Principal, NY Metro Transportation Chief Architect

Description

The company is hiring a principal and transportation chief architect for its New York Metro Buildings + Places leadership team. You will grow and lead the transportation architecture practice across the region, covering airports, rail and transit stations, and bus facilities.

The role sits within one of the largest multidisciplinary transportation design teams in the country, in one of the most complex and fast-changing markets in the world. The work focuses on resilient, equitable, people-focused mobility infrastructure.

The ideal candidate is an architect with strong technical knowledge of building systems and experience designing and delivering aviation, rail, light rail, and bus rapid transit facilities. You will lead a local team of architects, engineers, urban strategists, and specialty sub-consultants, and work alongside national and global experts.

The Buildings + Places group covers architecture, interiors, building engineering, workplace strategy, business transformation, asset advisory, economics and development planning, master planning, urban planning, and landscape architecture. Past work includes the London 2012 Olympic Park, the LA2028 Olympics plan, industrial sites for GE and Rolls-Royce, and headquarters for NASA, Unilever, Sony Music, DirecTV, and Box, Inc.

The company employs over 50,000 people and reported $16.1 billion in revenue for fiscal year 2025.

Responsibilities

• Grow and lead the transportation architecture practice in the New York Metro region.
• Lead a local multidisciplinary team of architects, engineers, urban strategists, and sub-consultants.
• Bring in national and global experts to help deliver efficient, equitable, and inspiring facilities.
• Guide design quality across airports, rail and transit stations, and bus facilities.

Requirements

• Minimum requirements: a bachelor's degree in architecture plus 12 years of progressive experience, including 4 years in leadership, in planning, designing, and delivering complex transportation facilities in the New York Metro market.
• Experience in at least one of: airports (passenger terminals, support and operations, landside and airside interfaces); transit and rail (stations, intermodal hubs, concourses, platform areas); or bus facilities (depots, maintenance facilities, BRT infrastructure and stations).
• Licensed architect (RA).
• Track record of leading large multidisciplinary teams on fast-paced programs with many stakeholders and delivery models such as DB, PDB, CM/GC, and CMAR.
• Proven success in client development, capture leadership, and winning major pursuits.
• Strong working knowledge of applicable codes, standards, and agency processes, such as IBC, ADA, and NFPA 130, plus familiarity with FAA and FTA guidance and regional agency requirements.
• History of delivering projects with high design quality, operational performance, safety, and user experience.
• Strong communication, negotiation, and presentation skills at executive and public forum levels.
• Experience with NY Metro agency clients is required.
• Preferred qualifications: a Master of Architecture.
• Preferred: 20 years of progressive experience leading planning, design, and delivery of complex transportation facilities in the New York Metro market.
• Preferred: recent work with PANYNJ, MTA, AMTRAK, NJT, and/or LIRR agencies.
• Preferred: New York State and New Jersey State RA licenses, or the ability to obtain either through reciprocity; NCARB certification is preferred.
• Preferred: LEED AP, ENV SP, or an equivalent sustainability credential.
• Preferred: experience working with major New York Metro transportation and aviation stakeholders in complex environments.
• Preferred: digital delivery expertise in BIM/Revit, AutoCAD, Navisworks, the Bentley/MicroStation family, and parametric tools, plus advanced coordination workflows.
• Preferred: background in progressive delivery preconstruction, bridging documents, and performance-based design criteria.
• Preferred: experience with wayfinding, passenger experience design, and terminal or station operational planning.
• Preferred: design/build experience. DBIA certification is a plus.
• Preferred: PMP certification is a plus.

Conditions

This posting is for a current vacancy, and the company intends to fill it no later than December 2, 2026.

No relocation support is offered for this role.

Sponsorship for US employment authorization is not available now or in the future for this position.

All new hires must attend an in-person Day 1 onboarding at a company office as a condition of employment.

The company is an equal opportunity employer and keeps all applicant information confidential under EEO guidelines.

Benefits

• Benefits vary by employment status and may include medical, dental, vision, life, AD&D, and disability coverage.
• Paid time off, leaves of absence, flexible work options, and well-being resources.
• Voluntary benefits, perks, an employee assistance program, business travel insurance, and service recognition awards.
• A retirement savings plan and an employee stock purchase plan.
• Training and development programs to build technical and leadership skills, plus access to advanced technology and a network of experts.