Project Designer - job 1 of 2

Position Location

This position is eligible for hybrid (office/remote) working arrangement and flexible working hours. The position is located in San Diego, California.

Who We Are

HMC Architects is an employee-owned design firm with an inherent desire to make a difference in our communities. As a purpose-driven brand based on values, our mission to design for good drives everything we do. And our ownership culture creates alignment and increased commitment to that mission, keeping us on track to being successful.

What We Do

Founded with the purpose of anticipating community needs, HMC aims to create designs that have a positive impact, now and into the future. We focus primarily on opportunities to have the most direct contribution to communities–through healthcare, education, and civic spaces.

Job Summary

The Project Designer will lead the design efforts for small and medium sized projects. Coordinate and produce design presentation material, and coordinate the design intent with the production and documentation of construction documents. Coordinate with the construction administration of the project and maintain design intent during construction.

Minimum Requirements:

Education: Architectural degree from an accredited university.

Experience: Minimum of seven (7) years’ experience in production and coordination of documents in all phases of architectural practice desired.

Other Requirements and Job Responsibilities

Communication and Collaboration

• Listen and communicate effectively and professionally.
• Ability to communicate complex design concepts both verbally and graphically to team members and clients.
• Ability to organize and deliver complete project design presentations to client user group or public forum under the supervision of a Senior Designer, Design Director or Design Principal.
• Coordinate project design with team members and consultants for conflicts and discrepancies.
• Establish productive working relationships, and deal effectively and cooperatively with team members, consultants, and government agencies.
• Display willingness to make decisions; exhibit sound and accurate judgment; support and explain reasoning for decisions; include appropriate people in decision-making process; make timely decisions.
• Ability to apprise supervisor and client for status of work.
• Collaborate with appropriate staff to meet goals and objectives of project.
• Coach, mentor, and provide performance-enhancing feedback of assigned team members.
• Write and develop project marketing interview materials. Participate in project marketing interview.

Supervision and Delegation

• Ability to professionally communicate both verbally and in writing to give assignments to office support staff, consultants, and vendors.
• Ability to delegate assignments to support staff and always be respectful.
• Support PIC, design director, senior designer and project manager in supervision and delegation of work.
• Supervise and manage three to five design staff during design phases of project.
• Primary source for monitoring junior staff on a daily basis and taking the appropriate action to report both positive and negative performance.
• Assist and/or prepare evaluations and meet with their personnel to discuss the evaluations.
• Manage two to four employees.

Documentation

• Be proficient with HMC’s documentation and office practice systems.
• Ability to correspond effectively with consultants and clients.
• Write meeting minutes, professional correspondence, and lead or assist in the documentation of the design process.
• Ability to write and edit design narratives.
• Understand and review agreements with clients and consultants, especially pertaining to fees and deliverables.

Business Development

• Attend professional activities outside of office.
• Always be professional and respectful in interactions with clients and consultants.
• Primary proponent for project pursuit.
• Have primary role in marketing interviews and in the graphic preparation of marketing proposals.
• May maintain primary contact with client, have excellent follow-through with client and maintain excellent client relationships.
• Have complete knowledge and follows HMC procedures, standards, and protocols.

Management

• Demonstrate motivation in seeking new responsibilities and challenges.
• Set goals, prioritize, and plan work activities for self-management and use time efficiently.
• Estimate hours for assigned tasks and finish tasks within agreed-upon budget hours for the task.
• Prepare work plans and schedules for the design process, and coordinate schedule with project manager.
• Lead the design efforts for multiple small and medium sized projects.
• Work collaboratively and effectively with PIC’s, project managers, and project team.

Design

• Effectively participate and coordinate in the Schematic and Design Development of projects.
• Demonstrate creativity in architectural design on projects.
• Effectively participate in office design charettes, team design critiques and pin-ups.
• Demonstrate Design Communication skills via sketching and hand drawings.
• Demonstrate a working knowledge of the appropriate use of building systems, materials, and technologies. Show initiative in the research of alternative systems and materials.
• Lead and assist in the documentation of project design, such as three-dimensional CAD modeling, physical models, and product or material research in collaboration with PM.
• Participate in the development of 3D modeling of projects. Prepare various Design Communication and Presentation materials including: sketches, rendered 2D and 3D drawings, rendered perspectives, slide shows and material selection boards in collaboration with PM.
• Provide a positive design leadership example to project teams and to the studio.
• Lead and coordinate the design efforts on small and medium sized projects. Participate as designer on large-scale projects.
• Lead and assist in ensuring the design integrity of a project through the Design Development, Construction Document, and Construction Phases
• Lead and participate in design awards and publications efforts.
• Assist in development of project documents during all phases of the project.

Technical

• Understand the organization of the contract documents.
• Demonstrate proficiency in applications and multimedia software.
• Understand technical terminology of the architectural and construction industry.
• Understanding construction systems of walls, roofs, doors, and windows.
• Coordinate a project’s design intent through the construction document and construction phases.
• Understand requirements/deliverables of all phases.
• Understand the process of coordination with government agencies, and the plan check approval process.
• Participate in the development of working drawings, and help fulfill requirements/deliverables of SD, DD, and CD phases.
• Help select appropriate materials, systems and develop all construction details and systems.
• Coordinate the design intent in the development of specifications.
• Possess working knowledge of drawing setup, layers, plotting/publishing, dimensions, blocks, attributes, purge/audit/recover, and back up files and viewports.
• Have working knowledge and follows HMC procedures, standards, and protocols.
• Demonstrate knowledge of the applicable building codes for use in design.
• Coordinate cost estimating of design intent.

The salary range for this position is $85,065 to $127,281

The actual offered salary for this position will vary depending on multiple factors including the candidate’s qualification, education, position knowledge, work experience, skills, ability, work location, and internal incumbent compensation for similar roles. We do not anticipate individuals hired into this position will start at or near the top half of the range listed; the decision will be based on each individual case. The salary range listed above does not include other compensation elements such as discretionary bonus opportunities, employee stock ownership grants, paid time off, medical insurance, and other wage and benefit opportunities.