection of technical drawing support, project coordination, and front-facing client interaction. The center of gravity is verification: pulling specifications before they are needed and confirming them accurate, placing orders and checking what arrives against what was submitted, producing drawings that are right the first time, and making sure nothing — a dimension, a finish selection, a message — falls through the cracks. The details you manage directly shape what the client sees. This is not busywork adjacent to design; it is the half of design that separates professionals from portfolios.

•       a design graduate who was always the one catching everyone else’s errors before the deadline — and who wants a real path to running projects;

•       a drafting or CAD technician (architecture, engineering, millwork, or signage) whose sets went out clean, ready to move toward the client-facing side of the work;

•       an estimating or takeoff assistant at a builder or trade contractor, where an unchecked number cost real money;

•       production or spec-book staff at an architecture or interiors firm who want their own projects someday;

•       order-entry, spec, or purchasing staff at a kitchen and bath dealership or appliance showroom with an eye for design.

None of these is required. Together they describe one person: someone who verifies before they send, and who wants to grow into the designer’s chair the earned way.

•       Elevation drawings: Create and coordinate accurate, detailed elevation drawings and plans to support the lead designer, following established checklists with minimal errors.

•       Specifications: Pull correct appliance and product specification sheets — official manufacturer documents, exact model, exact series — and confirm accuracy before they are used.

•       Material ordering: Place material orders accurately and on time, and verify that orders received match what was submitted.

•       Files & calendar: Maintain organized digital and physical files for all active projects; keep the designer’s calendar current and flag conflicts before they become problems.

•       Client interaction: Greet walk-in clients and showroom visitors with professionalism, answer questions about our services and process with confidence, and capture complete, accurate phone messages.

•       Samples & materials: Prepare finish samples and paint touch-up bottles; ship, deliver, or pick up materials and samples as needed — on the deadline, not near it.

•       Team coordination: Support project handoff and coordination between design and production as directed, plus additional tasks as assigned.

•       Growing design involvement: As mastery is demonstrated: sit in on client meetings, assist with selections, and take on defined pieces of design work under the lead designer.

•       Drawings are completed correctly and delivered on time — the designer never has to chase them.

•       Specification sheets and materials are pulled proactively and confirmed accurate before they are needed — right product, right model, opened and checked before anyone else touches them.

•       Files and calendars are current, organized, and accessible without explanation.

•       Every client interaction — phone, walk-in, or written — reflects Webber Coleman Woodwork’s standard of professionalism.

•       The designer’s attention stays on design, because coordination and support are handled without gaps.

•       You are steadily absorbing design responsibility — because the fundamentals underneath it are already handled.

•       Exacting attention to detail: you check your own work before anyone asks, and you read specifications character by character.

•       Genuine design interest and aptitude — spatial thinking, an eye for proportion and finish. A portfolio, coursework, or CAD samples are welcome but not required.

•       Highly organized, dependable, and punctual, with consistent attendance.

•       Professional in all client-facing interactions — in person, by phone, and in writing.

•       Strong problem-solving skills with a solution-oriented mindset; flexible and comfortable with frequent change.

•       Positive, team-oriented attitude with a willingness to support the work of others.

•       Coachable and growth-oriented — willing to learn Webber Coleman Woodwork’s systems, products, and standards thoroughly.

•       CAD experience (any program) is a plus, not a requirement — we train the software; we hire the discipline and the eye.

Full time position 36 hours per week. Candidate is expected to work Monday-Thursday 7:00am – 4:30pm and reports to our Lead Designer. Job begins with a 6 week trial period.

Compensation based on experience. Benefits package includes Medical and Dental Insurance, 401K, Long Term Disability, Paid Time Off and more. Must have a valid drivers license and personal vehicle. Opportunities available to attend CEU events and trade shows. Negative drug test required.

All training is provided. Must have a clean driving record. Looking for a good team player who wants a job to grow in. Excellent benefits and learning opportunities provided.

Work hours are Monday thru Thursday from 7:00am-4:30pm

Our process is skill-first. Before any interview, you’ll complete a short exercise packet (about 30 minutes) that reflects the actual daily work of this role. If your work is strong, you’ll meet with us in person. We do it in this order on purpose: it respects your time and ours, and it means the person who eventually earns the designer’s chair here was chosen, from the very first step, for what they can do.

$25 - $35 hourly

• Elevation Drawings: Create and coordinate accurate, detailed elevation drawings and plans to support the lead designer, following established checklists with minimal errors.
• Specifications: Pull the correct appliance and product specification sheets and confirm accuracy before they are used.
• Material Ordering: Place material orders accurately and on time, and verify that orders received match what was submitted.
• File & Calendar Management: Maintain organized digital and physical files for all active projects, and keep the designer’s calendar current while flagging conflicts proactively.
• Client Interaction: Greet walk-in clients and showroom visitors with professionalism, answer questions about our services and processes with confidence, and answer incoming calls while capturing complete, accurate messages.
• Samples & Materials: Prepare finish samples and paint touch-up bottles, and ship, deliver, or pick up materials and samples as needed.
• Team Coordination: Support project handoff and coordination between design and production as directed.
• Task Flexibility: Complete additional tasks as assigned by management.

Definition of Success

• Drawings are completed correctly and delivered on time—the designer never has to chase them.
• Files and calendars are current, organized, and accessible without explanation.
• Materials and specification sheets are pulled proactively and confirmed to be accurate before they are needed.
• Every client interaction—phone, walk-in, or otherwise—reflects WCW’s standard of professionalism.
• The designer’s attention stays on design because coordination and support are handled without gaps.

Skills & Attributes for Success

• Strong attention to detail and technical accuracy.
• Highly organized, dependable, and punctual with consistent attendance.
• Professional in all client-facing interactions—in person, by phone, and in writing.
• Positive, team-oriented attitude with a willingness to support the work of others.
• Flexible and comfortable with frequent change.
• Strong problem-solving skills with a solution-oriented mindset.
• Coachable and growth-oriented—willing to learn WCW’s systems, products, and standards thoroughly.

Webber Coleman Woodworks is a family-owned custom cabinetry and remodeling company with over 40 years of excellence is known for its craftsmanship, customization, and its core values: Continuous Growth, Solution Oriented, Relentless WOW, Meticulous Quality, Consistent Craftsmanship, Thoughtful Compassion, and Constant Courage.