Boskalis — one of the world’s leading dredging, marine, and infrastructure companies — is hiring CAD Engineers (3D Modelers) across junior, medior, and senior levels for their Hydronamic engineering department in Abu Dhabi, UAE. This is a full-time opportunity to transform your passion for infrastructure and dredging projects into high-quality 3D designs using Civil3D, SubAssembly Composer, and Navisworks within a diverse international team of around 80 engineering professionals — contributing directly to some of the most complex marine and infrastructure projects in the world.
About Boskalis & Hydronamic — Abu Dhabi
Company: Boskalis — Global Leader in Dredging, Marine & Infrastructure Solutions
Department: Hydronamic Engineering — Design & 3D Modeling, Dredging Division
Team Size: ~80 engineers across multiple design disciplines in Abu Dhabi and Papendrecht
Software: Civil3D · SubAssembly Composer · Navisworks · CAD/BIM platforms
Project Types: Dredging · Marine Infrastructure · Port & Harbor · Land Reclamation
Why This CAD Engineer Role at Boskalis in Abu Dhabi Is a Career-Defining Move
Global Company: Join a world leader in dredging and marine infrastructure operating across 90+ countries
All Experience Levels: Junior, medior, and senior positions available — entry-level to expert track
Real Impact: What you model gets built — your 3D designs become major infrastructure reality
Career Academy: Boskalis Academy offers structured development, online courses, and clear career progression
Position Overview
This CAD Engineer (3D Modeler) role at Boskalis Hydronamic in Abu Dhabi is a full-time engineering design position sitting within the Hydronamic team — Boskalis’s dedicated construction design department for its global Dredging division. You will develop detailed 3D models and pragmatic construction designs for complex dredging and marine infrastructure projects, review drawing specifications, identify interfaces and risks within project models, and support multi-disciplinary engineering and project teams with technical modeling insights and design animations. The role demands the judgment to balance speed with accuracy — because what you model in Abu Dhabi will be physically constructed on site very soon after. Three career levels are available: junior, medior, and senior — making this an accessible opportunity for engineers at different stages of their CAD and BIM career journey.
Why This Boskalis CAD Role Is the Infrastructure Design Career to Pursue in 2026: CAD Engineers with Civil3D, Navisworks, and BIM experience working on dredging and marine infrastructure projects develop one of the most globally portable and consistently in-demand engineering skillsets in the world. Boskalis operates in 90+ countries — meaning a career built here opens doors across global infrastructure markets for the rest of your professional life. The Abu Dhabi office brings the added benefit of a tax-free salary, an international team culture, and work on projects that genuinely shape the built environment of the UAE and the world.
Three Positions Open — All Experience Levels Welcome
Junior Level: 3+ years experience — ideal for engineers building their Civil3D and BIM modeling foundation
Medior Level: Established CAD professional with dredging or infrastructure project modeling experience
Senior Level: Expert modeler with deep Civil3D, BIM coordination, and complex project leadership experience
All three levels will be onboarded into the same Hydronamic Abu Dhabi team of ~80 engineering professionals
Key Responsibilities
3D Model Development & Design Creation
- Develop high-quality 3D designs and detailed yet pragmatically produced construction models for dredging, marine, and infrastructure projects using Civil3D, SubAssembly Composer, and Navisworks
- Create models that transform engineering intent into accurate, buildable 3D representations that directly support construction teams working on site across Boskalis’s global project portfolio
- Coordinate developed models to optimally facilitate the implementation of geometrical designs — ensuring spatial accuracy, clash detection, and alignment with project specifications throughout the design lifecycle
- Determine what needs to be modeled in each specific construction phase — applying engineering judgment to prioritize modeling effort and maintain the right balance between speed and accuracy on project-based work
Drawing Review, Specification Analysis & Information Gathering
- Review drawing specifications and reference design documents — gathering all necessary project information to ensure 3D models accurately reflect the design intent and construction requirements
- Analyze tender documents, acquired project specifications, and multi-disciplinary design inputs to determine modeling scope, priorities, and interface requirements across each construction phase
- Collaborate with engineers, project teams, and discipline leads to ensure all necessary technical inputs are captured and correctly represented within the project 3D model environment
Interface Identification, Risk Management & Coordination
- Identify interfaces, risks, and opportunities within the project model — flagging spatial conflicts, design clashes, and coordination issues that require resolution before construction begins
