Senior Architectural Specifications

Kinetic Design + Development•Springfield, MO

11d•Hybrid

About The Position

Kinetic Design + Development is seeking a Senior Architectural Specifications Writer to join their team. This role is ideal for a specifications writer who excels in both the creative and technical aspects of the architectural process. The position is available as hybrid, remote, or in-office, depending on the candidate's location. The successful candidate will translate design intent, materials, building systems, and performance requirements into clear, coordinated specifications. This role involves working closely with architects, designers, consultants, and technical leads to identify gaps, resolve technical challenges, and ensure alignment between written documents and drawings. Beyond project-specific tasks, this position will contribute to firm-wide improvements in specifications practices, including enhancing the master specification library, developing standards, and refining workflows to reduce risk, improve quality, and increase team effectiveness.

Requirements

Significant experience preparing architectural specifications and coordinating construction documents.
5+ years of experience in architecture, construction, engineering, or a related technical field preferred.
Strong knowledge of building materials, assemblies, construction methods, and industry standards.
Ability to read and understand construction documents and technical details.
Experience coordinating specifications across architectural, interiors, and consultant documentation.
Understanding of general project requirements, including bidding, payment, performance, and closeout.
Experience with specification-writing and document-management tools, preferably including web-based platforms such as Deltek Specpoint.
Strong written communication, organization, judgment, and follow-through.
Proven ability to identify inconsistencies, coordination gaps, constructability concerns, and technical risks.

Nice To Haves

CSI certification such as CCS (Certified Construction Specifier) is strongly valued.
Architectural licensure is beneficial, but not required unless responsibilities expand into work requiring professional licensure.

Responsibilities

Lead the preparation, editing, coordination, and issuance of project specifications from design development through construction documents.
Translate design intent, material selections, building systems, project conditions, and regulatory requirements into clear, enforceable specifications.
Research products, materials, assemblies, manufacturers, codes, reference standards, and construction methods to support project requirements.
Coordinate specifications with drawings, schedules, details, consultant documents, and other contract documents.
Identify incomplete, conflicting, ambiguous, or high-risk technical requirements before documents are issued.
Partner with Design Managers, Account Managers, project architects, interior designers, Design Coordinators, technical leads, and consultants throughout documentation.
Coordinate requirements across architectural, interiors, structural, MEP, civil, and specialty consultant scopes as appropriate.
Participate in milestone reviews with a focus on specification-to-drawing coordination and technical quality.
Support teams in determining when performance, proprietary, reference-standard, or other specification approaches are appropriate.
Support bidding and construction by interpreting specification requirements and assisting with substitutions, product equivalencies, RFIs, and submittals when expertise is needed.
Capture construction-phase lessons learned and use them to improve future specifications and firm standards.
Identify recurring documentation issues that contribute to RFIs, substitutions, change orders, or construction risk, and recommend systemic improvements.
Own and continuously improve Kinetic’s master specification library, templates, and specification workflows.
Develop scalable standards for both repeatable Corporate programs and custom Flex projects.
Partner with technical and operations leadership to improve coordination between specifications, Revit standards, details, schedules, and other documentation systems.
Build practical processes that reduce duplicated research and specification effort across projects.
Serve as a firm-wide resource for specification, product, material, and construction documentation questions.
Coach project teams on effective specification practices and the relationship between drawings and specifications.
Develop tools, examples, and training that strengthen technical competency across the firm.
Mentor developing team members interested in specifications and technical architecture.
Help establish clear responsibility boundaries between the specification writer and project technical leads so specification quality remains a shared project responsibility.

Benefits

FLEX FRIDAYS: Our standard workweek is Monday through Thursday. Need to shift a day for life stuff? No problem! Swap a weekday with Friday if/when needed.
Comprehensive health benefits
Flexible working arrangements
Opportunities for internal advancement and career development
Relaxed office environment with “smart casual” dress code
Monthly company sponsored events
Monday Morning Breakfasts
Frequent Lunches
PTO & paid company holidays (Including the entire week between Christmas and New Year!)
Traditional & Roth 401k with a 3.5% company match
Daily Snack Cart