Intermediate Designer - Perkins Eastman

Life at PE:

Perkins Eastman is a global design firm with expertise that covers all aspects of the built environment. With studios in 24 locations globally, we design for people, to enhance the human experience and leave a lasting and positive impact on people’s lives and the world we inhabit.

Perkins Eastman embodies a highly collaborative, team focused culture. We are a design oriented, convergent firm in which our professional roster consists of architects, interior designers, planners, urban designers, graphic designers, construction administration specialists and several other professional disciplines.

The Opportunity:

Perkins Eastman has an immediate need for an Intermediate Designer for our Chicago, IL studio. May telecommute two days per week and more frequently as necessary. Little domestic travel may be involved.

Primary Responsibilities:

• Assist design leader, project manager, and studio team with project feasibility and site evaluation regarding parking, building location, exterior movement systems, and solar orientation.
• Develop test fits.
• Assist with master planning services including site and building components, interior movement systems, and blocking and stacking, especially in specific practice areas.
• Consult with clients under direct supervision of team leaders, to determine functional and spatial requirements of new structure or renovation, and compare planning layout for new construction with renovation constraints.
• Assist with information preparation regarding architectural design, specifications, materials, color equipment, cost estimates and construction time.
• Perform and review on-site surveys to ensure adherence to design plans.
• Plan project layout and integrate engineering elements for client review and approval.
• Analyze comparative systems with engineers and consultants regarding structural, mechanical, plumbing, and electrical to prepare for evaluation with the project team.
• Use CAD software and equipment to prepare project designs and plans.
• Assist design leader, project manager, and studio team to prepare work plans and permit process, including system component research.
• Provide building information modeling management of digital project components, including BiM execution plan development.
• Perform design activities including FGI, IBC, ANSI/ADA code research, material and building systems research, and program component layout. Research and evaluate technical constraints, including reviewing building codes, municipal requirements, and LEED guidelines.
• Refine design options and develop building details. Set up drawing sheet sets for project to represent schedules within drawings incl partitions, doors, windows and interior finish materials.
• Assist specifications writers, consultants and vendors to develop technical specifications.
• Assist project managers to develop statements of probable construction cost. Prepare area calculations to align with ABOA and BOMA development standards.
• Assist with construction administration project phase, including submittal review, RFI investigation and response, and site observation.
• Assist with project sustainability management and research, including design element incorporation, task level management, and scheduling specific alignment with LEED/Green Globes process and checklist development.
• Prepare scale drawings and contract documents for bldng contractors, and maintain design drawings, visual renderings and reports including scaled drawings and construction details to illustrate architectural design.
• Complete artistic and technical aspects of architectural design, including conceptual development, illustrations, 3D documentation, scaled models and construction drawings.
• Modify and refine designs with working models to confirm client specs.

Required Qualifications:

• Must have Bachelor’s in Architecture or related field and 6 years relevant architectural design experience OR Master’s in Architecture or related field and 3 years relevant architectural design experience.
• Also requires skills (3 years exp) in: design and documentation of senior living, workplace, and higher education facilities and campuses; design of independent and assisted living apartments, skilled nursing and memory care units, and common town center amenity spaces; code research for senior living, workplace, and higher education facilities; renovation and expansion projects, including existing building survey and documentation; construction administration project phase, including submittal review, RFI investigation and response, and site observation; using design-build delivery principles; working with building and practice area codes, including IBC, NFPA 101, ANSI, ADA, FGI and BOMA guidelines for healthcare and senior living facilities, workplace, and education facilities; LEED process management and documentation; assessing room design requirements to account for senior living furniture, medical equipment, and building systems; integrating building plans with site plans and interior layouts with exterior envelope studies; 2D/3D software including AutoCAD, Revit, Rhino, SketchUp, Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign, and Newforma Project Center; design visualization software and rendered output using V-Ray; parametric design, Grasshopper software, plug-ins.
• Any suitable combination of education, training, or experience is acceptable.

Type: Hybrid. 3 days in office 2 days working remotely, flexible days/working hours.

We offer comprehensive benefits, medical, dental, vision plans, 401K, life insurance, Paid Time Off (PTO), company paid holidays, professional development, commuter benefits, FSA and HSA.

Perkins Eastman is an affirmative action, equal opportunity employer and a participant in the U.S. Federal E-Verify program. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, national origin, age, protected veteran or disabled status, or genetic information.