Senior Architect

State of North Carolina•Wake Forest, NC

7d•$79,708 - $117,465•Onsite

About The Position

The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) is seeking a Senior Architect to manage the design, bidding, and construction of multi-million dollar capital improvement building projects. This role involves ensuring projects meet departmental needs and stay within budget, assisting in developing program requirements, reviewing architectural and engineering details, and verifying information through site visits and phone calls. The position also involves verifying the need for change orders and scope increases before funding approval. Additionally, the architect will assist in preparing cost estimates (OC-25s) for capital improvements, focusing on understanding current and future needs of statewide facilities. The role includes architectural design for smaller capital projects (under $500,000) that do not require the state Building Commission's designer selection process, supplementing external design capacity and potentially saving on design fees. Performing site visits and facility assessments to determine needs and priorities for capital improvements is crucial, serving as a prerequisite for budget requests and verification for state budget and legislative committees. The architect will also assist in developing and updating master plans for statewide institutions, ensuring proper implementation, and providing space planning consultation to departmental divisions. Finally, the role involves assisting in specialized studies, such as facility needs for psychiatric hospitals, and verifying information for emergency declarations by the Secretary of DHHS.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree in architecture or an engineering discipline related to the area of assignment from an appropriately accredited institution and three years of experience as a registered architect
OR An equivalent combination of training and directly related experience

Nice To Haves

Thorough knowledge of architectural and design principles, practices, theories, and related materials, construction techniques, codes, standards, and applicable laws and ordinances
Working knowledge of building codes for I2 Healthcare facilities preferred
Ability to architecturally review consultant designs and interpret all associated plans, codes, and specifications
Ability to conceive design solutions, estimate costs, schedule and coordinate projects, and direct, review, and evaluate the technical work of others
Ability to design and prepare AutoCAD construction documents for smaller projects, manage the approval process with the NC State Construction Office, and oversee bidding, construction administration, and project closeout
Strong communication skills
Ability to build effective working relationships
Possession of a bachelor’s degree in an architectural discipline plus three years of experience as a registered architect (or an equivalent combination of training and directly related experience)

Responsibilities

Project management of the design, bidding, and construction of multi-discipline architectural and engineering and multi-million dollar capital improvement building projects to assure that they are properly designed to meet the department’s needs and within the available funds.
Assisting in developing program requirements, checking architectural and engineering details and specifications, reviewing files and verifying information through site visits and phone conversations.
Verifying the need for change orders and increases in scope, which may be required before funding can be approved.
Assist in the preparation of OC-25s, which are cost estimates required for funding capital improvements.
Understanding current and future needs of assigned departmental statewide facilities.
Architectural design of smaller capital projects typically valued at less than $500,000 which do not have to go through the designer selection process required by the State Building Commission.
Supplementing design capacity and providing the ability to respond more quickly to needs once they are identified as well as to save the Department of Health and Human Services money on design fees.
Perform site visits and facility assessments to determine the needs and priorities for capital improvements.
Site visits will be prerequisites to the submission of budget requests to verify our priority of requests and to answer any questions posed by the Office of State Budget and Management or the Joint Legislative Committee on Governmental Operations.
Assist the Chief of Facilities Planning and Architectural Services in developing new and updating existing master plans for departmental statewide institutions and following-up on master plans to ensure that they are being properly implemented.
Assist in space planning for departmental divisions and provide consultation to the divisions as needed to address any space and property issues.
Assist the Chief of Facilities Planning and Architectural Services in specialized studies such as the extended study of facilities needs of psychiatric hospitals and other specialized assignments for the department.
Assist the Chief of Facilities Planning and Architectural Services in verifying information for the declaration of emergency situations by the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services.