Project Architect II - Education

Progressive Companies; Grand Rapids; Hybrid; CAD 75,000 - 110,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Award-winning wellness program

Hybrid work schedule

Summer hours

Profit-sharing

Employee stock ownership plan (ESOP)

Job summary

Progressive Companies is seeking a Project Architect II to own the technical design of major projects, ensuring the design intent survives from concept to documents and field. You will coordinate with consultants, mentor junior architects, and lead spec-to-drawing coordination to catch conflicts early.

The role offers ESOP participation and opportunities for step-up to Senior Project Architect. The position emphasizes performance-based design, code compliance, and rigorous QA/QC across BIM

Qualifications

• Hold the design intent through every phase of documentation and ensure performance-based design goals are met.
• Lead the technical design and documentation on major projects with BIM integration and code compliance built in from the start.
• Stamp and seal construction documents as a licensed architect with responsibility for technical accuracy.
• Coordinate specifications with drawings and manage handoffs with internal teams, consultants, and engineers to catch conflicts in-office.
• Carry plan reviews and code questions to resolution with authorities having jurisdiction.
• Lead reviews of submittals, drawings, estimates, and calculations to QA/QC standards.
• Resolve construction problems in the field during on-site visits and close open items promptly.
• Maintain organized project information, fees, and schedules, and propose scope changes when needed.
• Mentor junior architects and contribute to process improvements and standard development.

Responsibilities

• Hold the design intent through every phase of documentation, ensuring the performance-based goals translate from concept to issued sets.
• Lead the technical design and documentation on assigned major projects, producing models, contracts, and specs in BIM tools.
• Stamp and seal construction documents as a licensed architect and address complex design problems.
• Oversee coordination of specifications with drawings and manage handoffs with internal teams and consultants.
• Take plan reviews to resolution with authorities having jurisdiction and manage due diligence tasks.
• Lead submittal and QA/QC reviews to ensure compliance with project scope and standards.
• Address field construction problems through on-site visits and resolve discrepancies.
• Organize project information, fees, schedules, and raise scope changes when necessary.
• Mentor junior staff and contribute to process improvements.

Skills

Technical design

Project leadership

Revit

AutoCAD

Code compliance

Mentoring

Coordination

Tools

AutoCAD

Revit

BIM

Job description

As a Project Architect II, you will own the technical design of major, complex projects. You will also make sure the design intent survives from concept into the documents and out into the field. You will investigate the options, weigh the trade-offs, and recommend what will work for the client. Much of what reaches you will not have a standard detail, and part of the job is working out a new approach.

This is a supported but largely independent role. You will coordinate directly with consultants and engineers, take code questions to the building official, and mentor the architects coming up behind you. The next step from here is Senior Project Architect and project leadership. Progressive is employee owned (ESOP), so the projects you deliver build your own stake in the firm, and we practice Performance Based Design, which means a design must prove out against what the client needs the building to do.

Make An Impact

• Hold the design intent through every phase of documentation. Carry the Performance Based Design goals from concept into the issued set, with no unresolved deviations reaching the client.
• Lead the technical design and documentation on assigned major projects. Act as the technical architect on active projects, producing the architectural models, contract documents, and specifications in Revit and AutoCAD, with applicable codes, sustainability requirements, and material standards built in from the start.
• Stamp and seal construction documents as a licensed architect. You own the technical accuracy and code compliance of your sets, and you make the initial call on complex or first-of-their-kind design problems.
• Own coordination of the specifications with the drawings. Lead spec-to-drawing coordination and the handoffs with internal teams, consultants, and engineers, so conflicts get caught in the office rather than at bid or in the field.
• Carry plan review and code questions to resolution. Handle due diligence, existing conditions documentation, and plan review submissions, and settle code questions directly with the authority having jurisdiction.
• Lead reviews of submittals, drawings, estimates, and calculations. Evaluate them against project scope and firm standards, and self-check your own work, so deliverables meet QA/QC requirements before they go out.
• Solve construction problems in the field. On site visits, work through unforeseen conditions, code compliance issues, and document discrepancies, and close open items out rather than letting them sit.
• Keep project information, fees, and schedules moving. Organize how project files get published, issued, and transferred, give informed input on fees and schedules, and raise scope changes when they show up rather than after they hit the budget.
• Bring the junior architects along. Mentor less experienced staff through day-to-day coaching and Lessons Learned sessions, and weigh in on process improvements and standard development.

People Matter

Each individual’s background, knowledge, ability, and experience contributes to strengthening our organization and projects. Our dedication to diversity includes company provided training and education, equitable recruitment, a grassroots employee DEI committee, and robust community partnerships.

Progressive Companies is comprised of people with a variety of abilities, races, colors, religions, genders, sexual orientations, national origins, ages, veteran statuses, and more. As an equal opportunity employer, we believe diversity, equity, and inclusion are essential elements of innovative design. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable qualified individuals with disabilities to perform essential job functions.

Transforming Spaces. Empowering People.

Sustainable and Inclusive

We are dedicated to human-centered, sustainable, and inclusive design practices. We believe diversity, equity, and inclusion are essential to building trust, respect, and truly innovative design making spaces welcoming and accessible to all. Our sustainability approach embraces the AIA 2030 Commitment, together with a range of high performance, restorative, and regenerative strategies with a focus on climate responsive results to maximize positive impact in our industry.

Employee Owned

We act like owners—because we are. From modest beginnings of four original engineering partners in 1962, to almost 300 architects, engineers, designers, and consultants across multiple regional offices today, the energy, resourcefulness, and entrepreneurial mindset you expect from a CEO come standard with every team member.

Culture of Excellence

The firm is continually ranked as one of the Best and Brightest Companies to Work For in the Nation®, with comprehensive benefits including an award-winning wellness program, hybrid work schedule, summer hours, profit-sharing, and employee stock ownership plan (ESOP). We take our work seriously, but have fun along the way, which fuels the creative spirit and supports a focus on work and life integration.

• award-winning wellness program
• hybrid work schedule
• summer hours
• profit-sharing
• employee stock ownership plan (ESOP)

Progressive Companies is committed to development and growth of team members through continuing education, mentorship, growth opportunities, and more. We are dedicated to giving back to our communities, with paid service-learning hours available to every employee and corporate sponsorship for a wide range of community organizations and activities.