Principal Architect

Urbana Systems; United States; Remote; USD 80,000 - 160,000; Full time

Job summary

Urbana Systems seeks a Principal Architect focused on adaptive reuse and sustainable buildings. This unique role, embracing a mission-driven approach, requires extensive experience in real estate architecture and innovative design methodologies. The architect will supervise projects, advocate for sustainability, and collaborate closely with developers to redefine urban structures without the constraints of traditional employment.

Benefits

Equity-Based Compensation

Revenue Share Model

Sustainability-Focused Projects

Qualifications

• Experience in adaptive reuse and sustainable architecture.
• Licensed Real Estate Architect in at least one U.S. jurisdiction.
• Demonstrated experience with prefab design.

Responsibilities

• Supervise architectural plans; ensure system integration.
• Interface with AI design engine for project oversight.
• Lead webinars and develop design philosophy.

Skills

Sustainability Expertise

Design Communication

Problem-Solving

Education

Licensed Architect

20+ Years in Architecture

Job description

1 day ago Be among the first 25 applicants

Direct message the job poster from Urbana Systems

Principal Architect in Adaptive Reuse and Sustainable Buildings in REAL ESTATE CONSTRUCTION. (This is not for IT or Software architects.)

Location: Remote (Travel as Required)

Seniority: Principal-Level | Mission-Critical Contributor

Engagement: Revenue Share + Equity-Based | No Salary | Direct Contributor Model

About Urbana Systems

We’re not building homes. We’re reviving and reutilizing vacant buildings.

At Urbana Systems, we convert distressed commercial real estate into living, breathing ecosystems. Our stack includes:

• SmartWalls: Modular, AI-powered walls that grow food, purify air, and regulate temperature
• TEC HVAC: Solid-state heating/cooling, no compressors or refrigerants
• Near Zero-Sewage Systems: Reuse + reduction by design
• AI-Driven Conversions: Code-aligned design logic without traditional overhead

We’re redefining the way cities breathe—and we need you to be one of the architects who makes that real.

About Urbana IQ

Private AI Data Centers for the Next Urban Frontier. Urbana IQ is the infrastructure brain of regenerative cities—an ecosystem of modular, AI-integrated data centers engineered for performance, privacy, and planetary health. Each Urbana IQ node connects directly to our Real Estate adaptive reuse developments, providing secured AI, ultra-efficient power delivery, and resilient architecture for critical systems. Compensation is calculated per Real Estate Data Center Construction Conversion and based on project scope, strategic impact, and speed of execution.

Your Mission

You are the applied intelligence of Urbana Systems.

You're not here to manage departments—you’re here to shape buildings, guide developers, and redefine what’s possible within each structure. You will:

• Supervise and refine Real Estate architectural plans generated by third-party architects working under real estate developers who’ve partnered with Urbana Systems.
• Serve as a lead strategist and design ambassador working alongside the Founder on both the ground and virtual stages.
• Host webinars and build the public-facing design ethos of modular prefab adaptive reuse and AI-integrated design.
• Apply and promote foundational design principles taught by the Founder and Inventor in academia, including:
• + OrgaMechanics – the fusion of organic systems logic with mechanical efficiency
• + Human Oriented Design – empathetic, inclusive, and experience-centric methodologies
• + MR2 – Mixed Reality + Modular Reuse for spatial optimization
• + OptimalModel – data-driven design frameworks for outcome-focused building
• + Augmented Capabilities – elevating human performance through integrated technologies
• + Micro-Server Clusters for AI SLM – architecture-integrated, edge computing infrastructure

Key Responsibilities

• Project Supervision: Review, correct, and enforce design cohesion across developer-submitted architectural plans; ensure systems integration and compliance with Urbana’s specs.
• AI-Aided Design Oversight: Interface directly with the Urbana AI design engine—modifying outputs, guiding structural choices, and ensuring all generated plans meet human-centered and code-aligned standards.
• Sustainability & Systems Integration: LEED-aligned leadership with emphasis on indoor air/water quality, solar/thermal gain design, passive systems, and green technologies embedded in each layer of the structure.
• Prefabrication & Modular Systems: Guide design for rapid assembly prefab units, SmartWalls, and modular core systems including staircases, HVAC nodes, and AI hubs.
• Urban Data Center Thinking: Design envelope logic to house Urbana IQ prefab data centers within or adjacent to existing buildings; assess security, air flow, power isolation, and maintenance routing.
• Thought Leadership: Co-develop and deliver webinars, presentations, and short courses on prefab adaptive reuse, energy-positive design, and city-scale sustainable planning.
• Feasibility + Floor Plan Evaluation: Rapidly assess the ability to add mezzanines, housing modules, or commercial uses inside malls, office towers, and institutional properties.
• Compliance & Code Integration: Incorporate ADA, IBC, and local zoning variances; find smart, legal workarounds without reducing quality or compliance.
• Public Design Advocate: Help set the public-facing tone for Urbana’s architectural philosophy in partnership meetings, government reviews, and educational engagements.

Qualifications

• 20+ years in Real Estate adaptive reuse, sustainable architecture, and construction integration
• Licensed Real Estate Architect in at least one U.S. jurisdiction
• Demonstrated experience in Real Estate modular/prefab design or manufacturing-linked architecture
• Proven track record in floor stacking, mezzanine insertion, and high-volume reuse of distressed commercial buildings
• Experience with sustainability metrics and modular construction code navigation
• Familiarity with integrating physical infrastructure for AI/data center operations is a plus
• Excellent communicator, coach, and independent problem-solver

Mindset Over Management

You're not just a Real Estate Architect—you’re a systems reformer. You’re unafraid to call out poor planning, and you back it up with better solutions. You don’t need approval to improve—it’s your default mode. Titles don’t matter—execution does.

Compensation & Partnership

• Urbana IQ: Per Real Estate Data Center Project Professional Compensation — based on design impact, speed, and integration of AI-driven, prefab infrastructure.
• Urbana Systems: Revenue Share Based on Project Execution — aligned with Real Estate Conversion milestones, not hours worked.
• Sweat Equity Participation — eligible after a 120-day probationary period, tied to defined deliverables and performance outcomes.

No salary. No traditional employment. This is a partnership with performance-based rewards. You deliver transformation—we deliver upside.

Apply With Action

Required for Consideration:

• Philosophy Statement
• 1-Page Brief: How would you convert a 200,000 sq ft mall into mixed-use affordable homeownership with embedded AI and Urbana IQ Data Centers?
• Responses to LinkedIn Yes/No Questions (with brief explanation and concrete examples)

Submit to:

Note: If you do not complete the application instructions exactly, you will be disqualified.

Seniority level

• Seniority level

  Mid-Senior level

Employment type

• Employment type

  Contract

Job function

• Job function

  Design, Art/Creative, and Information Technology

• Industries

  Building Construction

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