Firm:  Shelterwerk Architecture & Design
Location:  Oakland, CA — 1904 Franklin Street
Employment Type:  Full-Time
Work Format:  Hybrid — in-office Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays
Salary Range:  $85,000 – $110,000 annually, based on experience

About Shelterwerk

Shelterwerk is a small architecture and design studio based in Oakland. We work across a deliberately varied portfolio — public projects for the State of California, commercial tenant improvements, residential renovations and additions, and ADU and infill housing throughout the East Bay. Because we are small, our staff stay with projects from concept through construction rather than being siloed into a single phase. If you want to understand how a building actually gets built and permitted, not just how it gets drawn, this is a good place to do it.

About the Role

The Intermediate Designer/Architect sits between junior staff and firm leadership. You will work independently on defined project phases under the direction of a Senior Designer/Architect or Principal. This role frequently becomes a core production position — strong enough to run construction documents and coordinate consultants, while continuing to develop design skills with senior guidance.

Responsibilities

• Contribute to design development and help translate concepts into buildable designs
• Produce and coordinate construction documents and technical drawings
• Build 3D models and prepare presentation renderings for client review
• Coordinate with structural, MEP, and civil consultants on document integration
• Track plan check comments and manage permit and approval documentation
• Apply the California Building Code and zoning requirements under senior guidance
• Lead client meetings under senior guidance

Qualifications

• Typically four to eight (4–8) years of professional experience
• Actively pursuing or currently holding architectural licensure
• Architecture degree (typically M.Arch or B.Arch)
• Proficiency in Revit, AutoCAD, and/or SketchUp; familiarity with Rhino, Grasshopper, or similar computational tools is a plus
• Familiarity with Adobe Creative Suite
• Working knowledge of building codes, zoning, and accessibility standards (CBC Chapter 11B / ADA)
• Demonstrated experience preparing and coordinating construction document sets
• Ability to manage multiple project deadlines with moderate supervision
• Strong verbal and written communication skills
• Must be legally eligible to work in the United States
• Valid California driver’s license preferred for site visits and field measurements

Additional Details

Occasional travel to project sites, including out-of-state, may be required. Site visits may involve walking uneven terrain, climbing ladders, and wearing personal protective equipment.

Benefits

Shelterwerk offers profit-sharing to all full-time employees.

• Health coverage
• PTO
• AXP hour documentation
• Mentorship
• Continuing education

How to Apply

Please send a résumé and portfolio (PDF, 10MB max) to admin@shelterwerk.com with “Intermediate Designer/Architect” in the subject line. Portfolios demonstrating construction documentation experience alongside design work are especially welcome.

Shelterwerk is an equal opportunity employer. We welcome applicants of all backgrounds and do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, disability, age, or veteran status.

Firm:  Shelterwerk Architecture & Design
Location:  Oakland, CA — 1904 Franklin Street
Employment Type:  Full-Time
Work Format:  Hybrid — in-office Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, with flexibility around project demands
Salary Range:  $120,000 – $180,000 annually, commensurate with experience

About Shelterwerk

Shelterwerk is a small architecture and design studio based in Oakland. We work across a deliberately varied portfolio — public projects for the State of California, commercial tenant improvements, residential renovations and additions, and ADU and infill housing throughout the East Bay. A studio this size means senior staff actually lead: you will own client relationships, set design direction, and carry projects through permitting and construction rather than handing them off.

About the Role

The Senior Designer/Architect operates with substantial autonomy, leading projects from pre-design through construction administration and serving as the firm’s primary point of contact for clients, consultants, and agencies. The role remains hands-on and contributes to production as the work requires, but production is not its focus. Its focus is leadership: setting and defending design direction, resolving code and regulatory questions authoritatively, managing scope, schedule, and fee, and developing the junior and intermediate staff who work alongside you.

This position is intentionally broad at the upper end. It suits architects with a decade of experience as readily as those with thirty years of practice, and the balance of design leadership, technical authority, and staff development can be shaped around the strengths you bring.

Responsibilities

• Lead projects from pre-design through construction administration with minimal oversight
• Serve as the primary client contact; manage expectations, scope, schedule, and budget
• Establish and maintain design direction, and defend that direction to clients and reviewing agencies
• Interpret and apply building codes independently, including the California Building Code, California Fire Code, Title 24, CALGreen, and CBC Chapter 11B accessibility requirements
• Represent the firm in plan check, agency review, and negotiations with authorities having jurisdiction
• Select, contract with, and coordinate structural, MEP, civil, and specialty consultants
• Perform quality control review of drawing sets prior to issuance; own document integration across disciplines
• Seal and sign construction documents as the architect of record where appropriate
• Conduct construction administration: submittal and RFI review, site observation, change order evaluation, and closeout
• Prepare and negotiate proposals and fee estimates; monitor project profitability and staffing
• Supervise, mentor, and review the work of junior and intermediate design staff, including AXP supervision
• Contribute to firm standards, business development, and client relationships

