Your Role
As an architectural Designer with a passion for design excellence, you will demonstrate your creativity and expertise in the authorship and realization of significant developments. You are internally motivated to discover inspirational solutions which elevate human experience. Your portfolio demonstrates innovative problem-solving for specific client program goals. A personal commitment to collaboration and mentoring, together with strong skills in visualization and representation, is your foundation for design leadership at Gensler.
Based in a studio of our Oakland office, you will join a team serving clients in Commercial Development, Research & Laboratory Space, Higher Education and Corporate Headquarters. Through our close partnership with our clients, we are able to leverage design to achieve livable cities, reductions in global warming potential, and an engaging work experience for occupants of our projects.
What You Will Do
Collaborate with Principals and Design Directors in the authorship of conceptual proposals for complex projects of varying program typologies
Establish a strong relationship with our clients, and advocate for our clients’ needs and values
Provide stewardship of the design vision in all phases of the project from programming through conceptual design and design development to execution
Provide leadership in visualizing strategy in order to represent opportunities for evaluation by clients and stakeholders
Resolve complex technical and design issues in collaboration with a diverse team of architects, consultants, and subject matter experts
Develop the skills of emerging professionals through coaching and mentorship
Your Qualifications
An accredited professional degree in Architecture, representing a rigorous design education
Licensed Architect, or demonstrating significant progress towards licensure
8+ years of relevant architectural experience, with a strong background designing multiple building typologies of varying scale, including projects for commercial developers
Proficiency in Rhino and Revit, and familiarity with relevant plug-ins
Strong communication skills in verbal presentation, written narrative, and graphic representation
Analytical and problem-solving skills applicable to reconciling design with engineering requirements
Ability to develop collaborative relationships across the firm, with clients, and with other key constituents
Proven ability to lead and direct design teams and projects
For consideration, please submit cover letter, resume and portfolio in PDF format.
*The base salary will be estimated between $100,000 - $130,000 annually, plus bonuses and benefits and contingent on relevant experience.
Life at Gensler
At Gensler, we are as committed to enjoying life as we are to delivering best-in-class design. From curated art exhibits to internal design competitions to “Well-being Week,” our offices reflect our people’s diverse interests.
We encourage every person at Gensler to lead a healthy and balanced life. Our comprehensive benefits include medical, dental, vision, disability, wellness programs, flex spending, paid holidays, and paid time off. We also offer a 401k, profit sharing, employee stock ownership, and twice annual bonus opportunities.
As part of the firm’s commitment to licensure and professional development, Gensler offers reimbursement for certain professional licenses and associated renewals and exam fees. In addition, we reimburse tuition for certain eligible programs or classes. We view our professional development programs as strategic investments in our future.
Notice: At Gensler an unlicensed Architect will have the job title of Technical Designer and operate in this capacity for alignment with internal programs, doing business with clients and compliance with industry and government regulations. If you have questions regarding this notice, please ask our Talent Acquisition team during the application process.
Skills Required
- An accredited professional degree in Architecture
- Licensed Architect or significant progress towards licensure
- 8+ years of relevant architectural experience
- Proficiency in Rhino and Revit
- Strong communication skills in verbal presentation, written narrative, and graphic representation
- Analytical and problem-solving skills
- Ability to develop collaborative relationships
- Proven ability to lead design teams and projects
Gensler Compensation & Benefits Highlights
The following summarizes recurring compensation and benefits themes identified from responses generated by popular LLMs to common candidate questions about Gensler and has not been reviewed or approved by Gensler.
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Strong & Reliable Incentives — Incentive programs include twice‑yearly bonuses and profit sharing that are positioned as meaningful parts of total compensation. Employee ownership elements can reward longer tenure and contribute to overall earnings beyond base pay.
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Equity Value & Accessibility — Employee stock ownership and stock appreciation programs provide wealth‑building avenues beyond salary. These equity mechanisms are highlighted as part of the standard package.
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Healthcare Strength — Core coverage spans medical, dental, and vision alongside life and disability, EAP/mental‑health resources, and wellness programs. Benefits breadth is described as solid within the industry context.
Gensler Insights
What We Do
Gensler is a global architecture, design, and planning firm with 53 locations and more than 6,000+ professionals networked across the Americas, Europe, Greater China, Asia Pacific, and the Middle East. Founded in 1965, the firm works globally with more than 4,000 clients across more than 33 practice areas spanning the work, lifestyle, community, and health sectors. Everything we do is guided by our mission: To create a better world through the power of design. We believe the power of design can spark positive change and create a future that promotes equity, resilience, and wellbeing for everyone. Gensler was named one of Glassdoor’s Best Places to Work in 2020, 2019, 2017 and 2016, and our award-winning culture has been recognized by Fast Company as one of the 100 Best Workplaces for Innovators in 2021. Our people-first philosophy is centered on the core ideas of diversity empowerment, impact, community, respect, and growth. You can learn more about our commitment to creating an inclusive and diverse workplace at https://www.gensler.com/careers#diversity.
