Senior Designer - City Design

At SOM, we are a collective committed to shaping a better future for our clients, communities and planet. We aspire to create the most sustainable, impactful work through creative, interdisciplinary teams with all the resources and diversity of a global firm.  We value those who are passionate about excellence, innovation, integrity, inclusivity, and collaboration.  Together we can achieve great things.
 

Success at SOM Means

• Ideas:  We believe in a meritocracy of ideas.  We look to everyone to actively contribute to the discourse in the firm.  

• Knowledge:  We believe that expertise is the result of lifelong learning.  We are not expected to know everything, but rather to passionately pursue answers, develop new skills and deepen our knowledge.

• Product:  We strive for excellence in the concept, quality, and delivery of our work.

• Individual: We value individuals who bring the highest standards of professionalism and personal integrity in the way they work.  Each person can develop and contribute their wealth of attributes, skills and knowledge to support the overall health of the firm.

• Team: We value the power of interdisciplinary integration.  A positive team culture in which everyone collaborates openly towards common goals is essential.

• Firm: We have a history of making transformative contributions to the profession and our communities. We are constantly innovating and attempting to bring new approaches, solutions and processes to our work.

Position Responsibilities

• Serves as an emerging leader of the CDP Team. Consistently demonstrates a highly disciplined and effective work ethic.

• Demonstrates an advanced understanding of planning and urban design concepts, building typologies, critical dimensions and systems, utility and infrastructure systems, land development imperatives and planning / zoning codes, and phasing and implementation techniques.

• Is able to enrich design concepts through sophisticated knowledge, demonstrated research acumen, and expert application of technical, visualization, and other sophisticated communication strategies

• Exhibits initiative, process innovation, problem solving, and decision-making quality with a high attention to precision and accuracy at a project level.

• Envisions and develops diagrams, renders site plans, and contributes to all manner of graphic and visual production.

• Effectively implements quality control standards for deliverables. 

• Creates and innovates with a strong conceptual design ability applied to complex projects at divergent scales and in varying geographic and social contexts; integrates interdisciplinary criteria to effectively move forward the design of large projects.

• Actively collaborates at a project, consultant team, and client team level by critically and constructively evaluating ideas. Contributes to and actively participates within the studio and office.

• Manages time and workload of own work efforts and those of others to meet project task deadlines and commitments, with occasional interaction and direction from team leaders. 

• Clearly defines team member expectations and responsibilities, empowers others, and delegates where appropriate based on team members’ recognized abilities and potential.

• Inspires and leads others by example, participates in staff mentoring and training, 

• Conducts and increasingly directs high-level research, precedent, and relevant scale studies;

Management Responsibilities

• Participates actively in project design and technical discussions and decision making.

• Communicates actively through weekly meetings, assisting with issuing meeting minutes and accurate project record keeping and sharing project information and correspondence.

• Supports owner/client relationship and expectations to allow SOM and team to work effectively, efficiently and collaboratively.

• Supports Senior Leadership to initiate, monitor and maintain project schedule and work plan including schedule of meetings, presentations and project milestones / deliverables.

• Supports Senior Leadership to initiate, monitor and maintain project plan and financial performance of project.

Leadership Responsibilities

• Inspires and leads others by example, participates in staff mentoring and training, clearly defines team member expectations and responsibilities, empowers others, and delegates where appropriate based on team members’ recognized abilities and potential.

• Directly supervises staff and is committed to direct reports’ professional development.

• Develops and engages in talent strategy to find specialists, leaders, and future professionals for the firm through resume review and interviews.

• In collaboration with team members, develops a clear and consistent work plan to achieve the project budget, deliverables, and schedule.

• Actively engages in internal and external professional development opportunities.

• Contributes to the implementation of sustainable strategies in all project assignments and the associated development of staff knowledge.

• Contributes to the development of standards, policies, and procedures.

• Protects SOM from financial and legal risk.

Minimum Qualifications

• Professional Degree in Architecture, Planning, Urban design, or Landscape Architecture.

• Professional licensure process is close to completion; LEED accreditation strongly preferred. 

• Minimum 6 years of experience or equivalent knowledge, skills and abilities.

• Significant experience in large-scale planning, mixed-use and transit oriented development, and consistently demonstrated facility working in a fast-paced and intensely collaborative professional environment.

• Effectively communicates internally with project teams and externally with consultants and clients through timely and appropriate written, oral, and visual means.

• Demonstrates expertise in AutoCAD, Rhino, Grasshopper, Enscape, Lumion, parametric and rendering software, and other graphic software as well as Adobe Creative Suite, Google Suite and Microsoft Office; Revit proficiency a plus.

Our Benefits:

Health and Wellness: Medical, dental, vision, disability, and life & accident insurance

Savings: 401K matching, pre-tax spending accounts, and employee discount programs

Work/Life Balance:  Inquire about our hybrid/flexible schedules, paid family leave, paid vacation, backup child and elder care, and an employee assistance program

Professional Development: Reimbursement for professional licenses, associated renewals, and exam fees as well as specialized in-house career development 

Compensation for this role is based upon experience, qualifications, location, and education and typically ranges from $90,000 to $120,000. 
 

Our Culture:
 

Our creative, interdisciplinary teams work like small, dynamic studios, with all the resources and diversity of a global firm. Here, you’ll collaborate with industry experts on some of the most exciting and transformative architecture, engineering, and planning projects in the world.
 

We believe an inclusive environment improves our teams, our firm, and our communities and are passionate about Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. Our DEI Action Plan was created to bring meaningful change to our profession, starting with our own culture and practices.
 

We are proud to be an equal opportunity and affirmative action employer. Visit this page to learn more about SOM's employment policy as well as additional information such as a privacy notice for California residents and how to apply offline.

For more about SOM: www.som.com

Portfolios must be submitted for all design positions (Architecture, Interiors, Planning, etc). Applications without work samples will not be reviewed.  Portfolios should be one PDF attachment, 10-20 pages, maximum 5 MB. Submit portfolios as part of your application in the section where the application asks you for your Resume or CV.

Portfolios must be submitted for all design positions (Architecture, Interiors, Planning, etc). Applications without work samples will not be reviewed.  Portfolios should be one PDF attachment, 10-20 pages, maximum 5 MB. Submit portfolios as part of your application in the section where the application asks you for your Resume or CV.