Job Captain

Backen & Backen; Sausalito (CA); Hybrid; USD 90,000 - 110,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Mentorship

Professional development

Competitive compensation

Job summary

Backen & Backen seeks a seasoned Job Captain to lead technical development and construction documentation for design-driven projects in Sausalito, CA or Salt Lake City, UT. You will coordinate with project teams, manage BIM workflows, and ensure buildable, code-compliant solutions while mentoring junior staff.

Ideal candidates bring a professional architecture degree, 5+ years of experience, strong Revit proficiency, and a passion for regenerative design and high-end residential/hospitality work.

Qualifications

• Professional degree in Architecture or equivalent accredited program.
• 5+ years of architectural experience with technical documentation and coordination responsibilities.
• Strong Revit proficiency and experience managing models and drawing sets.
• Familiarity with building codes, accessibility requirements, and permitting processes.
• Experience coordinating multidisciplinary consultant teams and resolving technical conflicts.

Responsibilities

• Lead drawing sets from design development through construction documentation.
• Develop plans, sections, elevations, details, schedules, and specifications.
• Coordinate documents with structural, MEP, civil, landscape, interiors, and other consultants.
• Support construction administration, RFIs, submittals, and site observations.
• Mentor junior staff and contribute to BIM standards and technical problem-solving.
• Participate in technical reviews, coordination meetings, and design reviews.

Skills

Leadership

Communication

Detail-oriented

Mentoring

Team coordination

Education

Professional degree in Architecture

Tools

Revit

Rhino

Adobe Creative Suite

Enscape/Lumion

Job description

About Us

Backen & Backen is focused on creating enduring places that elevate daily life, strengthen connections to landscape, and leave a lasting legacy for our clients and communities.

Our work spans residential, hospitality, and agrarian environments, with each project informed by a shared commitment to regenerative design principles, craftsmanship, wellness, and experiential richness. We believe architecture should foster meaningful human experiences while restoring ecological relationships and reinforcing a deeper sense of place.

Our studio values curiosity, humility, technical rigor, and thoughtful collaboration, allowing ideas across typologies to inform one another.

The Opportunity

We are seeking a hybrid/in-person Job Captain for either our Sausalito, CA or Salt Lake City, UT offices to lead the technical development and documentation of design-driven architectural projects. This role is ideal for an experienced professional with strong design sensibilities and a thorough understanding of building systems, detailing, and construction documentation.

Working closely with Project Managers and Principals, the Job Captain will translate design intent into coordinated, buildable solutions and be responsible for the quality, completeness, coordination, and day-to-day progress of project documentation.

The ideal candidate takes ownership, anticipates coordination challenges, communicates clearly, and views technical excellence as fundamental to exceptional architecture.

