Senior Project Architect - Retail

Progressive Companies; Detroit (MI); On-site; USD 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

ESOP

Certification & CE provided

Employee ownership culture

Job summary

Progressive Companies in Detroit seeks an Architectural Staff III to lead technical direction on projects from concept through construction documents. You will ensure the design intent carries into detailed documentation and serve as the subject matter expert on specialized building systems.

You will mentor architects, review work for accuracy, coordinate with PMs and consultants, and drive performance based design standards.

Qualifications

• Lead technical direction on moderate to large projects.
• Review discipline work before release to ensure accuracy.
• Coordinate with PMs, other architects, and consultants.
• Govern documentation standards and design intent across the project.

Responsibilities

• Set the technical direction on assigned projects of moderate to large complexity.
• Produce and modify construction documents using Revit, AutoCAD, SketchUp and BSD SpecLink.
• Develop project specifications aligned with drawings and industry standards.
• Resolve code and technical issues with authorities having jurisdiction (AHJ).
• Own QA/QC for Architecture discipline and review colleagues' work for accuracy.
• Resolve field issues and contract document disputes during construction.
• Lead product research and selection with project teams and vendor meetings.
• Mentor architectural staff and lead Lessons Learned sessions.

Skills

Technical leadership

Documentation strategy

Mentoring

Project coordination

Tools

Revit

AutoCAD

SketchUp

BSD SpecLink

Job description

As an Architectural Staff III, you will be the lead technical voice on projects ranging from moderate to large complexity, from conceptual design through the last field question. You will decide how a building gets documented, carry the design intent from our Performance Based Design process into the detailed set, and serve as the subject matter expert on specialized building systems. Project managers, other architects, and outside consultants will come to you for the technical call, and you will work directly with the director and department head on technical solutions and product strategy.

The autonomy here is real. You will set the documentation approach, review the discipline's work before it leaves the office, and mentor the architects coming up behind you, which is the usual path toward senior technical and department leadership roles. Progressive is employee owned, so the projects you help deliver show up in your own ESOP stake. Certification and continuing education are provided.

In This Role, You Will

• Set the technical direction on assigned projects of moderate to large complexity. Determine the overall strategy for producing the documents, identify the drawings and related documents each phase of the work requires, and make sure the design intent from Performance Based Design survives into the detailed documentation.
• Produce and modify construction documents on the firm's most complicated work. Work in Revit, AutoCAD, SketchUp, and BSD SpecLink, execute document modifications in situations with no clean precedent, and answer RFIs during bidding and construction to Progressive standards.
• Develop project specifications that agree with the drawings. Write and coordinate the specs alongside the drawing set for accuracy and completeness, with industry standards and sustainability guidelines built in rather than added at the end.
• Resolve code and technical issues with the authorities having jurisdiction. Work directly with the AHJ, supply the documentation they ask for, and settle code-related questions before they hold up a project.
• Own quality assurance and quality control for the Architecture discipline. Review the work of other architectural staff for accuracy and completeness before anything is submitted, and give feedback on code compliance, constructability, and systems integration while contract documents are still in production.
• Resolve field issues and contract document disputes during construction. Attend site visits, work through errors or disagreements arising from the contract documents, and keep the project team current on changes to design, scope, schedule, and budget as they happen.
• Act as the subject matter expert other teams bring their specialized systems questions to. Lead product research and selection with the project team, attend vendor meetings, and make sure the materials chosen hold up against the design intent.
• Mentor architectural staff and raise the technical floor of the team. Coach staff and project teams through design and documentation problems as they come up, and lead Lessons Learned sessions so what one project figured out reaches the next one.

People Matter

Each individual’s background, knowledge, ability, and experience contributes to strengthening our organization and projects. Our dedication to diversity includes company provided training and education, equitable recruitment, a grassroots employee DEI committee, and robust community partnerships.

Progressive Companies is comprised of people with a variety of abilities, races, colors, religions, genders, sexual orientations, national origins, ages, veteran statuses, and more. As an equal opportunity employer, we believe diversity, equity, and inclusion are essential elements of innovative design. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable qualified individuals with disabilities to perform essential job functions.

Transforming Spaces. Empowering People.

The talented professionals of Progressive Companies are designers of a bold new future, creating high-performance structures and pathways, delivering on today’s needs and preparing for what’s to come. We live by the idea that design isn’t simply about beauty, it’s about improving strategic outcomes—what we call Performance Based Design. Our work spans across the nation, allowing team members to work on a variety of exciting projects and maximize impact as trusted partners to our clients and communities.

Sustainable and Inclusive

We are dedicated to human-centered, sustainable, and inclusive design practices. We believe diversity, equity, and inclusion are essential to building trust, respect, and truly innovative design making spaces welcoming and accessible to all. Our sustainability approach embraces the AIA 2030 Commitment, together with a range of high performance, restorative, and regenerative strategies with a focus on climate responsive results to maximize positive impact in our industry.

Employee Owned

We act like owners—because we are. From modest beginnings of four original engineering partners in 1962, to almost 300 architects, engineers, designers, and consultants across multiple regional offices today, the energy, resourcefulness, and entrepreneurial mindset you expect from a CEO come standard with every team member.

Culture of Excellence

The firm is continually ranked as one of the Best and Brightest Companies to Work For in the Nation®, with comprehensive benefits including an award-winning wellness program, hybrid work schedule, summer hours, profit-sharing, and employee stock ownership plan (ESOP). We take our work seriously, but have fun along the way, which fuels the creative spirit and supports a focus on work and life integration.

• award-winning wellness program
• hybrid work schedule
• summer hours
• profit-sharing
• employee stock ownership plan (ESOP)

Progressive Companies is committed to development and growth of team members through continuing education, mentorship, growth opportunities, and more. We are dedicated to giving back to our communities, with paid service-learning hours available to every employee and corporate sponsorship for a wide range of community organizations and activities.