Senior Urban Designer – Technical Oversight

Archinect; New York (NY); On-site; USD 80,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading firm specializing in architecture and urban design seeks a Senior Urban Designer or Landscape Architect to spearhead innovative climate resilience projects in New York City. The ideal candidate will combine design expertise with strong collaboration skills to guide cross-disciplinary teams in addressing urban challenges. This role offers the chance to influence large-scale infrastructure initiatives and contributes to sustainable urban development.

Benefits

Medical, dental, and vision coverage from day one

401(k) plan

Generous PTO

Paid holidays including an annual winter office closure

Qualifications

• 6+ years of professional experience on multi-disciplinary projects.
• Experience with climate resilience and sustainability.
• Familiarity with NYC's infrastructure and permitting.

Responsibilities

• Lead technical design projects focusing on climate adaptation.
• Negotiate with consultant teams to achieve design goals.
• Mentor junior staff on technical coordination.

Skills

Strong communication skills

Collaboration

Strategic design thinking

Project management

Education

Professional degree in Architecture, Urban Design, Landscape Architecture, Civil Engineering

Tools

GIS

Adobe Creative Suite

Microsoft Office

Job description

ONE Architecture & Urbanism is seeking a Senior Urban Designer or Landscape Architect with strong technical design experience and a collaborative mindset to help lead the next phase of our climate adaptation and resilience projects. This role will be central in guiding design-scale decisions across multiple project scopes in New York City’s most climate-vulnerable communities, and ensuring seamless coordination with consultant partners, particularly engineering teams.

The ideal candidate is a strategic and systems-oriented designer who brings direct experience working with consultant teams on green and gray infrastructure and implementation-focused design; comfort navigating interdisciplinary decision-making; and the initiative to advance early-stage design development independently. The candidate will also help guide and mentor other urban designers and landscape designers, advancing design thinking in a timely and rigorous way, and will play a key role in driving and shaping innovative resilience design strategies across the office’s active project portfolio.

Responsibilities

• Provide leadership and oversight on technical design projects with a focus on climate adaptation and resilience infrastructure.
• Serve as a bridge between architecture, urban design, landscape and engineering teams—negotiating design priorities, coordinating technical requirements, and identifying integrated solutions.
• Lead and structure early-stage scoping efforts, developing preliminary design concepts and frameworks that identify opportunities, constraints, and key technical considerations—setting the stage for informed input from principals and meaningful collaboration across the team.
• Represent design interests in technical discussions with engineers, consultants, and agency partners, advocating for solutions that align with project goals and community needs.
• Maintain project momentum by anticipating bottlenecks, aligning deliverables with client expectations, and supporting task-level coordination.
• Leverage institutional knowledge of NYC infrastructure, permitting, and (inter)agency coordination to ground design proposals in real-world feasibility.
• Mentor staff on navigating technical coordination and implementation workflows.

Minimum Requirements

• Professional degree in Architecture, Urban Design, Landscape Architecture, Civil Engineering, or related field
• 6+ years of professional experience with demonstrated work on multi-disciplinary projects involving engineering coordination
• Experience developing and managing design concepts on infrastructure, public realm, water management or climate resilience projects
• Strong communication skills and the ability to clearly translate design intent within technically complex environments
• Familiarity with NYC’s built environment, agency processes, and infrastructure implementation contexts
• Interest in advancing climate resilience, sustainability, and equitable adaptation planning through design
• Proficiency in GIS, Adobe Creative Suite, and Microsoft Office

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with NYC public sector projects or large-scale infrastructure initiatives
• Understanding of NYC zoning, waterfront planning, and stakeholder processes
• Prior role in guiding technical consultants and managing cross-disciplinary input
• Familiarity with AutoCAD, Revit, Grasshopper, Rhino, Enscape, and/or collaborative cloud-based tools
• Professional licensure or certification

Benefits

• Competitive salary commensurate with experience
• Medical, dental, and vision coverage from day one
• 401(k) plan, commuter benefits, and generous PTO
• Paid holidays, including an annual winter office closure
• Opportunity to work on once-in-a-generation urban resilience and infrastructure projects alongside an interdisciplinary team

Deadline to Apply: Friday, June 27, 2025