Senior Digital Computational Designer

Role: Senior Digital / Computational Designer

Discipline: Architecture

Studio : Nominally 50:50 A/S (but varies depending on demand)

SOM, one of the most influential design firms in the world, is seeking innovative, creative, independent, and critical thinkers who aspire to the highest standards of excellence. Join our collaborative design practice as a Senior Digital Computational Designer for the opportunity to build a strong and thriving career.

Position Responsibilities

• Inspires and promotes computational thinking and data-first approach in teams, studios and offices.
• Guides project teams in understanding computational design concepts.
• Collaborates with Design Technology, Computational Design and BIM leaders from other offices to develop, manage, coordinate, implement and train office-wide and firm-wide standards, guidelines, best-practices and technologies used by architects and engineers.
• Actively leads tool/process strategies of a project with periodic supervision by Project Leadership and Computational Design Leadership. Exhibits initiative, process innovation, problem solving, and decision quality with a high attention to precision and accuracy at an overall project level.
• Provides computational design expertise and leadership for projects during all phases, including design ideation, geometric exploration, modeling, documentation, visualization, and various types of analysis. This includes developing strategies for these tasks, and implementing them.
• Works closely with design teams to propose, evaluate and develop systems-based models using code and parametric models, setting up various types of analysis along the design process.
• Works closely with Design Technology and BIM Leaders to develop and champion systematic strategies for data flow and data management throughout the various project phases. Provides guidance to project teams regarding data management.
• Actively leads teams in defining software and data interoperability workflows.
• Proposes and documents new workflows or processes thoroughly, codifying productivity gains and creates training material.
• Contributes to research, evaluation, development, implementation and documentation of tools, processes and data management in all project assignments and the associated development of staff knowledge.
• Provides digested demos of new tool/workflow in the context of SOM’s design workflow or toolkit.
• Produces, coordinates and/or oversees presentation and deliverables such as diagrams, data visualization, 3D models, drawings, renderings, physical prototypes and animations as necessary.
• Maintains strong relationships within the Design Technology teams, prioritizing collaboration and transparent communication.
• Effectively communicates internally through timely and appropriate written, oral, and visual means.
• Creates and innovates with a strong conceptual design ability. Integrates interdisciplinary criteria (Architectural and Structural) to effectively move forward the design of distinct portions of large projects or entire projects of a small scale.
• Actively collaborates at a project, consultant team, and client team level by critically and constructively evaluating ideas. Contributes to and actively participates within the studio and office.
• Demonstrates an advanced understanding of building materials, systems, specifications, codes, details and construction techniques. Is able to enrich design concepts through technical strategies. Identifies and effectively uses appropriate tools to design and document at all project phases.
• Manages time and workload of own work efforts and those of others to meet project task deadlines and commitments, with occasional interaction and direction from Project Leadership or Computation Design Leadership. Guides and teaches less experienced staff.
• Proactively checks and coordinates project documents, interdisciplinary coordination items, models, data analysis, visualizations, metrics and other representations of project data for compliance with the project’s technical requirements.
• Leads definition, planning and documentation of BIM-related work-flow strategies, objectives and coordination of data management on Projects. Proactively checks, coordinates and integrates the work of all Project Team members to assure efficient use of digital tools for design and consistency of documentation.
• Identifies, categorizes and organizes strategies or issues specific to Project scale from office-wide and firm-wide scope through coordination with BIM specialists / Managers from other offices.
• Initiates and manages the BIM model(s) and drawings in collaboration with Project Teams, according to appropriate standards.
• Coordinates Project BIM models, process management and objectives with other disciplines and consultants. Prepares and maintains the Project LOD Matrices and BIM Management Plans in close collaboration with Project Manager and Project Team leaders.
• Leads Project Team members as well as Junior and Intermediate BIM technologists in developing BIM model(s), drawings and other project deliverables, as required.
• Promotes, monitors and tracks overall quality of BIM content & deliverables.
• Coordinates with Project Team leaders to assure continuity, consistency and quality of Project BIM and its output.
• Develops training materials for SOM's Architectural and Structural BIM standards and best practices.
• Keeps informed of industry standards, trends and developments related to BIM practices.
• Documents and proactively disseminates new knowledge to peers and all users in the firm.

Leadership Responsibilities

• Inspires and leads others by example, participates in staff mentoring and training, clearly defines team member expectations and responsibilities, empowers others, and delegates where appropriate based on team members’ recognized abilities and potential.
• Directly supervises staff and is committed to direct reports’ professional development.
• Develops and engages in talent strategy to find specialists, leaders, and future professionals for the firm through resume review and interviews.
• In collaboration with team members, develops a clear and consistent work plan to achieve the project budget, deliverables, and schedule.
• Actively engages in internal and external professional development opportunities.
• Contributes to the implementation of sustainable strategies in all project assignments and the associated development of staff knowledge.
• Contributes to the development of standards, policies, and procedures.
• Protects SOM from financial and legal risk.

SOM offers opportunities to work on transformational projects, competitive salaries, health insurance, wellness, retirement and financial and other work/life plans.

At SOM, we welcome and encourage diversity in the workplace. We believe an inclusive environment benefits our employees, our firm, and our community, while also enriching and challenging our own thinking about design. We are proud to be an equal opportunity and affirmative action employer.

For more about SOM: www.som.com