Senior Life Sciences Architect

GBA Team•Lenexa, KS

22h•Hybrid

About The Position

Lead with Expertise. Deliver Complex Life Sciences Facilities. At GBA, we design complex environments that support innovation in life sciences. Our team of architects, engineers, and technical specialists delivers integrated solutions for pharmaceutical manufacturing, biotechnology, cell and gene therapy, and laboratory facilities across the country. We are seeking a Senior Architect to serve as the lead on medium to large-scale multidisciplinary life sciences projects. This role carries full team leadership accountability – organizing, directing, and mentoring an internal team of architects while managing scope, schedule, and quality from programming through construction administration. This position serves as the primary architectural integration point across all disciplines, coordinating directly with process architects, process engineers, clean utility designers, and MEP engineers to deliver cohesive, conflict-free construction documents. Projects span the full biopharma spectrum – from greenfield commercial manufacturing campuses to cell and gene therapy suites, CDMO facilities, and complex mixed-use life sciences buildings. The ideal candidate brings deep cGMP facility expertise, proven team leadership experience, and the confidence to drive integrated design decisions at the highest levels of complexity in the life sciences A&E market.

Requirements

Licensed Architect (RA) in good standing.
Bachelor's or Master's Degree in Architecture (B.Arch or M.Arch) from a NAAB-accredited institution.
12+ years of professional architectural experience, with at least 6 years focused on life sciences, biopharmaceutical, or regulated laboratory facility design.
Demonstrated experience leading and directing architectural teams on complex, multidisciplinary projects – including task delegation, drawing production oversight, QC review, and staff development.
Deep, hands-on knowledge of cGMP facility design, cleanroom ISO classification requirements, pharmaceutical manufacturing workflows, and regulatory compliance expectations.
Proven ability to coordinate architectural design with process architects, process engineers, and MEP disciplines in a BIM-driven project delivery environment.
Proficiency in Revit; working knowledge of Bluebeam Revu, Navisworks, AutoCAD, and MS Office Suite.
Ability to manage architectural scope within defined fee budgets and support project managers in tracking discipline-level progress and budget burn.
Strong communication and presentation skills, with the ability to address technical and executive-level audiences with equal confidence.
Experience designing or leading the design of GMP manufacturing facilities, including biologics, small molecule API, finished dose, and advanced therapy manufacturing environments.
Experience with cleanroom envelope design and cGMP-compliant material and finish selection.
Experience coordinating architectural scope across concurrent disciplines, including process architecture, process engineering, structural, and MEP systems.

Responsibilities

Serve as the primary architectural point of contact for clients and internal project teams.
Manage project delivery through programming, conceptual design, schematic design, design development, construction documents, bidding, and construction administration.
Organize, direct, and mentor an internal team of architects and architectural designers, including task assignment, workload balancing, drawing production oversight, and staff development.
Coordinate architectural design with process architects, process engineers, structural engineers, clean utility designers, and MEP disciplines to ensure integrated, conflict-free construction documents.
Lead multidiscipline design coordination meetings, including BIM/Revit clash detection reviews, discipline lead coordination calls, and client design review sessions.
Develop and enforce cleanroom design standards including ISO classification zoning, pressure cascade strategies, personnel and material flow, gowning room adjacencies, and cGMP-compliant room finishes and detailing.
Interface directly with clients at design review milestones, presenting architectural intent, resolving design comments, and managing expectations relative to schedule and budget.
Review and approve all architectural deliverables produced by the team for technical accuracy, code compliance, and adherence to GBA quality standards prior to client submission.
Manage architectural design to applicable codes, including IBC, IFC, NFPA, ADA, and life sciences standards, including FDA cGMP guidelines, ISPE Baseline Guides, and EU Annex 1, where applicable.
Participate in constructability reviews, respond to RFIs, and review architectural submittals to ensure design intent is maintained through construction.
Contribute to business development activities, including proposal support, client presentations, and facility assessments.
Other duties as assigned.