Section Architects is a full-service architectural practice with a focus on creative design solutions for complex buildings. We are a precise, detail-oriented team with a belief that deep subject-matter expertise and the creative use of technology is essential to understanding and solving hard design problems.

We excel in the delivery of life sciences, healthcare, academic, and industrial projects. As a young firm, we have a portfolio that spans a wide variety of scales and programs, but we are always drawn to complex, challenging work. In this spirit, while the project typologies described above form the core of our portfolio, we are also working on challenging retail fit-outs and commercial projects. No specific type of project is off limits, so long as we feel that it reinforces our core interests and beliefs.

 We believe that we are uniquely positioned to offer experience across all parts of a project, from Schematic Design to Contract Administration, including time on site. It can take a long time to manage the full scope of a project at a large firm. We will throw you in the deep end (with lots of coaching and help!) and allow you to learn everything you need to know to deliver a successful project. You will be involved in pricing jobs, meeting clients, and coordinating with consultants. Depending on your level of experience, it may be a big change from your previous role, but we feel it is the best way to learn.

Intern Architect - Role Specific Requirements

 We are looking to hire an Intern Architect with 2-7 years of post-graduate experience working on a variety of project types. You should feel comfortable working on multiple small or medium-sized projects or scopes of work simultaneously, including attending client meetings, reviewing consultant drawings, and graphic representation for studies or presentations. You should have strong time management and organizational skills to manage your workload.

We are specifically drawn to  applicants who can clearly demonstrate examples of projects where they were exposed to multiple project phases, and were given responsibility for a portion of the project with a need to solve problems and provide documentation at multiple scales (site / floor plans / wall sections / details / etc). Our work tends to lean towards the complex, so an analytical approach to problem solving is a great asset. We are looking for confident designers who are comfortable with a steep learning curve. We require that our entire design team is involved in the Contract Administration phase, so demonstrating experience, understanding, or at least a keen interest in the Construction Phase is a must.

Compensation

• Salary will be within the bracket provided, and dependent on your skills and experience.
• A driver’s license is an asset, as we expect our project leaders to visit sites across the GTHA.
• Following a 3-month probationary period, you will have a health spending account paid for by Section Architects.
• This gives you the flexibility to pay for whatever medical needs you may have as they come up.
• We have an office in Leslieville, however we are committed to maintaining a hybrid work environment. We require that you work from the office at least 2 days per week.
• We will partially reimburse you each month for use of your personal mobile device.

Universal Candidate Qualities

For all prospective applicants, we will structure our discussions based on the traits described below. We believe that an applicant who can clearly demonstrate these aptitudes will have the requisite skills, character, and mindset we are looking for, regardless of the level of experience.

You should be a strong design-thinker

• We believe that all projects should have a clear and concise design thesis that drives the project at all scales. You should be a strong conceptual thinker.
• Design is about complex problem-solving, often involving multiple disciplines. You should be able to demonstrate situations where you were able to effectively define a design problem, identify relevant evaluation criteria, and devise a holistic solution.
• Architectural design is typically a collaborative exercise. You should be able to demonstrate examples of projects where you have worked effectively in a team environment to overcome specific design challenges.

You should be technical

• We like geeks! We are constantly criticizing the way that we work and are always trying to improve our internal systems. We like debating new ways of doing things. If you obsess over the details, this job might be a good fit for you.
• We work on complex projects and are sticklers for good quality modeling and drawing. You should be a technical person who is comfortable across an array of software, with specific working knowledge of Autodesk Revit. Considerable Revit experience is a big asset.
• You should be comfortable learning and designing new ways of working. “This is just how we do things” is not a statement you will hear while working with us. We will challenge you to think differently about how you work and we want you to do the same for us.

You should be organized

• We are looking for someone who has experience managing all aspects of a project. You don’t need to know everything, but you should aspire to be the most knowledgeable person on your project.
• We are a small team and we each juggle several active projects. It is critical that we all have strong time-management skills and communicate deliverables clearly to our colleagues, clients and our consultant teams.
• We believe that good organizational systems are key to us being effective Project Managers. We have put a lot of thought into how we get things done. You should be someone who cares about your work, but also how you do your work.

You should be self-motivated

• Most businesses began working remotely during the Covid-19 pandemic. We were no different and we have maintained a hybrid work arrangement ever since. This flexibility means that we rely on our team to be responsible for motivating themselves to push projects forward.
• We want our team to be the best it can be, and are committed to training our team to be better architects. A small firm is a great opportunity to get one-on-one time with the firm leaders and to increase your knowledge and responsibility far beyond what you would get in a larger firm. However, this only works if you are someone who is comfortable asking questions and continually learning new things.
• We require all team members to be analytical thinkers who are “comfortable being uncomfortable”. Most of our projects require problem solving and subject-matter in which you are not an expert. You should be motivated to push yourself to fully understand your project and learn from the team..

You should be nice!

• As a small team, it is critically important that we find candidates who have the right skills, experience and goals, but also the right personality. We take our work very seriously, but we don’t take ourselves too seriously. Work can be intense, but should never be too stressful. You should be someone who can balance the intensity of the work but can also have a good time.
• We aspire to work with nice clients and nice consultants. We want to surround ourselves with people who we enjoy spending time with, as projects can last many months to years. We have a strict policy against aggressive or rude behavior from our team or from anyone we work with.
  

Application

Please send a resume and portfolio of your recent work to hiring@sectionarchitects.com. Initial interviews will be conducted virtually, however we may elect to meet in person for subsequent interviews if the process is going well.

We look forward to meeting you!

Last Updated Date: 2024/Jul/22