Professional Designer

Skidmore, Owings & Merrill; Greater London; On-site; GBP 60,000 - 80,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading architectural firm in London is seeking a Professional Designer to lead bold design projects. The role requires over 7 years of experience in managing large-scale projects and a strong advocacy for sustainability. Ideal candidates will possess leadership qualities and communicate effectively across teams. This position offers mentorship and opportunities for career growth within a collaborative culture that emphasizes design excellence worldwide.

Qualifications

• 7+ years experience leading large-scale, complex projects.
• Ability to articulate design intent through documentation and dialogue.
• Experience mentoring talent in a design-driven culture.

Responsibilities

• Champion the design process from early concept through delivery.
• Lead cross-disciplinary reviews and resolve complex design challenges.
• Mentor the next generation of talent in a design-led culture.

Skills

Leadership

Sustainable design advocacy

Interdisciplinary collaboration

Communication

Education

Licensed architect preferred

Job description

Professional Designer

LONDON

Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (SOM) is a collective of over 1,200 architects, designers, engineers, and planners working across studios in London, Chicago, New York, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Washington D.C., Hong Kong, Melbourne, Riyadh and Dubai.

We are seeking to hire our next generation of Design Leaders in the SOM London Studio who can drive design ideas and deliver our most ambitious global projects.

At the forefront of transformative architecture, we are a design-driven studio guided by a shared commitment to design excellence, sustainability and innovation. Our open, collaborative culture empowers ideas to thrive across architecture, engineering, and urban design.

Your Impact

As a senior design voice in the studio, you’ll shape projects from concept to completion, integrating strategic vision with design excellence to lead interdisciplinary teams toward bold, future-focused outcomes.

You Will:

• Champion the design process from early concept through delivery, ensuring constructability, performance, and exceptional quality.
• Lead cross-disciplinary reviews and resolve complex challenges with creativity and clarity.
• Mentor the next generation of talent and contribute to a dynamic, design-led culture.
• Articulate compelling design narratives that inform clients, inspire collaborators, and elevate our global presence.

Who You Are

• 7+ years experience leading large-scale, complex projects. Licenced preferred
• A passionate advocate for impactful and sustainable design.
• A natural leader who energizes and inspires interdisciplinary teams to achieve design excellence.
• An articulate communicator —able to express design intent through documentation, dialogue, and publication. Able to develop an active design voice who can promote thought leadership, mentorship, and advocacy across the London studio and the wider Firmwide design community.

Why Join Us?

As part of our international studio network, you’ll collaborate across offices, disciplines, and cultures, engaging with diverse perspectives to deliver design excellence on a global scale.

We don’t just offer a role, we will help you define your own career framework. We will support your growth as a design leader through mentorship, global exposure, and access to the firm's most forward-thinking leadership. At SOM your ambition is matched by opportunity, and your ideas have a platform to influence the built environment at every scale.

Portfolio & CV Mandatory

At SOM, we welcome and encourage diversity in the workplace. We believe an inclusive environment benefits our employees, our firm, and our community, while also enriching and challenging our own thinking about design. We are proud to be an equal opportunity and affirmative action employer. Visit this page to learn more about SOM's employment policy and how to apply offline: www.som.com/employment_opportunities_and_policy

For more about SOM: www.som.com

Portfolios must be submitted for all design and project management positions (Architecture, Interiors, City Design, Graphics, 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.