Senior Project Architect - Remote

We are an architecture and real estate development social enterprise creating spaces that embody justice, healing, and self-determination. By designing with communities most impacted by incarceration and disinvestment, we build infrastructure that supports community ownership, redistributes power, and lays the foundation for a world rooted in care, not punishment.

To achieve this mission our team is composed of architects, designers, real estate developers and community members working together to create solutionary spaces and places that bring dignity, well-being and care to the communities we serve.

Title: Senior Project Architect

Location: New York City — Remote (travel to Oakland required once a month / at minimum once a quarter)

Employment Type: Full Time

You are a senior architectural leader who brings deep technical expertise and strong project leadership, grounded in community-engaged, justice-centered design. You are resourceful, thrive in complex, cross-disciplinary environments and are skilled at translating community input, research, and lived experience into built work across a wide range of project scales and typologies, including large-scale development and master planning.

You're excited to build systems, mentor others, and advance DJDS's architectural and development practice in ways that meaningfully integrate social justice, community engagement, research, and design excellence. This role is based in New York City and operates remotely, with regular travel to our Oakland studio. You'll work across both NYC-based and cross-functional national projects, collaborating closely with a team distributed between coasts.

Hold a Bachelor's or Master's degree in Architecture

Bring 15+ years of architectural experience, including senior responsibility leading projects across all phases. From pre-design and programming through construction administration

Licensed architect or actively and seriously on the path to licensure; Advanced proficiency in Revit, AutoCAD, Rhino, SketchUp, and Adobe Creative Suite

Strong knowledge of building codes including IBC, NYC Building Code, and familiarity with DOB and FDNY processes

Experience leading large-scale development and master planning projects

Working knowledge of sustainable design strategies and collaboration with consultants for energy efficient systems to meet client goals and performance targets.

A clear communicator with high emotional intelligence, adaptability, and leadership presence

you understand that community engagement is a core design input, not an add-on, and you've done real work to understand what that means in practice

Experience building or leading mentorship and knowledge-sharing initiatives

Community engagement facilitation or workshop leadership

Lead design and technical documentation across complex architectural and development projects of varying scales, including new construction, renovation, adaptive reuse, large scale development, and master planning

Partner with internal and external collaborators to translate the modular room pilot into clear design standards, narratives, and materials that support future partnerships and project launches

Translate community engagement findings into clear design strategies, technical deliverables, and narratives

Own project scopes, schedules, and coordination with consultants, contractors, and partners

Represent DJDS in client, community, consultant, and agency meetings

Partner closely with the Studio Director and Design Director on project execution, priorities, and growth

Work across design, community engagement, and real estate teams to ensure alignment throughout the project lifecycle

Collaborate with consultants, contractors, fabricators, clients, and community stakeholders across New York and the BayArea

Engage cross-functionally on both NYC-based and national projects as part of a distributed team

Location & Travel

This is a remote role based in New York City, with regular travel to our Oakland studio approximately once a month (no less than once a quarter). We're growing our East Coast presence, and this role may occasionally involve travel to project sites in other East Coast states. Travel costs are covered by DJDS, and frequency will flex based on project needs and organizational milestones.

DJDS covers 100% of medical, dental, and vision insurance for employees and their children under age 26, with optional coverage for domestic partners, long-term disability, and life insurance

Paid time off includes vacation (tiered by tenure), sick leave, bereavement, jury duty, and 16 total holidays (12 standard plus 4 flexible/personal days)

If your portfolio is hosted online, you may upload your resume and provide a link instead.

Primary authorship and leadership on projects

Any fabrication, research, or creative work that supports your practice

We value curiosity, lived experience, and a deep commitment to community.

We’re building a team that reflects the diversity of the communities we serve, and we’re excited to learn more about what you bring to the work.