Specification Writer

TVS Services, Inc.; Atlanta (GA); On-site; USD 110,000 - 160,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, dental, vision insurance

401(k) Plan and ESOP program

Professional licensure support

Job summary

TVS is seeking a senior Specification Writer to serve across convention center, sports, cultural arts, hospitality, and interiors practices from its Atlanta headquarters. The role emphasizes producing, maintaining, and expanding the TVS specifications library and delivering a structured training program in partnership with the SVP of Talent.

The ideal candidate brings deep technical knowledge of building systems, excellent communication skills, and a passion for elevating documentation quality

Qualifications

• 15+ years of experience in architectural specifications.
• Experience on a minimum of three projects from early design through construction administration.
• Familiarity with market types including Convention Centers, Sports, Cultural Arts, Hospitality, Mixed Use, Office and Interiors.
• Proficiency with MasterSpec format; CSI MasterFormat knowledge preferred.
• Architecture degree or equivalent technical education preferred.

Responsibilities

• Produce, edit, and maintain project specifications across all delivery phases in Master Spec format.
• Uphold firmwide standards for format, language, and structure.
• Expand the specification library with market-specific variations for Convention Centers, Sports & Entertainment, Interiors & Hospitality.
• Develop questionnaires and training content to guide design teams and ensure key decisions are documented.
• Coordinate with project architects/designers and the Quality Review Team to align specifications with quality controls.

Skills

Architectural specifications

Documentation

Training content creation

Communication

Education

Architecture degree or equivalent

Tools

MasterSpec format

CSI MasterFormat

Job description

TVS is an award-winning architecture and interior design firm headquartered in Atlanta, GA with global project expertise. Our team of experts listen intently, solve creatively and deliver reliably to make remarkable design easy. The firm’s roundtable operating approach engages honed perspectives across workplace interiors and corporate office, hospitality, convention center, mixed-use, sports, education, retail, healthcare and multifamily residential to deliver design solutions that meet the complex challenges of the 21st century. This multi-disciplinary, multi-market diversity equips our architects, designers and strategists with a unique ecosystem of ideas and resources that best support our client’s vision. With offices in Atlanta and Tampa, the 100% employee-owned firm was founded in 1968. Our pursuit of excellence was acknowledged by our peers in 2002 when we received the National AIA Firm of the Year award, the 39th recipient of the annual award and the first architectural firm in the South to be so honored. At TVS, we’re united around one purpose: designing environments that spark connection and drive impact. That purpose shapes how we work every day. We operate with a "we, not I" mindset where trust, accountability, and shared results matter. We’re building a team of people who bring a solutions-oriented mindset, hold themselves and their work to high standards, and are motivated to grow - both professionally and personally. Our teams lean into complexity with curiosity and creativity, pushing beyond the expected to uncover thoughtful, innovative design solutions. The people who thrive at TVS are energized by collaboration, inspired by solving complex design challenges, and driven to create purposeful places with powerful outcomes - together.

We’re looking for a talented and experienced Specification Writer to serve as a firmwide resource across our convention center, sports, cultural arts, hospitality, mixed-use, office workplace, and interiors practices. This is a multi-faceted role with equal weight placed on specification production and program-building: with time spent developing, maintaining, and expanding the TVS specifications library; working with teams to produce specifications and project manuals; and building and delivering a structured training program in partnership with the SVP of Talent. The right candidate brings deep technical knowledge, strong communication skills, and a genuine investment in elevating the quality and consistency of documentation across the firm. They will work within TVS's existing pre-edit specification framework and play a key role in expanding that library to reflect the nuances of each market we serve.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Specification Production & Library Management: Produce, edit, and maintain project specifications across all phases of delivery — schematic design through construction administration — in Master Spec format
  Work within TVS established pre-edit specification templates and uphold firmwide standards for format, language, and structure
  Expand the firm’s library of specification sections, including the development of market-specific variations tailored to Convention Centers, Sports & Entertainment, and Interiors & Hospitality project types, among others
  Ensure specifications accurately reflect building system decisions, material selections, and project-specific requirements provided by the design team
  Maintain version control and organization of the specification library to support consistent firmwide access
• Training Program Development & Delivery: Partner with the SVP of Talent to design, develop, and deliver a structured training program that builds firmwide literacy in building systems and the decisions that drive specification requirements
  Create curriculum that helps project teams understand the “why” behind specifications — not just the format, but the building system logic that informs them
  Develop and refine project-specific questionnaires that guide design teams through the information-gathering process for each specification section, ensuring teams make and document key building system decisions at the appropriate phase
  Build accountability into the process: the questionnaire framework should function as both a decision-making tool and a quality control checkpoint for project teams
  Tailor training content and reference materials to reflect the distinct requirements of each market type the firm serves
• Coordination & Collaboration: Work closely with project architects and designers to gather project-specific information required for specification customization
  Coordinate within the Quality Review Team to align specification standards with broader quality control processes
  Support project teams in understanding market-to-market differences in building systems, regulatory requirements, material standards, and owner expectations.
• Any other duties as assigned

QUALIFICATIONS:

• 15 or more years of experience in architectural specifications, with demonstrated involvement across all phases of project delivery
• Experience on a minimum of three projects carried from early design phases through construction administration, demonstrating full-cycle specification responsibility
• Significant experience with large-scale or complex building types; familiarity with a mix of Convention Center, Sports, Cultural Arts, Hospitality, Mixed Use, Office Workplace and Interiors projects strongly preferred
• Proficiency with Master Spec format is required; working knowledge of the CSI MasterFormat organizational structure.
• Strong understanding of building systems — structural, envelope, mechanical, plumbing, electrical — and the decisions that shape specification content, even when scope is limited to architectural specs
• Demonstrated ability to read and work within an existing firm pre-edit specification system and contribute meaningfully to its expansion
• Familiarity with how specification requirements differ across market types, including procurement environments, owner standards, and code considerations
• Proven ability — and genuine enthusiasm — for translating technical specification knowledge into accessible training content for architects and designers at varying experience levels
• Experience developing questionnaires, checklists, or structured intake tools to gather project-specific technical information from design teams
• Strong written and verbal communication skills; able to build credibility across practice areas and with senior leadership
• CSI credentials (CDT or CCS) preferred. Candidates without credentials but with equivalent experience and demonstrated expertise will be considered.
• Architecture degree or equivalent technical education preferred

TVS offers a competitive salary and a comprehensive benefits package, including medical, dental, vision, life and disability insurance, as well as 401(k) Plan and ESOP program. TVS also offers resources and benefits to assist our employees with pursuit of professional licensure and certification.

TVS is an Equal Opportunity Employer. TVS does not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, non-disqualifying physical or mental disability, national origin, veteran status or any other basis covered by appropriate law. All employment is decided on the basis of qualifications, merit and business need.