Senior Designer

About the role

S9 Architecture is seeking a Senior Designer to play a central role in shaping and advancing architectural ideas across a diverse range of project types and scales. This position is ideal for a design-driven architect with strong judgment, conceptual rigor, and a deep interest in architecture as a contextual, collaborative, and iterative practice. Senior Designers at S9 work closely with Design Principals, technical leaders, and project teams in an open, dialogue-driven studio environment. The role involves generating and refining ideas from early concept through execution, while helping guide junior designers through shared authorship, critique, and mentorship. This is a long-term opportunity for a designer who wants to grow design leadership within a thoughtful, design-intensive studio culture.

Responsibilities

• Lead design exploration across multiple scales and project types, including massing, urban response, spatial organization, design narrative, and architectural detail.
• Guide multiple projects alongside junior designers, in close collaboration with Design Principals and technical teams.
• Participate in and lead client design presentations and consultant coordination meetings.
• Ensure design intent is thoughtfully carried through design development and documentation.
• Mentor and support junior designers through critique, guidance, and example.
• Actively participate in studio pin-ups, reviews, and ongoing design dialogue.
• Contribute to a studio culture that values design excellence, clear communication, and realistic project planning.

Qualifications

• 10+ years of experience in design-forward architecture studios; NYC experience preferred.
• Experience in design-oriented offices with a strong culture of critique, collaboration, and craft.
• Demonstrated ability to develop strong architectural concepts and carry them through multiple project phases.
• Strong understanding of urban context, zoning, massing, spatial sequencing, and architectural systems.
• Clear verbal, graphic, and visual communication skills.
• Comfort working within regulatory, structural, and programmatic constraints as part of a collaborative process.
• Interest in mentorship, collaboration, and long-term growth within a studio environment.
• Applicants must be currently authorized to work in the United States.

Pay

Salary range: $110,000–$140,000+, commensurate with experience

Benefits

• Comprehensive health, vision, and dental benefits
• 401(k) with employer match
• Licensure support and continuing education
• A collaborative, in-studio culture with direct access to leadership and meaningful design dialogue
• A studio environment that values design rigor alongside sustainable work practices
• Opportunities for meaningful design responsibility and professional growth
• Contribute to mission-driven, award-winning work rooted in urban context and architectural craft
• Work in an engaged open studio where dialogue, mentorship, and collaboration fuel design
• Grow as a designer and leader while helping shape the studio’s future