diff --git a/orchestrator/package-lock.json b/orchestrator/package-lock.json
index 3fcd2ce..9e01d12 100644
--- a/orchestrator/package-lock.json
+++ b/orchestrator/package-lock.json
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@
       "version": "1.0.0",
       "dependencies": {
         "@hookform/resolvers": "^5.2.2",
+        "@paralleldrive/cuid2": "^3.0.6",
         "@radix-ui/react-accordion": "^1.2.12",
         "@radix-ui/react-alert-dialog": "^1.1.15",
         "@radix-ui/react-checkbox": "^1.3.2",
@@ -1485,6 +1486,17 @@
         "@jridgewell/sourcemap-codec": "^1.4.14"
       }
     },
+    "node_modules/@noble/hashes": {
+      "version": "2.0.1",
+      "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/@noble/hashes/-/hashes-2.0.1.tgz",
+      "integrity": "sha512-XlOlEbQcE9fmuXxrVTXCTlG2nlRXa9Rj3rr5Ue/+tX+nmkgbX720YHh0VR3hBF9xDvwnb8D2shVGOwNx+ulArw==",
+      "engines": {
+        "node": ">= 20.19.0"
+      },
+      "funding": {
+        "url": "https://paulmillr.com/funding/"
+      }
+    },
     "node_modules/@nodelib/fs.scandir": {
       "version": "2.1.5",
       "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/@nodelib/fs.scandir/-/fs.scandir-2.1.5.tgz",
@@ -1523,6 +1535,19 @@
         "node": ">= 8"
       }
     },
+    "node_modules/@paralleldrive/cuid2": {
+      "version": "3.0.6",
+      "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/@paralleldrive/cuid2/-/cuid2-3.0.6.tgz",
+      "integrity": "sha512-ujtxTTvr4fwPrzuQT7o6VLKs5BzdWetR9+/zRQ0SyK9hVIwZQllEccxgcHYXN6I3Z429y1yg3F6+uiVxMDPrLQ==",
+      "dependencies": {
+        "@noble/hashes": "^2.0.1",
+        "bignumber.js": "^9.3.1",
+        "error-causes": "^3.0.2"
+      },
+      "bin": {
+        "cuid2": "bin/cuid2.js"
+      }
+    },
     "node_modules/@petamoriken/float16": {
       "version": "3.9.3",
       "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/@petamoriken/float16/-/float16-3.9.3.tgz",
@@ -3780,6 +3805,14 @@
         "prebuild-install": "^7.1.1"
       }
     },
+    "node_modules/bignumber.js": {
+      "version": "9.3.1",
+      "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/bignumber.js/-/bignumber.js-9.3.1.tgz",
+      "integrity": "sha512-Ko0uX15oIUS7wJ3Rb30Fs6SkVbLmPBAKdlm7q9+ak9bbIeFf0MwuBsQV6z7+X768/cHsfg+WlysDWJcmthjsjQ==",
+      "engines": {
+        "node": "*"
+      }
+    },
     "node_modules/binary-extensions": {
       "version": "2.3.0",
       "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/binary-extensions/-/binary-extensions-2.3.0.tgz",
@@ -4708,6 +4741,11 @@
         "url": "https://github.com/sponsors/sindresorhus"
       }
     },
+    "node_modules/error-causes": {
+      "version": "3.0.2",
+      "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/error-causes/-/error-causes-3.0.2.tgz",
+      "integrity": "sha512-i0B8zq1dHL6mM85FGoxaJnVtx6LD5nL2v0hlpGdntg5FOSyzQ46c9lmz5qx0xRS2+PWHGOHcYxGIBC5Le2dRMw=="
+    },
     "node_modules/es-define-property": {
       "version": "1.0.1",
       "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/es-define-property/-/es-define-property-1.0.1.tgz",
diff --git a/orchestrator/package.json b/orchestrator/package.json
index 3999cd9..56c5b4e 100644
--- a/orchestrator/package.json
+++ b/orchestrator/package.json
@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@
   },
   "dependencies": {
     "@hookform/resolvers": "^5.2.2",
+    "@paralleldrive/cuid2": "^3.0.6",
     "@radix-ui/react-accordion": "^1.2.12",
     "@radix-ui/react-alert-dialog": "^1.1.15",
     "@radix-ui/react-checkbox": "^1.3.2",
diff --git a/orchestrator/src/server/services/pdf.ts b/orchestrator/src/server/services/pdf.ts
index 4c32e84..ad50866 100644
--- a/orchestrator/src/server/services/pdf.ts
+++ b/orchestrator/src/server/services/pdf.ts
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@ import { join, dirname } from 'path';
 import { fileURLToPath } from 'url';
 import { readFile, writeFile, mkdir, access, unlink } from 'fs/promises';
 import { existsSync } from 'fs';
-import crypto from 'node:crypto';
+import { createId } from '@paralleldrive/cuid2';
 
 import { getSetting } from '../repositories/settings.js';
 import { pickProjectIdsForJob } from './projectSelection.js';
@@ -20,26 +20,6 @@ import { resumeDataSchema } from '../../shared/rxresume-schema.js';
 
 const __dirname = dirname(fileURLToPath(import.meta.url));
 
-/**
- * Generate a CUID2-compatible ID for RXResume.
- * CUID2 format: starts with a letter, lowercase alphanumeric, ~24 chars
- */
-function generateCuid2(): string {
-  const alphabet = 'abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz0123456789';
-  const letters = 'abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz';
-  const bytes = crypto.randomBytes(24);
-
-  // First char must be a letter
-  let result = letters[bytes[0] % letters.length];
-
-  // Rest can be alphanumeric
-  for (let i = 1; i < 24; i++) {
-    result += alphabet[bytes[i] % alphabet.length];
-  }
-
-  return result;
-}
-
 // Paths - can be overridden via env for Docker
 const RESUME_GEN_DIR = process.env.RESUME_GEN_DIR || join(__dirname, '../../../../resume-generator');
 const OUTPUT_DIR = join(getDataDir(), 'pdfs');
@@ -92,7 +72,7 @@ export async function generatePdf(
     if (baseResume.sections?.skills?.items && Array.isArray(baseResume.sections.skills.items)) {
       baseResume.sections.skills.items = baseResume.sections.skills.items.map((skill: any) => ({
         ...skill,
-        id: skill.id || generateCuid2(),
+        id: skill.id || createId(),
         visible: skill.visible ?? true,
         // Zod schema requires string, default to empty string if missing
         description: skill.description ?? '',
@@ -135,7 +115,7 @@ export async function generatePdf(
           const existing = existingSkills.find((s: any) => s.name === newSkill.name);
 
           return {
-            id: newSkill.id || existing?.id || generateCuid2(),
+            id: newSkill.id || existing?.id || createId(),
             visible: newSkill.visible !== undefined ? newSkill.visible : (existing?.visible ?? true),
             name: newSkill.name || existing?.name || '',
             description: newSkill.description !== undefined ? newSkill.description : (existing?.description || ''),