Qualifications

• Typically ten (10) or more years of professional experience; candidates with substantially more experience are encouraged to apply
• Current California architectural license in good standing preferred
• Architecture degree (typically M.Arch or B.Arch)
• Authoritative working knowledge of the California Building Code, California Fire Code, Title 24, CALGreen, accessibility standards, and local zoning ordinances
• Demonstrated record of leading projects through permitting with California authorities having jurisdiction; experience with DSA, HCAI, or State Fire Marshal review is a plus
• Proficiency in Revit and/or AutoCAD preferred; working familiarity with SketchUp, Rhino, and Adobe Creative Suite preferred
• Experience preparing fee proposals and managing project budgets against actual hours
• Demonstrated experience supervising, mentoring, and developing design staff
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills; comfortable leading client, consultant, and agency meetings independently
• Ability to manage multiple concurrent projects and competing deadlines with minimal supervision
• Must be legally eligible to work in the United States
• Valid California driver’s license required for site visits and construction administration

Additional Details

Regular travel to job sites for construction observation, field measurements, and coordination visits is required, including occasional out-of-state travel. Site visits may involve walking uneven or unfinished terrain, climbing ladders, and wearing personal protective equipment.

Benefits

Shelterwerk offers profit-sharing to all full-time employees.

• Health coverage

• PTO

• AIA dues

• Continuing education

• Retirement plan

How to Apply

Please send a résumé and portfolio (PDF, 10MB max) to admin@shelterwerk.com with “Senior Designer/Architect” in the subject line. We are especially interested in hearing about projects you carried from first client conversation through construction — including the ones that got complicated.

Shelterwerk is an equal opportunity employer. We welcome applicants of all backgrounds and do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, disability, age, or veteran status.

Firm:  Shelterwerk Architecture & Design
Location:  Oakland, CA — 1904 Franklin Street
Employment Type:  [Full-Time / Part-Time / Internship]
Work Format:  In-office
Compensation:  $30 – $50 per hour, based on experience

About Shelterwerk

Shelterwerk is a small architecture and design studio based in Oakland. Our work spans public projects for the State of California, commercial tenant improvements, residential renovations, and ADU and infill housing across the East Bay. In a studio this size, junior staff are not parked on a single task — you will attend client meetings, contribute across multiple project phases, and follow projects from concept through completion. It is a hands-on way to learn how design decisions become buildable construction.

About the Role

The Junior Designer/Intern works under close supervision, with a primary focus on learning firm workflows, drawing standards, and how design intent translates into documented, permittable construction. This position is well suited to a recent graduate, a designer working toward licensure, or a student seeking substantive practice experience.

Responsibilities

• Assist architects, designers, and studio staff across active projects
• Build digital models and produce renderings for presentations
• Assist in preparing construction documentation
• Research building materials, codes, zoning, and construction methods
• Support site analysis, field measurements, and feasibility studies
• Assist with material selections, finishes, and client presentation boards
• Incorporate design review feedback into updated drawings and models
• Attend virtual and in-person client and team meetings
• Help keep the studio organized; occasional office errands

Qualifications

Prior experience in the areas below is preferred. Willingness and ability to learn the remaining areas within the first 90 days is expected.

• Typically fewer than four (4) years of professional experience
• Degree, or coursework in progress, in architecture or a related field
• Working proficiency in Revit, AutoCAD, and/or SketchUp
• Basic familiarity with Adobe Creative Suite and Microsoft Office 365
• Comfortable working on a PC platform (our studio is not Mac-based)
• Willingness to learn the California Building Code, zoning, and accessibility standards
• Strong attention to detail and ability to follow direction
• Good written communication skills
• Must be legally eligible to work in the United States

Additional Details

This is an in-office position and is not eligible for remote work, given the level of in-person mentorship involved. Occasional travel to job sites for field measurements, accompanied by senior staff, is required and may include out-of-state travel. Site visits may involve walking uneven terrain, climbing ladders, and wearing personal protective equipment.

Benefits

Shelterwerk offers profit-sharing to all full-time employees.

• Health coverage
• PTO
• AXP hour documentation
• Mentorship
• Continuing education

How to Apply

Please send a résumé and portfolio or work samples (PDF, 10MB max) to admin@shelterwerk.com with “Junior Designer/Intern” in the subject line. We are glad to see academic work — tell us what you were solving for.

Shelterwerk is an equal opportunity employer. We welcome applicants of all backgrounds and do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, disability, age, or veteran status.