Staff Architect

Job Description

Staff Architect - (2400001I)
Job Summary

Towson University (TU) is one of the nation’s top 100 public universities. Located north of Baltimore, TU currently enrolls more than 19,000 students and is the second-largest university in the prestigious University System of Maryland. Towson University values diversity and fosters a climate that is grounded in respect and inclusion to cultivate the intellectual and personal growth of the entire university community.

The Staff Architect supports the design and construction process for new and renovated buildings on campus while assisting OFM Planning, Operations and Maintenance, Sustainability Services and Energy & Utility Services to develop campus projects as well as develop and manage university design & construction standards. This role acts as ADA liaison with Compliance Department for Facilities Management. Additional assistance, as requested, with campus planning, capital budget preparation, and development/review of planning programs for projects as needed. Telework may be available for this position up to two days per week following the completion of 90 days of service in good standing.

Responsibilities and Duties

Assists with architectural design and construction efforts for campus improvement projects including consultant selection and fee negotiation, review of consultant’s design submissions, and development of in-house budgets and scopes of work. Provides support to PMs and input through design phases, bidding, & construction along with Associate Director of Construction, Assistant Director of Engineering, and Directors of D&C, Planning, O&M and other entities as needed. Assists D&C Project Managers with review of submittals, RFIs and contract change requests.
Responsible for developing, recording, and updating as needed the university's design & construction standards. Consults with other Facilities staff to develop standards for materials and best practices for design and construction.
Assist OFM Planning, O&M and Construction Services to develop scope of work and budgets for campus projects. Work with OFM Planning, Construction Services, Campus Projects, and O&M to develop plans, programs, budgets, & construction strategies to ensure a successful outcome. Assists with oversight of design process with UMB project managers and Construction Services project managers.
ADA liaison for Facilities Management. Responds to requests for information, updates documents as needed, submits forms and Access MD grant requests. Works with the campus ADA Compliance officer to develop and maintain the campus ADA Transition Plan.
Participate in Capital project procurement. Assists with the development and submission of the RFP requirements for the design of Capital projects including prerequisite criteria, project overview, identifying established and agreed to budgets, design schedules and required disciplines.
Participates in the A/E & CM selection process with UMB procurement including technical proposal evaluations, oral interview evaluations and fee negotiations. Coordinates and schedules UMB/ A/E selection meetings for Construction Services staff participation.
Coordinates with the assigned Construction Services Project Manager for required documentation for A/E procurement. Assists with the procurement of construction managers & contractors.
Provides in house design services to support in house projects implemented by Renovation Services group.

Qualifications and Skills

Bachelor's Degree and a minimum of four years related work experience.
Preferred Qualifications

Licensed Architect in the State of MD.
Professional degree in architecture, 4+ years of experience with planning, design, construction, & operations, preferably in a public university setting.
Ability to run teams in house and contracted that can develop and deliver designs resulting in on time and on budget projects. LEED accreditation preferred.
Excellent analytical, writing and communication skills are necessary to communicate between customer, contractors, and FM personnel.
Ability to work independently and be a team leader when needed. General knowledge of construction, architecture, planning and contracting.
Demonstrated ability to review and comment on building designs for university use.

Salary and Benefits

Salary beginning at $90,000, salary commensurate on experience, and full University benefits that include 22 days of annual leave, up to 15 holidays, personal and sick days; excellent health, life, and retirement plans; and tuition remission. To learn more about our benefits, click here. TU also offers a variety of great perks and discounts, which can be found here.

The safety of our students, faculty, staff, and neighbors has been our top priority and the focus of every one of our decisions since the earliest days of the COVID-19 pandemic. Therefore, the University System of Maryland (USM) has strongly encouraged full COVID vaccination and up-to-date booster shots (when eligible) for all faculty, staff, and students at all schools in the USM as both a reasonable and necessary means of protecting our health and safety.