Technical Director, DfMA and Construction Innovation

WSP; San Francisco (CA); On-site; USD 145,000 - 259,000; Full time

Job summary

WSP is seeking a Technical Director, DfMA and Construction Innovation, to lead kit-of-parts solutions across major programs. The role focuses on manufacturing-led design, digital delivery, and programmatic project execution, spanning data centers, aviation, rail, and nuclear sectors.

The candidate will drive productization, platform design, and the adoption of BIM, Revit, Inventor, Vault, and PLM systems to enable scalable, repeatable delivery while advancing WSP's industrialized construction

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s or master’s degree in architecture or engineering.
• 12+ years of experience in an architectural role or related discipline.
• Facility design and delivery experience in built environment projects.
• Experience in data centers, aviation, rail, nuclear sectors.
• Proven DfMA implementation on large, complex projects.
• Experience developing modular design systems and KoP solutions.
• Leadership of multidisciplinary teams and large project portfolios.
• Knowledge of DfMA, industrialized construction, modular design, PLM, design configurators, and digital catalogs.

Responsibilities

• Provide strategic and technical leadership for KoP design and delivery across large programs.
• Establish design standards, governance, and QA processes for project execution.
• Guide multidisciplinary teams from concept through construction.
• Develop and implement kit-of-parts methodologies for repeatable delivery.
• Drive product-driven design strategies to improve consistency and outcomes.
• Promote integration of BIM, digital twins, and data-driven decision making.

Skills

Technical leadership

DfMA

Modular design

Digital design tools

Client relations

Education

Bachelor’s or Master’s in Architecture/Engineering

Licensure/Registration

Tools

Autodesk Revit

Autodesk Inventor

Autodesk Vault

PLM systems

Design configurators

Digital catalogs

Job description

This Opportunity

WSP is seeking a highly accomplished Technical Director, DfMA and Construction Innovation to lead the development and delivery of innovative Kit of Parts solutions across major complex building programs. This individual will play a key role in advancing product-based design methodologies, Design for Manufacturing and Assembly (DfMA), and industrialized construction approaches that support scalable, repeatable delivery models.

The successful candidate will possess extensive experience delivering projects across multiple sectors, including data centers, aviation, rail, and nuclear, and will be passionate about transforming the construction industry through manufacturing-led design principles, digital innovation, and programmatic project delivery.

Your Impact

Technical Leadership

• Provide strategic and technical leadership for multi-disciplinary KoP design and delivery across large-scale, complex programs.
• Serve as a recognized subject matter expert in modern methods of construction, DfMA, and industrialized delivery approaches.
• Establish design standards, technical governance, and quality assurance processes for project execution.
• Guide multidisciplinary teams through all project phases from concept through construction.

Productization & Platform Design

• Develop and implement kit-of-parts methodologies to enable repeatable, scalable project delivery.
• Lead the adoption of product-driven design strategies that improve consistency, efficiency, quality, and program outcomes.
• Define modular architectural systems suitable for deployment across multiple projects and geographies.
• Collaborate with engineering, manufacturing, digital delivery, and construction teams to optimize product-based solutions.

Digital Design & Technology

• Champion the use of digital tools and workflows that support product development and design automation.
• Drive adoption and integration of:
  • Autodesk Revit
  • Autodesk Inventor
  • Autodesk Vault
  • Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) systems
  • Design configurators
  • Digital catalog and product libraries
• Promote BIM, digital twins, and data-driven decision-making throughout project delivery.

Program & Client Leadership

• Lead major commissions and programmatic frameworks across the full spectrum of sectors, including data centers, industrial, aviation, rail, and nuclear sectors.
• Build trusted relationships with key clients and industry partners.
• Support business development activities, pursuit strategies, and proposal preparation.
• Identify opportunities to improve project performance through standardization and productization.

Innovation & Industry Advancement

• Act as a champion for the transition from traditional construction practices toward manufacturing-led delivery models.
• Monitor emerging technologies, market trends, and industry innovations.
• Contribute to thought leadership initiatives, industry forums, and client-facing presentations.
• Support the continuous evolution of WSP's digital and industrialized construction capabilities.

Who You Are

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s or master’s degree in architecture, Engineering or a related discipline.
• 12+ years of experience in an Architectural role or related discipline.
• Significant facility design and delivery experience within the built environment industry.
• Proven experience delivering projects in one or more of the following sectors:
  • Data Centers
  • Aviation
  • Rail
  • Industrial
  • Nuclear
• Demonstrated success implementing DfMA methodologies on large, complex, or programmatic projects.
• Experience developing modular design systems and kit-of-parts solutions.
• Track record leading multidisciplinary teams and large project portfolios.
• Strong understanding of:
  • Design for Manufacturing and Assembly (DfMA)
  • Industrialized construction
  • Modular design
  • Product-based design methodologies
  • Product Lifecycle Management (PLM)
  • Design configurators
  • Digital product catalogues

Preferred Qualifications

• Master’s Degree is preferred.
• Essential professional licensure/certification.
• Advanced proficiency with architectural principles, practices, process, design/build, standard of care, and the application to permitting and project work-related issues.
• Strong experience in managing the review and approval of documents and discipline-specific deliverables, certifications, processes, and plans in a multi-project environment is highly desirable.
• Experience supporting manufacturing-led construction programs at scale.
• Exposure to digital engineering, automation, or design configurator development.
• Experience working within highly regulated environments such as nuclear or transportation infrastructure.
• Active involvement in industry organizations related to DfMA, modular construction, or digital design.
• Licensed Architect/Registered Architect (RA, RIBA, or equivalent professional accreditation) or Professional Engineer.

WSP Benefits

WSP provides a comprehensive suite of benefits focused on providing health and financial stability throughout the employee’s career. These benefits include coverage related to medical, dental, vision, disability, and life; retirement savings; paid sick leave; paid vacation (or other personal time); paid parental leave; and paid time off for purposes of bereavement, voting, and/or attendance at naturalization proceedings.

Compensation

Expected Salary (all locations): $145,400-$259,100

WSP USA is providing the compensation range that the company in good faith believes it might pay and offer for this position, based on the successful applicant’s education, experience, knowledge, skills, abilities in addition to internal equity and specific geographic location. WSP USA reserves the right to ultimately pay more or less than the posted range and offer additional benefits and other compensation, depending on circumstances not related to an applicant’s sex or other status protected by local, state, and/or federal law.

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