Senior Designer: Architecture Vision & Leadership

Carrierjohnson

San Diego (CA)

On-site

USD 110,000 - 170,000

Full time

14 days+

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Job summary

Carrier Johnson + Culture (CJ+C) seeks a Senior Designer to lead the design vision for complex architectural projects from concept through construction. Work closely with Design Directors, Principals, and multidisciplinary teams to translate bold ideas into exceptional built work while mentoring emerging professionals and maintaining design excellence.

You will balance design ambition with technical, scheduling, and budget realities, contributing to a collaborative, design-driven studio culture

Qualifications

Bachelor's or Master's degree in Architecture from an accredited university is required.
12+ years of professional architectural experience with demonstrated success leading the design of complex projects.
Registered Architect (RA) licensure strongly preferred.
Exceptional portfolio demonstrating strong conceptual thinking, design excellence, and successful built work across multiple project types.
Strong presentation, communication, and visual storytelling skills with experience presenting directly to clients, stakeholders, and public agencies.
Strong understanding of architectural detailing, building systems, construction methods, and project delivery.
Ability to balance design ambition with technical, operational, schedule, and budget considerations.

Responsibilities

Lead the design vision for projects from concept through construction, ensuring design excellence is maintained throughout every phase.
Establish and communicate a clear design direction that aligns client goals, project objectives, and firm standards.
Collaborate closely with project architects, project managers, consultants, and technical teams to ensure design intent is successfully executed.
Lead and contribute to design pursuits, interviews, workshops, and client presentations.
Explore and communicate design ideas through hand sketching, digital visualization, physical and digital modeling, and other design communication tools.
Develop compelling visual narratives through diagrams, renderings, presentations, and other materials that clearly express design intent.
Mentor and inspire designers while fostering a collaborative, design-focused studio culture.
Build lasting client relationships through thoughtful leadership, responsiveness, and design excellence.
Champion an integrated design approach that advances innovation, technical excellence, and design quality across the firm.