University Architect

Ball State University; Muncie (IN); On-site; USD 130,000 - 140,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Tuition assistance

Excellent health and retirement plans

Generous paid time off and holidays

Job summary

Ball State University is seeking an University Architect to lead campus planning, architectural direction, and design standards. This role guides architectural and engineering oversight across university projects, ensuring alignment with the Campus Master Plan, budget, sustainability, accessibility, and operations, while collaborating with project managers, engineering, and external design professionals.

The position requires a licensed architect with substantial experience in higher education

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Architecture from an accredited program.
• Licensed architect in any United States jurisdiction, with the ability to obtain Indiana registration within twelve months.
• Ten or more years of progressively responsible experience in architecture, facility planning, campus planning, design management, project programming, design contract support, or related work.
• Experience developing or reviewing project scopes, feasibility studies, design concepts, design documents, planning studies, architectural standards, or consultant scopes of service.
• Experience working with architects, engineers, contractors, consultants, project managers, internal clients, operational stakeholders, and contract or procurement partners.
• Knowledge of building codes, accessibility requirements, construction documents, project delivery processes, design standards, consultant agreements, scope amendments, and construction administration.
• Ability to review architectural and engineering design work and provide clear, practical direction.
• Effective communication with technical and non-technical audiences.

Responsibilities

• Serve as the University's lead architectural advisor and design steward for campus buildings, interiors, landscapes, open spaces, public realm improvements, and other assets.
• Support and advance the Campus Master Plan by aligning planning with long-term goals.
• Provide design oversight for projects in partnership with project managers.
• Ensure external architects and consultants meet University standards and expectations.
• Participate in preliminary scope development and budgeting.
• Review design milestones to ensure alignment with approved scope and standards.
• Advise on design contract structures and modification of templates to protect the owner.
• Develop and promote University design standards and guidelines.
• Review concepts for consistency with campus character, accessibility, sustainability, and life cycle costs.

Skills

Leadership

Communication

Project management

Stakeholder management

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Architecture

Licensed architect (US)

Master’s degree (preferred)

Tools

AutoCAD

Revit

BIM

Bluebeam

GIS

Job description

Position Title

University Architect

Compensation

$130,000 - $140,000

Department

Assoc VP Facilities Planning & Mgt

About this opportunity

Ball State University Facilities Planning and Management has an opportunity to work on the beautiful campus. This opportunity comes with excellent pay and a great benefits package that includes medical and prescription plans, dental, flexible spending and health savings accounts, paid time off, holiday pay, university-funded retirement, tuition discounts, and more.

The ideal candidate will be flexible, and will possess great service skills with a willingness to learn.

This is a full-time, on campus opportunity.

Candidates for searches must have current authorization to be employed in the U.S. without employer sponsorship.

What you'll do and what you'll bring

Position Function

The University Architect serves as Ball State University's primary steward for campus planning, architectural direction, design standards, and the long-term development of the physical campus. This position provides leadership and oversight for architectural and engineering design efforts across University projects, ensuring that scopes, design concepts, consultant work products, design milestones, and final design solutions align with the Campus Master Plan, University standards, operational needs, budget expectations, sustainability goals, accessibility requirements, and the overall student and campus experience.

This position works in close partnership with project managers, Engineering, Construction, Operations, Building Services, campus clients, University leadership, and outside design professionals.

The University Architect will also advise on the appropriate architectural and engineering design contract structure for each project, including the use and modification of AIA based templates and Ball State contract templates as necessary to protect the owner, clarify scope, monitor changes, manage amendments, and support consistent design contract administration.

