Senior Computational Designer

About the role

We are seeking a Senior Computational Designer, Data Centers & Industrial Projects Specialist to join Stantec’s Design Computing team. This role supports Mission Critical and Advanced Manufacturing projects by identifying, prototyping, and implementing high-value automation across architecture, engineering, BIM, and digital delivery workflows.

Responsibilities

• Apply computational design methods to mission critical, data center, industrial, advanced manufacturing, and other technically complex building projects.
• Develop parametric and data-driven workflows that connect geometry, program, planning criteria, engineering inputs, equipment layouts, system requirements, performance criteria, and documentation outputs.
• Support early design exploration, option studies, layout evaluation, and decision-making through practical computational methods.
• Work across architecture, electrical, mechanical, structural, and digital delivery teams to improve coordination, reduce manual rework, and increase design clarity.
• Translate project-specific challenges into reusable workflows, automation patterns, and delivery methods that can be applied across future projects and sectors.
• Lead practitioner and project-team conversations to identify high-value automation opportunities.
• Automate repetitive design, analysis, QA/QC, documentation, modeling, and data-management tasks where they improve speed, reliability, or coordination across disciplines.
• Build, test, validate, and document proofs of concept against real project needs and conditions.
• Partner with development and platform teams to transition successful prototypes into scalable BIM-integrated tools or supported firmwide workflows.
• Balance innovation with reliability by ensuring automations are maintainable, aligned with project delivery standards, and ready for handoff when appropriate.
• Support planning, test-fit, modularization, spatial coordination, MEP systems coordination, equipment layouts, and repeatable documentation workflows for high-complexity technical projects.
• Structure project data so teams can make faster, clearer decisions across disciplines and phases.
• Evaluate tradeoffs related to layout, coordination, performance, delivery speed, and constructability.
• Identify opportunities to standardize computational workflows across recurring project types, building systems, and client delivery requirements.
• Support workflow scoping, internal training, and hands-on implementation for teams adopting computational methods.
• Define, track, and communicate value metrics for computational design, including hours saved, reduced rework, faster iteration, improved coordination, risk reduction, delivery quality, workflow reuse, project-team adoption, and demonstrated business value.
• Translate technical work into clear project and business language for project managers, discipline leads, clients, and firm leadership.
• Provide regular reporting on active automations, utilization, project impact, adoption barriers, lessons learned, and opportunities for broader deployment.
• Show how automation and computational design improve delivery for mission critical and other technical sectors.

Requirements

• Advanced expertise in Rhino, Grasshopper, Revit, Dynamo, Rhino.Inside.Revit, Speckle, the Revit API, and custom computational design components.
• Experience with BIM-integrated computational workflows and project-ready automation.
• Professional experience applying computational design on data centers, industrial facilities, mission critical projects, advanced manufacturing, or similar complex technical building projects.
• Proficiency in scripting or programming, such as Python, C#, JavaScript, or related languages, with an emphasis on reliability, maintainability, and project usability.
• Experience using AI-assisted development tools to explore, prototype, debug, or extend computational design workflows while maintaining quality, clarity, and reliability.
• Ability to translate architectural, electrical, mechanical, engineering, and project delivery requirements into actionable computational frameworks.
• Familiarity with electrical and mechanical systems coordination, repeatable planning modules, technical documentation, and fast-track delivery environments.
• Engineering background or experience working closely with engineering teams is a strong plus, especially in electrical or mechanical building systems.
• Background in systems thinking, process improvement, or workflow standardization for multidisciplinary design teams.
• Experience mentoring designers, engineers, or project teams in computational design methods.
• Ability to define success criteria, track progress against measurable KPIs, and communicate outcomes to project managers, discipline leads, and practice leadership.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Architecture, Engineering, Design Computing, Computational Design, or a related field.
• 5+ years of professional experience applying computational design within an architectural, engineering, industrial, mission critical, or integrated multidisciplinary design practice.
• Demonstrated experience supporting data center, industrial, mission critical, advanced manufacturing, or other technically complex projects.
• Proven ability to develop reusable computational workflows that improve project delivery beyond a single task or one-off script.

Skills

• Advanced proficiency in computational design software (Rhino, Grasshopper, Revit, Dynamo).
• Experience with BIM-integrated workflows and project-ready automation.
• Programming skills (Python, C#, JavaScript, etc.) with a focus on reliability and maintainability.
• Experience with AI-assisted design tools.
• Strong communication and collaboration skills.
• Ability to translate complex project requirements into computational solutions.
• Experience with electrical and mechanical systems coordination.

Benefits

• Medical, dental, and vision plans.
• Health savings account.
• Flexible spending account.
• 401(k) plan.
• Employee stock purchase program.
• Life and accidental death & dismemberment (AD&D) insurance.
• Short-term/long-term disability plans.
• Emergency travel benefits.
• Tuition reimbursement.
• Professional membership fee coverage.
• Paid family leave.