For engineering teams with inputs to coordinate

Virtual assistants for engineering firms

Keep project engineers out of the chase for missing information. An assistant can organize input requests, maintain transmittal records and prepare the next review. Knows The Drill recruits and prepares your assistant for your firm's agreed responsibilities before handoff.

Find your assistant

Make the missing input visible before the next review.

A project can have plenty of documents and still be waiting on one answer. The engineer needs a confirmed site dimension, a current equipment schedule or a response from another discipline. The coordination work is to record exactly what is missing and get it back to the right person.

Your assistant can maintain that record across client messages, project folders and meetings. Engineers decide whether an input is sufficient and what it means for the technical work.

The work to hand off

Keep requests, responses and issued records connected.

Track technical input requests

Record the information a project engineer asks for, the contact responsible and the requested response date. Collect replies and preserve the source so the engineer can evaluate the actual input.

What you get back: An input log with received, missing and awaiting-review statuses

Prepare transmittals

Assemble the file list, revision references and recipient details provided by the project lead. Record release instructions and maintain the transmittal history after the authorized issue.

What you get back: A traceable record of what was sent, to whom and when

Coordinate review meetings

Gather the open questions and relevant records before an interdisciplinary review. Track the actions the team confirms and follow up with the named owner.

What you get back: A review agenda built around unresolved inputs and decisions

Organize project administration

Collect project setup details, timesheet exceptions and supporting billing records. Keep administrative questions separate from technical review so each goes to the right owner.

What you get back: A project administration queue with clear next actions

Illustrative workflow

From a missing input to an engineer's review

Use this sequence for information requests that support technical work without delegating the technical judgment.

Define the request

Assistant preparesRecord the exact question and supporting reference supplied by the engineer.

Your project engineer decidesWhat information is needed and why.

Follow up

Assistant preparesSend the request through the agreed channel and track the response.

Your project engineer decidesHow to handle a late input that affects the project.

Record the response

Assistant preparesSave the source, date and supplied files; identify unanswered fields.

Your project engineer decidesWhether the response is sufficient for engineering use.

Close or return

Assistant preparesUpdate the log after the engineer's review and prepare the next request if needed.

Your project engineer decidesWhether the input can be accepted or needs clarification.

Illustrative example — not a client record

A technical input follow-up record

This example keeps the source of a response separate from the engineer's acceptance of it.

Requested input: Example entryUpdated equipment schedule for the mechanical review.; What to provide or checkState the engineer's request without interpreting the specification.
Request owner: Example entryProject engineer; client facilities contact supplies the schedule.; What to provide or checkIdentify the reviewer and the source.
Received record: Example entrySchedule revision B received through the project portal.; What to provide or checkRecord the file reference and how it arrived.
Review status: Example entryReceived; awaiting project engineer's review.; What to provide or checkAvoid treating receipt as technical acceptance.
Next action: Example entryAsk the engineer whether revision B resolves the request; update the input log.; What to provide or checkGive the record a clear next owner and action.

Ready to hand over when: The request, supplied revision, source and review owner are recorded, with receipt and acceptance shown as separate states.

Download the blank template (CSV)

No email required. The file includes field names and guidance, with blank spaces for your own inputs. Use it to describe the work during matching; keep private client information out of an initial inquiry.

Shape the role around the workload

Is the bottleneck coordination or engineering capacity?

A useful fit when

Engineers repeatedly follow up for information already requested from others.
Several disciplines need a shared record of responses, revisions and open actions.

Discuss the setup first

You need additional capacity to perform engineering analysis or design.
Clients expect a technical answer from whoever receives the first message.

Managed support provides a dedicated, full-time assistant. Direct-hire responsibilities, hours and employment terms are agreed during matching.

Engineering decisions stay with the responsible engineer.

The assistant coordinates the information around technical work. Your professional team interprets it and authorizes what leaves the firm.

Engineering calculations, design, technical acceptance and professional sign-off remain with qualified personnel.
An uploaded response is recorded as received, not technically accepted, until your reviewer confirms it.
Specialist CAD, analysis or project-system responsibilities require an explicit skills and access discussion.

Show us the questions your engineers keep chasing.

01An example input request, transmittal and project document index.
02Your status definitions, revision conventions and release process.
03The people who review each discipline's inputs and resolve overdue requests.
04The tools, client communication rules and coverage hours the role needs.

Recruit. Prepare. Hand over.

Recruited for you. Trained for your industry.

First, we discuss your niche and the work you want your assistant to own. Then we recruit and prepare them in depth for the industry and responsibilities agreed with you before handoff. The matching conversation defines the skills, tools and preparation time your role needs.

We assess English fluency, practical problem-solving and independent judgment, so your assistant can work through the next step and recognize when to bring you in.

Choose the support behind your hire.

Managed assistant

A dedicated, full-time assistant through our service, with ongoing support from our team. One monthly fee.

Explore managed support

Direct hire

We recruit and train an assistant for you to hire directly into your team. You manage the day-to-day. One placement fee.

Explore direct hiring

The examples on these pages are a starting point. Bring the broader range of work you want covered to the matching call. We agree responsibilities, preparation time, working hours, fees and terms before you start.

Before you bring someone on

How is this different from hiring an engineering technician?: This role owns coordination: input logs, records, meeting preparation and follow-up. A technician may perform technical work that requires different training and supervision. Describe the tasks you need so we can establish whether they fit the assistant role.
Can the assistant manage RFIs?: They can log an RFI, route it to the responsible person, follow up and record the authorized response. Engineers or project leaders determine the technical answer and any effect on design, cost or schedule.
Can they prepare and send transmittals?: Yes, using your file list, revision references, recipients and release rules. The project lead authorizes the issue. Bring an example transmittal to the matching conversation so the role reflects your process.
What happens when a client sends an incomplete response?: The assistant can compare the received items with the requested list and flag the gap. The engineer decides whether the information is adequate or a new technical question is required.
Can an assistant work across multiple projects?: Yes, with a defined workload, common record conventions and a priority owner. We discuss your tools, project volume and review rhythm, then prepare the assistant for the responsibilities agreed before handoff.

Give your engineers the inputs they need to move forward.

Start with the requests and records that take project leaders away from technical work. We will help you define a coordination role with a clear output and a clear reviewer.

Find your assistant

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