Duties & Responsibilities

1. 1. Serve as the University's lead architectural advisor and design steward for campus buildings, interiors, landscapes, open spaces, public realm improvements, and other physical campus assets.
2. 2. Support and advance the implementation of the Campus Master Plan by aligning project planning, building improvements, site development, space needs, and design decisions with the University's long term physical planning goals.
3. 3. Provide architectural and engineering design oversight for university projects in partnership with assigned project managers.
4. 4. Work with project managers to ensure that external architects, engineers, planners, and design consultants understand the University's expectations, standards, operational requirements, campus context, project goals, and owner interests.
5. 5. Participate in preliminary scope development for all applicable projects, including client discussions, feasibility review, project intent, conceptual options, planning level budgets, design direction, and identification of required architectural and engineering support.
6. 6. Support project managers during the transition from preliminary scope development to consultant led design and project execution.
7. 7. Review design work at key project milestones, including concept development, schematic design, design development, construction documents, and other major review points as appropriate.
8. 8. Provide high level review of architectural and engineering design packages to confirm alignment with approved scope, campus standards, maintainability, accessibility, sustainability, budget expectations, owner requirements, and long-term operational needs.
9. 11. Advise project managers and University leadership on the appropriate architectural and engineering design contract structure for specific projects, including scope of services, milestone deliverables, consultant responsibilities, amendment needs, and owner protection considerations.
10. 12. Review, recommend, and coordinate modifications to AIA based agreement templates and Ball State contract templates as necessary to protect the University as owner, clarify design scope, monitor changes, manage amendments, and support consistent administration of design contracts.
11. 13. Develop, maintain, interpret, and promote University design standards, architectural guidelines, space standards, finish standards, furniture standards, signage standards, and related planning and design expectations.
12. 15. Review renovation, renewal, new construction, infrastructure, and site improvement concepts for consistency with campus character, building context, operational practicality, code awareness, accessibility, sustainability, life cycle cost, and owner stewardship considerations.
13. 16. Provide design leadership on projects that require strong coordination between architectural, engineering, operational, custodial, maintenance, technology, safety, accessibility, procurement, contract, and client needs.
14. 18. Advise campus clients and University leadership on project feasibility, planning options, design implications, space impacts, phasing considerations, cost drivers, delivery options, contract implications, and long-term facility impacts.
15. 19. Partner with Engineering and Operations to ensure that design decisions account for building systems, maintainability, staffing impacts, energy use, utility infrastructure, service access, operational continuity, and future renewal needs.
16. 20. Partner with Construction and project management staff to ensure that design intent, approved scope, contract expectations, and University standards are carried through design, bidding, construction, occupancy, and closeout.
17. 21. Support space planning and utilization efforts, including evaluation of space requests, development of options, review of existing conditions, and recommendations that support academic, administrative, student service, and operational needs.
18. 22. Support capital planning and asset renewal planning by helping identify facility needs, design priorities, scope considerations, planning level budgets, and alignment with the Campus Master Plan.
19. 23. Represent Facilities Planning and Management in meetings with campus clients, consultants, contractors, public agencies, University leadership, and other stakeholders.
20. 24. Promote a planning and design process that is collaborative, transparent, service oriented, fiscally responsible, legally aware, contractually disciplined, and aligned with the mission of the University.
21. 25. Perform other related duties as assigned.

Minimum Qualifications

1. 1. Bachelor's degree in Architecture from an accredited program.
2. 2. Licensed architect in any United States jurisdiction, with the ability to obtain Indiana architectural registration within twelve months of hire.
3. 3. At least ten years of progressively responsible experience in architecture, facility planning, campus planning, design management, project programming, design contract support, or related work.
4. 4. Demonstrated experience developing or reviewing project scopes, feasibility studies, design concepts, design documents, planning studies, architectural standards, or consultant scopes of service.
5. 5. Demonstrated experience working with architects, engineers, contractors, consultants, project managers, internal clients, operational stakeholders, and contract or procurement partners.
6. 6. Knowledge of building codes, accessibility requirements, construction documents, project delivery processes, design standards, consultant agreements, scope amendments, and construction administration.
7. 7. Ability to review architectural and engineering design work and provide clear, practical, and constructive direction.
8. 8. Ability to communicate effectively with technical and non-technical audiences.
9. 9. Ability to manage competing priorities, build consensus, exercise sound judgment, and provide recommendations in a complex institutional environment.

Preferred Qualifications

1. 1. Master's degree in Architecture, Campus Planning, Urban Planning, Historic Preservation, Construction Management, Real Estate, Public Administration, Business Administration, or a related field.
2. 2. Ten or more years of progressive experience in higher education, public sector, civic, cultural, healthcare, research, or other complex institutional environments.
3. 3. Experience working in an owner representative environment.
4. 4. Experience with campus master planning, space planning, capital planning, design guidelines, accessibility planning, historic campus stewardship, public realm planning, or design contract administration.
5. 5. Experience developing or managing pools of on call architects, engineers, planners, interior designers, landscape architects, or design consultants.
6. 6. Experience reviewing or modifying AIA based design agreement templates, consultant scopes of service, contract amendments, or owner focused design contract provisions.
7. 7. Experience supervising or leading professional staff in architecture, planning, interior design, space management, or related disciplines.
8. 8. Experience with AutoCAD, Revit, BIM, Bluebeam, GIS, space management systems, project management systems, or other facilities related platforms.
9. 9. LEED AP, WELL, Fitwel, NCARB certification, AICP, or other relevant professional credential.
10. 10. Experience integrating sustainability, accessibility, life cycle cost, maintainability, contractual discipline, and operational continuity into planning and design decisions.

What we offer

At Ball State University, we understand the importance of balancing professional responsibilities with personal well-being. That's why we offer paid 24 vacation days, 12 sick days and 10 holidays a year. Plus, our paid parental leave (6 weeks) is there for life's most significant moments. We offer affordable health and dental insurance, robust long-term disability and life insurance plans, as well a range of retirement benefits to provide financial security to you and your family. These benefits ensure that you can focus on your work and personal growth without worrying about the unexpected.

When you work for us, you are family. And to show our support of your family, we will cover 90 percent of your child's (or children's) undergraduate college tuition at Ball State. We do the same for you. In fact, we'll cover 100 percent of the tuition costs for you to earn your undergraduate degree and 80 percent of your graduate tuition. This offer is good from the very first day you start. It's just one way we do our part to uplift you.

Let's fly together toward a secure and prosperous tomorrow.

Curious about our excellent benefits package?

We have developed a calculator that shows you the value of our core benefits. Select the Total Compensation Calculator - Professional and download the spreadsheet. If you are applying for a 10-month position or one with Burris or Indiana Academy, please select the corresponding calculator.