- Assist with model coordination activities — supporting multi-disciplinary design integration and ensuring that the project 3D model accurately represents the complete scope of civil, marine, and mechanical works
- Contribute to construction design reviews by providing technically informed 3D modeling analysis, visualizations, and interface coordination support to cross-functional project teams
Technical Advisory, Animations & Design Support
- Advise and support design and project teams on technical CAD and BIM aspects — answering engineering inquiries and providing modeling expertise that helps teams make better, faster design decisions
- Create design animations and visualizations to provide clear insight into complex construction processes and structure geometry — supporting project communication, client presentations, and tender submissions
- Support tender and acquired project teams within the Hydronamic engineering department with technical modeling input that contributes to winning and successfully delivering major dredging and infrastructure contracts
Qualifications & Requirements
Educational Requirements
- Civil Engineering, Survey, or similar Bachelor’s degree level of working and thinking — this is the minimum educational standard required for all applicants at junior, medior, and senior levels
Experience Requirements
- Minimum of 3 years of relevant work experience in CAD engineering, 3D modeling, or civil design within infrastructure, dredging, marine, or construction project environments
- Proven practical experience with Civil3D in combination with SubAssembly Composer — for parametric corridor modeling, road and earthworks design, and dredging geometry development
- Working knowledge of Navisworks for 3D model coordination, clash detection, and construction sequence visualization on multi-discipline engineering projects
Technical Skills
- Knowledge of CAD and BIM standards, regulations, and guidelines applicable to civil engineering, infrastructure, and marine construction project environments
- Proficiency in English — both written and spoken — essential for working within an international engineering team and collaborating across Boskalis’s global project organization
- Ability to balance speed and accuracy in a project-based engineering environment where timely, pragmatic model delivery directly impacts construction schedules
Personal Qualities
- Genuine passion for infrastructure, dredging, and marine projects — and the motivation to produce high-quality 3D design work that you can see built in the real world
- Continuous learner with a desire to keep challenging yourself professionally — willing to grow through Boskalis Academy, on-the-job development, and international project exposure
- Strong collaborative approach — able to work effectively within a diverse, multicultural team of ~80 engineers across multiple design disciplines in Abu Dhabi and globally
About Boskalis & Marine Infrastructure in Abu Dhabi
Boskalis is one of the world’s foremost dredging, marine, and infrastructure contractors — operating in over 90 countries across port and harbor development, land reclamation, offshore energy infrastructure, and complex marine civil works. The company’s Hydronamic engineering department is the technical design heart of Boskalis’s Dredging division, responsible for construction designs in tenders and executed projects that span some of the most ambitious marine and coastal infrastructure programs anywhere in the world. Abu Dhabi’s position as one of the Gulf’s most active markets for coastal development, port expansion, land reclamation, and marine infrastructure — combined with the UAE’s broader infrastructure investment under Vision 2031 — makes it an ideal location for Boskalis to expand its Hydronamic design team and offer CAD Engineers access to genuinely world-class, portfolio-building project experience in a tax-free employment environment.
Your Career Growth Path: Junior CAD Engineer → Medior CAD Engineer → Senior CAD Engineer → Lead 3D Modeler → BIM Manager → Head of Design — a globally transferable, professionally rewarding, and internationally recognized career trajectory built on some of the most complex and impactful marine infrastructure projects being delivered anywhere in the world today.
Who Should Apply?
- Junior CAD Engineers (3+ years): With Civil3D experience looking for their first major international infrastructure modeling role in Abu Dhabi
- Medior 3D Modelers: With established BIM and Civil3D project experience in dredging, marine, ports, or civil infrastructure engineering environments
- Senior CAD/BIM Engineers: With expert Civil3D, Navisworks, and multi-discipline coordination experience ready to lead design modeling on complex Boskalis projects
- Survey & Civil Engineers: With degree-level education and 3D modeling skills wanting to apply their technical expertise to real-world marine and dredging construction challenges
- International Engineers: From anywhere in the world seeking a full-time CAD modeling career in Abu Dhabi with one of the world’s most respected marine infrastructure companies
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