Project Design Architect
Opsis is seeking a Project Design Architect driven by architectural excellence, craft, and curiosity, with strong aspirations to grow into a significant design role within an ambitious, innovative studio practice. This role is ideal for a talented and motivated designer who thrives at the intersection of concept and craft and who enjoys close collaboration with Principals and project teams to translate ideas into clear, compelling, and buildable design solutions. This role will help shape the design vision of complex, mission-driven projects, mentor emerging designers, and contribute to a vibrant studio culture rooted in conceptual thinking, bold exploration and rigorous execution.
Key Responsibilities
Design Leadership:
- Collaborate with Principals to execute design vision from concept through construction documentation
- Contribute to conceptual design thinking and effectively communicate ideas across multiple mediums, both 2D and 3D, including sketches, diagrams, physical and digital models, drawings.
- Demonstrate clear, concise design communication, applying it consistently in internal collaboration and while developing this skill in external client and stakeholder
- Develop clear, compelling design narratives that align client goals, site, program, and budget
- Produce and oversee high-quality design deliverables, including diagrams, drawings, renderings, and models
- Participate in design critiques, charrettes, and stakeholder engagement sessions
Project Collaboration:
- Collaborate with Principals, Project Managers and project teams to align design intent with project scope, schedule, and fee
- Coordinate with consultants to integrate design and technical solutions
- Support project teams through all phases: Concept, SD, DD, CD, and CA
Mentorship & Studio Culture:
- Mentor and support junior designers through design development and documentation
- Contribute to a culture of design excellence, curiosity, and continuous improvement
- Participate in firm-wide design discussions, design reviews, pin-ups, and research initiatives
Business Development & Thought Leadership:
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- Contribute to proposals, interviews, and design competitions
- Represent Opsis with clients, partners, and the broader design community
Required
- 10+ years of professional experience in architectural design
- Accredited professional degree in Architecture (B.Arch or Arch)
- Architectural licensure
- Strong design portfolio demonstrating conceptual strength, technical rigor, and built work
- Proficiency in Revit, Enscape and Adobe Creative Suite; familiarity with Rhino, Grasshopper, or similar tools a plus
- Strong understanding of building systems, codes, and construction processes
- Excellent communication, presentation, and collaboration skills
Preferred
- Experience with civic, cultural, higher education, athletics or performing arts projects
- Experience working with public clients and complex stakeholder groups
- Experience mentoring junior designers
- Comfort operating at both conceptual and technical levels
- Sustainable design accreditation
- Proficiency in Bluebeam Revu, Smartsheet and Miro
Opsis Benefits
We are proud to offer a location in Portland’s central east side, which boasts a perfect ride score of 100, a walkability rating of 94, and access to a vibrant mix of amenities and businesses that reflect our commitment to local craft, arts, and emerging local enterprises.
The flexibility and convenience of hybrid work are also important to us. We strive to create an ideal mix of in-person and remote work for our teams, with a target of working in the office from Tuesday through Thursday.
All staff at Opsis receive a living wage, complemented by an excellent package of benefits, including paid time off, paid holidays, and comprehensive insurance covering healthcare, vision, dental, life, and disability. For more information, please review our benefits page.
Opsis Design Culture
We aspire to realize buildings that work, inspire and express beauty through construction, composition and form, materiality and craftsmanship with attention to detail. We learn by doing, using all the tools and technologies available to us in this search for the ideas. We share, analyze, discuss, challenge and debate all ideas within the safe, respectful and open environment of the Opsis studio. As a studio we grow and learn from each other through project critique sessions, firm-wide meetings, continuing education sessions, webinars, lunch presentations, and conferences.
Opsis is a signatory to the AIA 2030 Commitment, demonstrating our commitment to tracking the progress of our work towards carbon neutral design by the year 2030. Opsis brings some of the country’s most extensive experience in the design of low-carbon and Net Zero Energy buildings (NZEB), including the first two buildings in Oregon certified as NZEB through the Living Building Challenge and two projects recognized by the AIA COTE Top Ten award.
Our practice embraces social justice in our day-to-day operations and in the built environment, creating a diverse, multicultural and inclusive atmosphere in both our practice and our design work, providing and nurturing a healthy culture of trust within our firm, and fostering a working environment where all employees are joyful, motivated, and connected to our purpose and values. We are a JUST™ Organization and welcome review of our label.
Application Instructions
Please submit a cover letter, resume and portfolio to: Employment@opsisarch.com
We kindly ask that you do not include a photo of yourself or include personal details such as nationality, age, marital status, etc. when applying.
