Job Captain: Commercial Architecture

Board & Vellum is an engaged group of design professionals, collaborating on single‑family, multifamily, commercial, and civic projects. Creating spaces and communities people love is why we get up in the morning. With architecture, interior design, and landscape architecture teams in‑house, we thrive on building integrated teams to design and deliver beautiful, thoughtful projects.

We believe in building stories, not just spaces. Our work is deeply rooted in creating environments that connect with the people who experience them. At Board & Vellum, you’ll find a supportive team that values collaboration, humor, and the joy of great design. We offer competitive pay, benefits, and a flexible work environment. You’ll also have opportunities for professional growth and mentorship as part of a team that celebrates curiosity and learning.

If this sounds like your next chapter, you just may be a great fit for our team. Open positions are listed below. For each, please consider the General Qualifications, as well as the role‑specific qualifications included in each open job listing. We can’t wait to meet you and see how your skills and passion will contribute to the Board & Vellum story.

General Qualifications

Bachelor or Master of Architecture, or commensurate working experience in the industry.

Experience with Built Green, Passive House, or other sustainable practices earns bonus points.

Proficiency in Revit, AutoCAD, SketchUp, Adobe Creative Suite (especially InDesign), and Microsoft Office, along with a general comfort with technology.

Excellent written and verbal communication skills.

Well-honed graphic presentation and visual communication skills.

Desire to be involved in every phase of projects.

Proactive, engaged, and able to handle multiple projects and tasks.

Passionate about asking questions and engaging in critique.

Dedicated to a practice of constant learning and continuing education.

Ability to thrive in a collaborative, cross-disciplinary, creative environment.

Let’s get into the details.

We value flexible working hours, treating each other with respect, having fun, bad jokes, and speaking in a language our clients can understand.

We offer competitive salary and benefits including medical, dental, vision, life, and disability insurance; paid professional memberships; 401k matching; paid time to volunteer in your community; four weeks of vacation; holiday and discretionary time; free ORCA pass; wellness reimbursement; and a bunch of damn great people to work with. Board & Vellum is a dog‑friendly office, and a non‑smoking environment.

Qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, or protected veteran status. Compensation will be commensurate with professional work experience. Our opportunities do not offer visa support.

Board & Vellum is looking for an awesome person to work with us as a job captain on commercial architecture projects. We’re seeking a designer who is passionate about creating spaces that tell a story, thrives while navigating complex design challenges, and turns these challenges into beautifully executed realities. Your experience will combine strong technical and design skills with high emotional intelligence — the ability to “read the room”, build trust, and guide clients and teammates toward great solutions. In our multidisciplinary firm, located in Seattle, Washington, you will work closely with other architects, interior designers, and landscape architects, bringing collaboration, creativity, and storytelling to projects large and small — including taking part in our open crit culture across other disciplines and sectors. Salary commensurate with experience, range: $85k‑$95k.

What You’ll Bring to the Team

Experience: 6–8 years of professional architectural experience with a degree in architecture.

Code & Jurisdiction: Ability to navigate commercial building codes for both existing and new construction across Seattle and Western Washington jurisdictions.

Technical Proficiency: Strong skills in Revit. Bonus points for familiarity with AutoCAD, SketchUp, Adobe Creative Suite, or Enscape.

Project Experience: A solid background working on a variety of commercial projects — ideally in Seattle. Hospitality experience is a plus.

Problem Solving: Excellent at identifying issues and developing effective, creative solutions.

Self-Starting: Highly organized, detail-oriented, and adept at driving projects forward independently, meeting deadlines, and delivering high-quality results.

Communication: Clear, confident communicator with strong emotional intelligence—skilled at reading situations and responding effectively to both clients and team members.

Collaboration: Experience working alongside interior designers and landscape architects to deliver cohesive, integrated projects.

Facilities & Pre-Leasing Expertise: Strength in supporting facilities improvements and management, and conducting pre-leasing studies.

Sketching Ability: Capable of producing quick conceptual sketches for idea generation and client communication.

What You’ll Do

Collaborate with multidisciplinary project teams to develop design concepts and documentation, ensuring alignment with client goals and project narratives.

Produce accurate, high-quality design documentation and technical drawings in Revit.

Take ownership of project deliverables, from early design through construction documentation and construction administration.

Apply code knowledge and jurisdictional expertise to guide design decisions and ensure compliance.

Work closely with project managers, consultants, and other team members to keep projects on track and on budget.

Provide facilities improvement and pre-leasing study support for clients.

Create quick conceptual sketches to help communicate and explore design ideas.

Participate in our collaborative studio culture where your ideas and expertise are valued.

We celebrate each person’s unique identity and understand the benefits of a diverse office. We strongly encourage all qualified individuals with the applicable skills and passion, regardless of background, identity, or lived experience, to apply.

To be considered for this position, please send a résumé and cover letter (we really read them), along with samples of your work to: [email protected].

Please, no phone calls regarding career opportunities.