Project Architect - Science & Technology

Perkins&Will; San Francisco (CA); On-site; USD 103,500 - 138,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, dental, and vision insurance

401(k) retirement plan

Paid time off

Professional development stipend

Bonuses

Affinity groups & leadership programs

Job summary

Perkins&Will is hiring a Project Architect in San Francisco to lead design and delivery of Science & Tech labs, ensuring lab planning and MEP coordination are central to the work. You will translate complex lab needs into build-ready solutions while maintaining standards and design intent.

You will manage documentation, QC, and regulatory processes, coordinate across disciplines, and mentor staff in technically demanding projects. This role emphasizes lab function and permitting success.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in architecture is required and licensure preferred.
• Experience with lab planning standards and hazardous materials requirements.
• Strong coordination across MEP teams and consultants.
• Ability to translate programmatic lab needs into design decisions.

Responsibilities

• Lead all design phases on Science & Tech projects with focus on labs and MEP integration.
• Direct documentation, QC reviews, and ensure design intent and constructibility.
• Coordinate architecture, interiors, and lab planning with engineering consultants.
• Manage regulatory reviews and AHJ submissions for lab occupancies.
• Mentor staff and lead design reviews to produce decisions.

Skills

Advanced Revit

Lab planning knowledge

Regulatory coordination

Project leadership

Client communication

Zoning & energy codes

Site analysis

Education

Bachelor's degree in architecture

Architectural license

LEED GA certification

Living Design accreditation (LEED AP/WELL/others)

Tools

Rhino/Grasshopper

Microsoft 365

Adobe Creative Cloud

Enscape/Lumion/V-Ray

3D printing / laser cutting

Job description

Our SF studio, 100 people inside a 3,000-person global firm, is growing our life sciences, biotech, and advanced research pipeline and needs a Project Architect who treats lab planning and MEP coordination as core design work, not a background constraint.

This is not a project management role. You protect the research function itself, making sure the building's systems deliver exactly what the science requires while the design survives permitting and value engineering.

What You'll Own

• Lead all phases of design and delivery on complex Science & Tech projects, holding the line on firm standards, contractual commitments, and design intent, especially where lab planning and building systems intersect.
• Translate technical implications of lab and research space requirements, including vibration, air change rates, containment, and chemical exhaust, into design decisions and real financial consequences for the project and the client.
• Direct project documentation and drawing production, and lead QC reviews at every phase for accuracy, constructibility, and completeness, with particular attention to MEP-intensive lab spaces.
• Own QA adherence to Perkins&Will standards across the project lifecycle.
• Coordinate architecture, interior design, and lab planning with mechanical, electrical, plumbing, and process engineering consultants into one functioning team.
• Serve as the technical voice to the client, particularly research and facilities stakeholders who need a translator between programmatic requirements and building systems.
• Manage regulatory review and AHJ submissions for building code, life safety, and hazardous materials, along with the specific permitting complexity of lab and research occupancies.
• Run construction contract administration effectively on technically complex builds where a missed detail has operational consequences for the client's science.
• Stay current on lab planning standards, containment strategies, and building technology relevant to Science & Tech work.
• Contribute to pursuits, proposals, and interviews when the work calls for it.
• Lead charettes, pin-ups, and design reviews that produce decisions, not just discussion.
• Mentor staff and manage assignments in a way that grows their judgment on technically demanding project types.

What You'll Bring

Technical range: Building, zoning, and energy code fluency, plus familiarity with lab planning standards and hazardous materials requirements. Site analysis. Preliminary design studies through contract documents and specifications. Construction contract administration on MEP-intensive projects. Consultant coordination across mechanical, electrical, and process engineering disciplines. Client communication that doesn't require a translator.

Software

• Advanced Revit
• Rhino/Grasshopper for conceptual and computational modeling
• Microsoft 365 and Adobe Creative Cloud (InDesign, Photoshop)
• Enscape, Lumion, or V-Ray for visualization
• Physical modeling: 3D printing, laser cutting
• Environmental analysis tools such as Ladybug/Climate Studio a plus

Credentials

• Bachelor's degree in architecture or a related discipline, required
• Architectural license
• 8-10+ yrs experience
• LEED GA within 6 months of hire
• One Living Design accreditation of your choosing: LEED AP with Specialty, BREEAM AP, WELL AP, SITES AP, CPHC/CPHD, or ILFI Living Future Accreditation

What You’ll Get

Salary range: $103,500–$138,000, commensurate with experience, education and skillset.

• Medical, dental, and vision insurance
• 401(k) retirement plan and paid time off
• Professional development stipend and dedicated continuing education time
• Performance-based bonuses
• Access to firmwide affinity groups and leadership development programs
• Studio initiatives and events; a team that actually likes each other

Our Commitment

Our culture is grounded in a firmwide commitment to Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (JEDI) — not as a tagline, but as how we hire, promote, and build teams. We conduct annual pay equity audits and train all managers on pay practices. We believe inclusion drives creativity.

Perkins&Will is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, veteran status, genetic information, marital status, or any other protected characteristic under applicable law.

Pay Transparency: We are committed to pay equity. Compensation decisions are based on qualifications, skillset, and experience. Employees may discuss their own compensation without fear of retaliation. 41 CFR 60-1.35(c)