Careers at Virginia Tech

The Community Design Assistance Center (CDAC), an outreach center in the College of Architecture, Arts, and Design (AAD), invites applications for an architectural designer to join our team as a non-tenure track, restricted, Administrative and Professional (A/P) faculty position. Reporting to the Director and in collaboration with the Director and Project Manager, the primary role of the architectural designer is to work as a member of a project team alongside student employees to create conceptual architectural designs for communities.
The architectural designer plays a key role in supporting community-driven projects through design development, visualization, and community engagement. This role offers a unique opportunity to work on impactful, community-driven projects while gaining hands-on experience in architectural design and stakeholder engagement. As part of an interdisciplinary team, you will contribute to projects that shape the built environment and directly benefit local communities.
Job Description:

This position creates conceptual architectural designs and site plans of varying scales supplemented by perspectives, cross-sections, physical models, animation walk-throughs, helps prepare for and present at community meetings, helps prepare project reports, and provides guidance to student employees on design projects. This position involves collaboration with interdisciplinary teams of faculty and students and works directly with stakeholders, contributing to address real-world challenges in urban planning, historic preservation, and sustainable development.

This position will serve as the main point of contact within CDAC to address IT issues and coordinate with AAD IT as needed.
Additional responsibilities may include assisting with special projects, initiatives, or other duties as needed including aiding project investigation, project team selection, strategic planning, and advancement efforts.

A successful candidate will be team-oriented with the ability to work independently; be able to prioritize and manage multiple projects and deadlines; have strong interpersonal, verbal, and written communication skills; be detail oriented; and be willing to travel on a regular basis for project work and periodic conferences, some of which require weekend, evening, and overnight travel.

About CDAC:

The Community Design Assistance Center is an outreach center within the College of Architecture, Arts, and Design. The CDAC provides conceptual level design assistance to non-profit organizations, community groups, and government agencies in the areas of landscape architecture, architecture, and interior design. The participatory design process paired with the creative ideas of student and staff employees helps communities transform their ideas into graphic form.  The process also builds community capacity and positions the community to leverage funding for next steps.

- Master's degree in architecture with experience or B. S. degree in architecture with experience commensurate to an advanced degree.
- Practical, applied knowledge of the architectural design process
- Intermediate proficiency in Revit, AutoCAD, Rhino, SketchUp, Adobe Creative Suite, and rendering software such as Enscape and Lumion
- Experience in creating physical models, 3D renderings, and animation walkthroughs
- Reliable internet access for remote work to perform the essential functions of this position on an as-needed basis

- Familiarity with sustainable design principles and historic preservation strategies
- Proficiency with GIS
- Experience organizing and facilitating community meetings

For full consideration, applicants are asked to submit the following:

• One-page cover letter
• Current resume
• Digital portfolio of design work (up to 10 pages)
• Three professional references

Restricted

Salary range is $60,000 - $65,000 per year

March 5, 2025 - candidate review will begin on this date and continue until the position is filled

Interested candidates must have a valid US driver's license.  The position will require driving, physical demands such as walking and navigating uneven terrain, and working with environmental hazards such as periodically working outside in the elements. 

The successful candidate will be required to have a driving and criminal conviction check.

Dedicated to its motto, Ut Prosim (That I May Serve), Virginia Tech pushes the boundaries of knowledge by taking a hands-on, transdisciplinary approach to preparing scholars to be leaders and problem-solvers. A comprehensive land-grant institution that enhances the quality of life in Virginia and throughout the world, Virginia Tech is an inclusive community dedicated to knowledge, discovery, and creativity. The university offers more than 280 majors to a diverse enrollment of more than 36,000 undergraduate, graduate, and professional students in eight undergraduate colleges, a school of medicine, a veterinary medicine college, Graduate School, and Honors College. The university has a significant presence across Virginia, including the Innovation Campus in Northern Virginia; the Health Sciences and Technology Campus in Roanoke; sites in Newport News and Richmond; and numerous Extension offices and research centers. A leading global research institution, Virginia Tech conducts more than $500 million in research annually.

Virginia Tech endorses and encourages participation in professional development opportunities and university shared governance.  These valuable contributions to university shared governance provide important representation and perspective, along with opportunities for unique and impactful professional development.