Architectural Designer II - PreK-12

Architectural Designer

HED is seeking a passionate Architectural Designer to join our growing PreK–12 Education practice in our San Francisco Bay Area, Sacramento, or Los Angeles offices. Designer is an early career level architecture role that is responsible for assisting project teams with a range of project types from early design through construction under the supervision of a seasoned Architect and/or Project Designer. Candidates are passionate, motivated, and eager to further develop their technical and design skills in an environment that promotes collaboration and critical thinking. Proven experience and proficiency in technical detailing with the ability to work with moderate to minimal supervision. Responsibilities may include guiding and mentoring more junior team members. This role is intended to work on projects for the PreK-12 Sector, however, opportunities to work across market sectors to acquire diverse experiences do exist and are encouraged.

HED Culture:

At HED, we believe great design has the power to improve lives through positive impact. Our PreK–12 practice creates inspiring learning environments that support educational excellence, community engagement, and student success. As an integrated design firm, we bring together architects, engineers, planners, and designers to solve complex challenges through collaboration, innovation, and technical excellence.

Our culture is guided by six core values:

• Do It as a Team – We believe the best solutions emerge through collaboration, trust, and shared accountability across disciplines and project teams.
• Be You With Us – We value diverse perspectives, experiences, and ideas, creating an inclusive environment where individuals can bring their authentic selves to work.
• Make a Mark – We are driven to create meaningful impact through design, delivering projects that strengthen communities and improve lives.
• Embrace Change – We approach challenges with curiosity and adaptability, continuously evolving our thinking, processes, and solutions.
• Thrive With Growth – We invest in mentorship, professional development, and lifelong learning, empowering our people to reach their full potential.
• Strive for Performance – We pursue excellence in design, technical execution, client service, and project delivery, holding ourselves to the highest standards.

When you join HED, you'll have the opportunity to:

• Design impactful educational environments that serve students, educators, and communities.
• Collaborate across disciplines to deliver thoughtful, sustainable, and high-performing solutions.
• Partner with school districts, educational stakeholders, consultants, and regulatory agencies to achieve successful project outcomes.
• Contribute to a culture that values mentorship, professional growth, knowledge sharing, and continuous learning.
• Work in a flexible hybrid environment that balances autonomy with meaningful in-person collaboration.
• Be part of a team committed to design excellence, technical rigor, and creating lasting positive impact.

Work Environment:

• We embrace a hybrid model that promotes both autonomy and collaboration, including the freedom to work from home, with regular in-office days to connect with teammates and build culture.
• The office is a professional, open-space environment for collaborative and independent work.

Responsibilities:

As a Technical Architectural Designer II, you'll play a key role in supporting project teams from early design through construction under the guidance of experienced architects and designers. This is an exciting opportunity to grow your technical and design expertise in a collaborative, learning-focused environment. You are passionate, motivated, and ready to take on greater responsibility with moderate to minimal supervision. In this role, you may also have the chance to mentor junior team members as you continue developing your own skills. While you'll primarily work on Healthcare sector projects, you'll also have opportunities to contribute across a variety of market sectors—broadening your experience and strengthening your critical thinking. You'll apply Revit workflows and project standards to help deliver high-quality, high-performance design solutions.

Essential Functions:

• Responsible for assisting the Project Architect to ensure design and technical quality
• Collaborate with engineers, and other consultants using Revizto
• Support the delivery of professional services as defined by the HED Design Process guidelines
• Assist the Project Architect with directing staff and developing strategies for project delivery
• Understand the design intent and ability to communicate it through documentation with limited direction
• Assist with required code research for project assignments
• Assist with material and product research as required for project development
• Participate in internal and/or external project meetings as required by scope and schedule
• Coordinate with project team disciplines as needed by the project
• Perform submittal reviews as assigned during bidding and construction administration
• Participate and assist in managing technical reviews in Revizto through all phases of the project to meet HED expectations for quality and project performance
• Manages tasks on Concept board and fluent in the project progress
• Assist with the development of Discipline work plans
• Ability to assist with Project Architect's responsibilities for short periods of time
• Perform other duties as assigned by the Project Architect, Project Manager, or Architecture Practice Leader

Requirements:

• A minimum of a Bachelor of Science in Architecture (4-year) degree required
• Licensure or active pursuit of licensure preferred
• Minimum three (3) years' experience in A/E industry required
• Proficiency in Revit is required
• Familiarity with and experience navigating building codes
• LEED Accredited or other sustainability credential preferred
• A fundamental understanding of the coordination aspects and related requirements of all design disciplines
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills in English
• Strong organizational skills
• Possess the desire to learn how to motivate and mentor staff and delegate work assignments
• Proficient in BIM/Revit as well as Microsoft Word, Excel
• Experience in Revizto, Rhino, Bluebeam, Concept Board preferred
• Very detail-oriented, self-motivated, enthusiastic, and flexible
• Ability to work well with others under deadline situations
• A commitment to the principles of Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion.
• A desire to use critical thinking skills for growth and positive impact
• NOTE: Please attach work samples or portfolio when applying

Physical Requirements:

• Capable of traveling to and from project sites for attending client, project, and construction meetings
• Ability to access existing and new project sites for the purposes of project observation, investigation, and evaluation
• Ability to use equipment for communication and documentation purposes
• Visual acuity to perform responsibilities

Other Duties:

Please note this job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities and activities may change at any time with or without notice.