Architect II or Architectural Designer II
Kaplan Thompson Architects - portland, OR
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Kaplan Thompson Architects is a Portland, Maine architecture firm prioritizing sustainability, creative design, and technical excellence for every project. We focus on single-family homes (both new and renovations), multi-family residential, educational, and non-profit design projects. We are seeking an Architectural Designer with 6 to 8 years of professional experience. This is a unique opportunity to get in the door with a design focused, mission-based, award-winning firm named to the Architect 50: Top 50 Firms in Sustainability in the U.S.We are seeking candidates who currently live or are willing to move within commuting distance of our office in Downtown Portland and are able to work in-person for the first six months of employment. Once this training period concludes (and you have endured enough of our terrible jokes), we offer a flexible environment with options for both in-person and hybrid work. Some members of our team maintain a permanent desk in the office, others take advantage of flex work-stations for several days of in-office time per week.We value your time and a healthy work-life balance. We observe a 40-hour work week, and time spent on project work beyond your weekly obligation is reimbursed quarterly as comp time or a cash bonus.Our workload and commitment to efficiency, project productivity, our clients, and the environment are rigorous, but so is our desire to foster a sense of community amongst our team and our peers. We enjoy company happy hours, birthday lunches, and occasional bowling parties, as well as a dedicated Slack channel for sharing photos of your canine or feline companions. As if that's not enough, let's just say that after hours, we aren't afraid to push up our sleeves and turn the conference room table into a ping pong court.If you are ready to be dazzled by our stunning assortment of nutritious office snacks (and meet the position requirements below!), we are ready to meet you!Compensation, Timing, and (Excellent) BenefitsWe offer competitive salaries in alignment with prescribed AIA rates at or near the top levels for the region.This offer includes 3 weeks of paid vacation personal sick time annually to start. Our benefits package also includes 100% medical coverage on Health Insurance and 100% coverage on Disability Insurance. Additionally, KTA offers a 401K benefit plan that allows you to save for retirement. With this plan, KTA will match your contributions up to 4% of your salary. There is no waiting period to receive these benefits.We also offer 10 paid holidays including 3 paid floating holidays. A commuting stipend of $60mo. will be provided, and may be either spent towards a parking space, bus pass, or kept by you if an alternate form of transportation is used. Bonuses are distributed in accordance with hours worked and success of the office. Annually, every employee has the opportunity to spend up to $600 and two days pursuing professional development, which might include attending a conference, taking a class, or participating in another approved activity. Designers interested in achieving licensure also enjoy access to company-paid training materials and reimbursement of ARE expenses upon successful completion of tests. We also offer one paid Community Day with the entire office and up to 24 matched hours over the year for any a Community Service project you would like to pursue.Kaplan Thompson is the only architecture firm in Maine to have received the JUST label for a socially just and equitable organization.Responsibilities: Design SkillParticipate in conceptual design and provide full support throughout entire projectsCoordinate project design, develop creative design concepts for projects, and prepare presentation and design drawingsTechnical AbilityAssist in preparing project specificationsProvide specific technical design aspects of major projects, including BIM, investigation, evaluation, and recommendation of design solutions that best meet the client's needsCarry out complex or novel assignments requiring the development of new or improved techniques and proceduresCoordinate with Principals and more experienced Architectural Staff on appropriate technical solutions and strategiesOccasionally provide technical guidance to less experienced architectural staffProject Management• Have full responsibility for managing all aspects of small, simple projects with guidance from Principals and Senior Staff, including estimating scope of work• Assist in preparing strategic plans for project success• Monitor and assist in coordination of administrative and technicalproject efforts to ensure the most efficient and cost-effective executionof assigned projects• Actively monitor client budgets, schedules, and programs• Assist in management of project communications and documentation• Understand fee estimation, how to determine scope of work, and howto prepare proposals and contracts on simple projectsCommunication• Be relied upon to present directly to the client on technical and design solutions• Provide management of project communications and documentation pending project-specific roleTeamworkWork in a collaborative team structure with other architects and designers on single-family and multi-family residential projects, restaurants, and sustainability-focused institutionsFollow up with junior staff to see if they have any questions or when task load might be lightIndustry AwarenessStrive to incorporate sustainable solutions throughout your workProduce work that is consistent with the quality and design aesthetic of the firm, and the regionMonitor activity in relevant industry organizationsSelf-developmentProactively participate in office cultureStrive for professional and personal developmentBusiness DevelopmentParticipate in lead nurturingCultivate relationships with clients and potential clientsLeadershipChampion one or more internal initiativesIntroduce new initiatives that will benefit the organizationContribute to advancing the skills of othersRequirements: Qualifications:Required: BArch or BS in Architecture completed and 6+ years of experience, full competence in all conventional aspects of architecture, location within commuting distance of our office in Portland, and the ability to attend construction site visits within a 3-hour range of Portland, regular in-person client meetings, and in-person office events. Access to the office requires climbing one flight of stairs. ConstructionAdministration requires navigating job sites lacking accessibility features.Preferred: Architectural licensure.Skills: Required: Excellent aesthetic andor technical design skills, strong written and verbal communication skills, 3D drafting with BIM modeling experience, ability to delegate tasks to less experienced architectural staffPreferred: Educationinterestexperience in the field of sustainable design, experience with ArchiCAD, software proficiency with Mac, Microsoft Office, Gsuite, Adobe Creative Suite, Keynote or Powerpoint Expectations: You bring: · Affability and a positive attitude· Joy and creativity to your projects and your workplace · An emerging design vision, drive, and a deep belief in a more sustainable future· The ability to push boundaries and think unconventionallyYou embrace: · Working independently and meeting timely goals· Adaptability to work on multiple projects with changing project schedules· Collaborating with other team members and external partners · Active participation in the health and vibrancy of the business· Maintaining rigor in quality of work and written communicationsYou are comfortable with: · A flexible environment with options for both in-person and remote work· An open, collaborative team approach and a collegial studio atmosphere· Communicating when you see room for improvement and coming to the table with solutionsYou can expect from us: · The opportunity to work on high-performance, net zero energy, Living Building Challenge, and Passive House projects, with all the rigors and joys they entail· Professional development support and resources· A portfolio of mission-driven projectsCompensation:The expected starting range for this role, based on our 2024 salary bands, is $64,000 to $80,000 base salary for unlicensed professionals and $70,000 to $91,000 base salary for licensed professionals, plus benefits that equal a total compensation package in the range of $75,000 to $103,000.To view some of our work and our philosophy, please view to join our firm? Please email a resume, brief cover letter, and examples of work directly to . Our first test for consideration is rigorous: please also mention your most useless superpower in your initial response. No calls, thank you.
Created: 2024-10-20