Architect

ZipRecruiter; England; On-site; GBP 36,000 - 46,000; Full time

Job summary

Join a pioneering community interest company dedicated to decarbonising the UK’s school estate as an Architect specializing in retrofit and PHPP. This role offers the opportunity to lead innovative projects that prioritize performance, comfort, and sustainability. You'll work within a collaborative team, applying your expertise to real-world challenges while supporting the development of low-carbon strategies for diverse school building types. If you are passionate about making a tangible impact in climate action and design, this position is perfect for you.

Qualifications

• 5+ years post-Part II or post-qualification experience.
• Strong UK-based retrofit experience, particularly in schools.

Responsibilities

• Lead retrofit design projects focused on performance and practicality.
• Use PHPP to inform project decisions and collaborate with stakeholders.

Skills

Retrofit Design

PHPP

CAD Skills

Excel

BIM Experience

Education

Part II Qualification

Post-Qualification Experience

Tools

SketchUp

Revit

Job description

Job Description

Architect – Retrofit & PHPP

Location: London (hybrid) OR West / East Midlands (home based with travel)

Salary: £36,000–£46,000 depending on experience

Employment type: 6 months initial contract, full-time (we're open to part-time working arrangements)

About RAFT

Retrofit Action for Tomorrow (RAFT) is a pioneering community interest company (CIC) combining deep architect-led retrofit expertise, data insights, and community action to decarbonise the UK’s school estate. RAFT works directly with schools, councils, and wider stakeholders to deliver retrofit projects, data-driven action planning, and sustainability engagement programmes.

We’re committed to creating an inclusive and supportive workplace where everyone can thrive. If you require any adjustments to support your application or interview process, please let us know – we’d be happy to accommodate.

The Roles

We’re looking for architects with a passion for retrofit and experience using PHPP to join our growing team. You’ll be part of a cross-disciplinary group working on real-world projects that prioritise performance, comfort, and decarbonisation.

You may be a Certified Passivhaus Designer or simply have a strong working knowledge of Passivhaus principles. You’ll be confident applying this in practice, particularly in the context of complex existing buildings. Experience working on schools or multi-use community buildings is highly desirable but not essential.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead and contribute to retrofit design projects with performance and practicality at their core
• Use PHPP to inform and optimise project decisions
• CAD skills - SketchUp and Revit; BIM experience desirable
• Collaborate closely with clients, consultants, and the internal team
• Support the development of clear, low-carbon strategies for a range of school building types

About You

• Around 5 years post-Part II or post-qualification experience (we’re open to different levels)
• Strong UK-based retrofit experience
• Experience of delivering heat decarbonisation plans
• Confident using Excel and PHPP
• School or public sector project experience (desirable)
• Collaborative, thoughtful, and proactive
• Committed to practical climate action and design that delivers