Project Associate (Forensics)

Rand Engineering & Architecture, DPC; New York (NY); On-site; USD 65,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

Rand Engineering & Architecture, DPC is seeking an Architectural Field Investigator to perform building surveys and investigations across the NYC/NJ metropolitan area. The role involves documenting conditions, evaluating causes, and developing practical repair strategies in collaboration with senior architects and engineers.

You will work to understand buildings as integrated systems, including structure, envelope, roofing, interiors, drainage, and MEP systems, and travel regularly among project

Qualifications

• Architecture degree and 1–5 years of relevant experience.
• Pursuing RA licensure preferred.

Responsibilities

• Perform building surveys and investigations across NYC/NJ metro.
• Document conditions with photos, measurements, sketches, and field notes.
• Evaluate conditions, causes, follow-up investigations, and repair strategies with senior staff.
• Develop understanding of buildings as integrated systems (structure, envelope, roofing, interiors, drainage, MEP).
• Assist with exploratory probes, testing, coordination with contractors, and site visits.
• Review drawings, prior reports, repair records, and documentation for field work.
• Translate conditions and recommendations into practical plans considering client priorities and budgets.
• Participate in client and building-management discussions on priorities and planning.
• Support investigation programs and construction documents from evaluation to implementation.
• Contribute across disciplines to firm knowledge library and workflows.

Skills

Technical writing

Communication

Organizational skills

Fieldwork

Team collaboration

Education

Architecture degree

Tools

AutoCAD

Microsoft Office

Job description

Responsibilities include but are not limited to

• Perform building surveys and investigations throughout the NYC/NJ metropolitan area.
• Document conditions through photographs, measurements, sketches, and structured field notes.
• Evaluate observed conditions, probable causes, appropriate follow-up investigations, and potential repair strategies with senior architects and engineers.
• Develop a working understanding of buildings as integrated systems, including structure, envelope, roofing, interiors, drainage, and MEP systems.
• Assist with exploratory probes, testing, contractor coordination, and construction-phase site visits.
• Review drawings, prior reports, repair records, and other documentation in preparation for field assignments.
• Translate building conditions and technical recommendations into practical plans considering client priorities, regulatory requirements, budgets, sequencing, and timing.
• Participate in client and building-management discussions regarding project priorities, next steps, and implementation planning.
• Support investigation programs, repair strategies, capital projects, reports, design scopes, and construction documents from evaluation through implementation.
• Work across multiple technical disciplines and contribute field experience, investigation methods, and repair approaches to the firm’s technical knowledge library and standardized workflows.

Qualifications

• Architecture degree and approximately 1-5 years of relevant experience.
• Interest in pursuing architectural licensure; candidates actively progressing toward RA licensure are preferred.
• Strong technical writing, organizational, and communication skills.
• Comfortable with frequent fieldwork, including roofs, facades, mechanical spaces, and active construction sites.
• Experience or strong interest in existing buildings, interiors, restoration, historic preservation, building envelope, forensics, roofing, facades, and construction, with curiosity about how building systems interact and an open-minded approach to improving existing buildings.
• AutoCAD and Microsoft Office proficiency; comfortable integrating smartphones, mobile apps, AI-assisted tools, and structured digital workflows into field documentation and project delivery.
• Ability to travel regularly among NYC/NJ project sites required; driver’s license strongly preferred.