Architect

Smithsonian Institution; Washington (District of Columbia); On-site; USD 80,000 - 110,000; Full time

Job summary

The Smithsonian Institution, Office of Planning, Design and Construction, is seeking an architect capable of guiding design through all phases of projects. This role emphasizes coordination across disciplines, site planning, and development of comprehensive construction documents.

Candidates should demonstrate experience with projects over $1M, proficiency in drafting software, and leadership in design teams, including post-bid RFI/ASI handling and contract management during construction.

Qualifications

• Degree in architecture or equivalent with required coursework or experience.
• Specialized experience: 3 projects ≥ $1M in construction value and using drafting software for design docs.
• Experience leading design teams and managing contracts during design/construction phases.

Skills

Drafting software

Project coordination

Contract management

RFI/ASI handling

Education

Degree in architecture

Combined education/experience option

Tools

AutoCAD

Revit

Job description

The Smithsonian Institution is the world’s largest museum, education, and research complex, with 21 museums and the National Zoo. This position is located in the Office of Planning, Design and Construction (OPDC). OPDC is responsible for the Smithsonian's physical infrastructure, which comprises over 700 buildings, other structures and leased spaces many which are designated as historic and all of which are visited by millions of people each year.

Basic Requirement:

(You must submit unofficial school transcripts)

1. Degree: architecture; or related field that included 60 semester hours of course work in architecture or related disciplines of which at least (1) 30 semester hours were in architectural design, and (2) 6 semester hours were in each of the following: structural technology, properties of materials and methods of construction, and environmental control systems.
OR
2. Combination of education and experience -- college-level education, training, and/or technical experience that furnished (1) a thorough knowledge of the arts and sciences underlying professional architecture, and (2) a good understanding, both theoretical and practical, of the architectural principles, methods, and techniques and their applications to the design and construction or improvement of buildings. The adequacy of such background must be demonstrated by at least one of the following: 1. Related Curriculum: Degree in architectural engineering may be accepted as satisfying in full the basic requirements, provided the completed course work in architectural engineering provided knowledge, skills, and abilities substantially equivalent to those provided in the courses specified in paragraph A. 2. Experience: An applicant lacking a degree in architecture must have had a year of experience in an architect's office or in architectural work for each year short of graduation from a program of study in architecture. In the absence of college courses, 5 years of such experience is required. This experience must have demonstrated that the applicant has acquired a thorough knowledge of the fundamental principles and theories of professional architecture

Applicants must meet the basic qualification requirements as described in the Office of Personnel Management’s Qualification Standards Handbook for General Schedule Positions. These standards may be viewed in its entirety at the following address on the web at http://www.opm.gov/ qualifications/SEC-III/A/0800-NDX.htm. Architecture Series - Basic Requirements All Professional Engineering Positions - Basic Requirements

Special Instructions for Foreign Education: If you are qualifying by education and/or you have education completed in a foreign college/university described above, it is your responsibility to provide transcripts and proof of U.S. accreditation for foreign study. For instructions on where to fax these documents, see the "Required Documents" section of this announcement.

In addition to the basic qualification requirement above:

You qualify for this position if you possess one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-12 level in the Federal Service or comparable pay band system. For this position specialized experience is defined as completing least three projects equal to or greater than $1M in construction value. Experience must also include using drafting software to develop comprehensive design documents to include site plans, floorplans, sections, details, schedules, room data-sheets, and specifications for all phases of design; leading design teams to develop cross-discipline coordinated design documents for all phases of design, and to respond to pre- and post-bid request for information (RFIs) and development of architectural supplemental information (ASIs) during construction administration; and managing architectural contracts on the contractor or owner side to include including project planning, cost and narrative proposal development, resource allocation, and fee negotiations for new work and change orders.

Your resume must be no more than two (2) pages and should clearly demonstrate how your experience aligns with the responsibilities and specialized experience required for this position. Do not copy language directly from the vacancy announcement, as you will be deemed ineligible for consideration. Instead, provide detailed, descriptive information about your actual experience.
Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religious; spiritual; community, student, social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.
Part-time and/or unpaid experiencerelated to this position will be considered to determine the total number of years and months of experience. Be sure to note the number of paid or unpaid hours worked each week.