Overview:
HKS is seeking an experienced Impact Fellow to join our team.
This is a vital global strategic design role focused on influencing, elevating, amplifying, and advancing high-performance, sustainable, healthy, regenerative and equitable design on all HKS projects. This leadership role will work directly with HKS CEO, Chief Design Officer, Chief Process Officer, Chief Sustainability Officer, Global Sector Directors for Innovation and HUB, firmwide design and technical leadership, DesignGreen team, and subject experts across HKS to accelerate and amplify the holistic quality of HKS design solutions. It is project focused, process rooted, and outcome based.
The Impact Fellow for Regenerative Design role is currently anticipated to have a timeframe of 3-years and will have considerable authority and access to firm resources to influence design culture and amplify design impact.
The Impact Fellow for Regenerative Design will develop and implement a global strategy to engage firm, design, and project leadership in a way that enhances HKS design solutions so that outcomes are grounded in systems thinking, creating harmony between the built and natural environments. The needs of all stakeholders are respected. A key measure of success will be to generate, influence and grow a design ethos that embraces resilience, integration, humility, innovation, sustainability, joy, and abundance intrinsic to relevant, beautiful architectural design solutions in the 21st century.
This design role will exercise independent action in the creation, evaluation, selection, and use of design methodologies, techniques, and building science for integrative process, technical implementation, and high-performance outcomes to expand and accelerate the design objectives of HKS. The Impact Fellow will work with the team to identify barriers and creatively solve problems when encountered. Possesses and applies a broad knowledge of sustainable, high-performance building design principles, practices, and procedures with originality, ingenuity, innovation, impact, inclusion, and an expressive respect for beauty.
Responsibilities:
- Works directly with Director of Integration and coordinate with HKS CEO, Chief Design Officer, Chief Process Officer, Chief Sustainability Officer, Global Sector Director for Innovation and HUB, firmwide design leadership, the HKS Design Green team, and subject experts across HKS to accelerate the holistic quality of HKS design solutions.
- Functions as part of the DesignGreen Team within the Innovation Sector.
- Engages HKS Strategic Leadership Team to identify opportunities, create strategy and to effectively implement design thinking.
- Advocates for a design culture of exploration, curiosity, excellence, continual improvement, and high-performance in a way that accelerates holistic design excellence.
- Performs responsibilities to creatively engage project teams as a design leader to create, evaluate, select, and use design methodologies, techniques, and building science for integrative process, technical implementation and high-performance outcomes to accelerate the design objectives of HKS.
- Collaborates in project integrative process and workshops including team member coordination, research and development, identification of sustainable/high-performance project goals and strategies.
- Identifies key blockers that get in the way of seamless integration of sustainability and resilience principles into project design.
- Successfully guides selected projects toward exemplary outcomes such as net-zero, living building, carbon neutral, ecologically regenerative and restorative.
- Coordinates technical and analytic needs with DesignGreen, Facades Studio, Technical Resources Group (TRG) services and Building Engineering Physics.
- Assists in the preparation of proposals for HKS internal and stand-alone external project services.
- Develops and delivers project outcomes that align with strategic firm objectives.
- Engages and supports geographic offices delivering objectives and align with design, research and process enterprise objectives.
- Carries out or assists with specialized research activities.
- Participates in client interactions including the preparation of presentations and with project team presents design concepts.
- Maintains open communication with client and may provide guidance through projects.
- Maintains awareness of risk management for potential project issues and involves PIC/PM if needed.
- Participates in team meetings.
- May attend on-site visits, field reviews and project meetings and document as needed.
- Assists in developing and maintaining excellent relationships with existing and potential clients through project work.
- Assists in production of marketing presentations and in preparing project proposal for HKS project services. Participation in interviews is expected.
- Participates with civic, community and industry professional organizations with commitment and professional integrity.
Qualifications:
- Strong design portfolio. Award winning architectural design experience is preferred.
- Project experience with high-performance design as demonstrated by verified and published projects.
- Strong presentation skills.
- Accredited professional degree in Architecture, Engineering, or Sustainable Design; advanced degree preferred.
- Professional licensure in architecture or related field preferred.
- Typically, 15+ years of experience.
- Sustainable design accreditation preferred.
- Knowledge of QA/QC and specification process.
- Knowledge of building codes and ability to research and apply/incorporate into technical documents.
- Ability to maintain existing client relationships and build new client relationships.
- Ability to communicate and present ideas in a clear, concise and professional manner graphically, verbally and in writing.
- Ability to problem solve and apply innovative solutions.
- Ability to work and collaborate in a team environment.
- Ability to work on multiple projects at the same time.
- Ability to effectively meet deadlines at expected quality.
The information contained in this job description is intended to serve as a minimum requirement and guideline — not as a guarantee — for promotion to this level. Some additional criteria, qualifications or expectations may be required.
Base Salary Range: $120k - $150k annually – Chicago, Denver, Los Angeles, San Diego, San Francisco, Seattle, New York, and Washington D.C. locations only.
Factors that may be used to determine your actual salary may include internal equity, experience, education, specialty, and training.
HKS offers a comprehensive total compensation & benefits package with health, dental, and vision care coverage, 401(k) plans, life & AD&D insurance, short/long term disability plans, paid days off (sick leave, parental leave, vacation), and much more for benefits-eligible employees. To learn more about our benefits visit this page.
Application Deadline: 04/01/2025.
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If you currently work for HKS, please submit your application via the Internal Careers Portal.
HKS is an EEO/AA Employer: M/F/Disabled/Veteran.