Responsibilities

Technical Development & Documentation

• Lead architectural drawing sets from design development through construction documentation.
• Develop plans, sections, elevations, details, schedules, and specifications that support design intent.
• Translate conceptual design ideas into technically sound, code-compliant, and buildable solutions.
• Research and resolve complex detailing, material transitions, waterproofing, envelope, and building-system issues.
• Maintain drawing accuracy, consistency, and completeness aligned with project requirements and studio standards.
• Coordinate architectural documents with structural, MEP, civil, landscape, interiors, and other consultants.
• Identify and resolve conflicts between design intent, consultant documentation, and field conditions.
• Communicate technical decisions, outstanding issues, and coordination needs to project leadership.
• Support junior designers in drawing production, detailing, BIM standards, and technical problem-solving.
• Participate in technical reviews, coordination meetings, and design reviews.
• Support construction administration through submittal, shop drawing, RFI, and related document reviews.
• Evaluate substitutions, clarifications, and field conditions to maintain design intent and project quality.
• Participate in site visits, field verification, and construction observation.
• Document field observations and coordinate follow-up items with the project team and consultants.
• Resolve construction challenges through clear communication and practical technical solutions.
• Coordinate documentation milestones with project schedules and deliverables.
• Help maintain project organization, drawing standards, model integrity, and quality assurance procedures.
• Contribute to material research, product evaluation, and project-specific technical solutions.
• Share knowledge across teams to strengthen the firm's collective technical expertise.
• Strong Revit proficiency and experience managing models and coordinated drawing sets.
• Thorough understanding of building assemblies, detailing, construction methods, and documentation.
• Familiarity with building codes, accessibility requirements, and permitting processes.
• Experience coordinating multidisciplinary consultant teams and resolving technical conflicts.
• Strong graphic, organizational, and written communication skills.
• Ability to manage priorities, exercise sound judgment, work independently, and collaborate with project leadership.
• Experience with construction administration, including RFIs, submittals, and site observations.
• Experience with high-end residential, hospitality, winery, or agrarian projects.
• Familiarity with Rhino, Adobe Creative Suite, and visualization tools such as Enscape or Lumion.
• Architectural licensure or active progress toward licensure.
• Interest in regenerative design, building performance, material health, landscape integration, and wellness-centered environments.
• Experience mentoring junior staff and contributing to office-wide technical standards.
• The opportunity to contribute to ambitious, lasting projects across diverse typologies.
• A collaborative studio environment that values design excellence, technical rigor, and shared expertise.
• Exposure to projects from early design through construction.
• Mentorship, professional development, and continued growth in technical and project leadership.
• A practice committed to regenerative design, craftsmanship, and meaningful relationships between architecture, people, and place.
• Competitive compensation and benefits.

Consultant & Team Coordination

• Coordinate architectural documents with structural, MEP, civil, landscape, interiors, and other consultants.
• Identify and resolve conflicts between design intent, consultant documentation, and field conditions.
• Communicate technical decisions, outstanding issues, and coordination needs to project leadership.
• Support junior designers in drawing production, detailing, BIM standards, and technical problem-solving.
• Participate in technical reviews, coordination meetings, and design reviews.

Construction Administration & Field Coordination

• Support construction administration through submittal, shop drawing, RFI, and related document reviews.
• Evaluate substitutions, clarifications, and field conditions to maintain design intent and project quality.
• Participate in site visits, field verification, and construction observation.
• Document field observations and coordinate follow-up items with the project team and consultants.
• Resolve construction challenges through clear communication and practical technical solutions.

Project Delivery & Studio Contribution

• Coordinate documentation milestones with project schedules and deliverables.
• Help maintain project organization, drawing standards, model integrity, and quality assurance procedures.
• Contribute to material research, product evaluation, and project-specific technical solutions.
• Share knowledge across teams to strengthen the firm's collective technical expertise.

Qualifications

• Professional degree in Architecture or a related accredited architectural program.
• Approximately 5+ years of architectural experience, including technical documentation and coordination responsibility.

• Strong Revit proficiency and experience managing models and coordinated drawing sets.
• Thorough understanding of building assemblies, detailing, construction methods, and documentation.
• Familiarity with building codes, accessibility requirements, and permitting processes.
• Experience coordinating multidisciplinary consultant teams and resolving technical conflicts.
• Strong graphic, organizational, and written communication skills.
• Ability to manage priorities, exercise sound judgment, work independently, and collaborate with project leadership.
• Experience with construction administration, including RFIs, submittals, and site observations.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with high-end residential, hospitality, winery, or agrarian projects.
• Familiarity with Rhino, Adobe Creative Suite, and visualization tools such as Enscape or Lumion.
• Architectural licensure or active progress toward licensure.
• Interest in regenerative design, building performance, material health, landscape integration, and wellness-centered environments.
• Experience mentoring junior staff and contributing to office-wide technical standards.

What We Offer

• The opportunity to contribute to ambitious, lasting projects across diverse typologies.
• A collaborative studio environment that values design excellence, technical rigor, and shared expertise.
• Exposure to projects from early design through construction.
• Mentorship, professional development, and continued growth in technical and project leadership.
• A practice committed to regenerative design, craftsmanship, and meaningful relationships between architecture, people, and place.
• Competitive compensation and benefits.

Compensation: $90,000–$110,000 annually, commensurate with experience and qualifications.

Backen & Backen is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, age, national origin, disability, veteran status, or any other protected category under federal, state and local law.