Senior Designer, Zoning Reform and Planning

As a Senior Designer on the Zoning Reform and Planning team, you are passionate about walkable, sustainable communities and the planning and urban design that makes them work. Being a highly motivated and inquisitive design enthusiast, you are energized by complex problem-solving with a creative team of urban designers and planners. Applying Opticos’ approach to zoning reform using form-based codes as the primary tool, you will be involved in long-range planning, planning and zoning review, design review, and code writing and the application of Missing Middle Housing. This role requires a high level of detail and technical expertise for the review, interpretation, and writing of local codes, ordinances, and plans to facilitate compact, walkable development, and effective graphic communication for clients and the public.

Responsibilities

• Job Captain: Assist with internal production management to plan, organize, direct and control projects, from initial RFP/RFQ, scope, schedule and budget development through conceptual design to project delivery, to provide well-designed, high-quality, timely and profitable results
• Learn best practices of Form-Based Codes and planning documents using Opticos’ approach and meeting Opticos’ quality standards
• Assist with and draft project deliverables, such as presentations, Specific Plans, Form-Based Codes, ODDS and other planning documents
• Uphold Opticos’ design excellence and participate in refining solutions
• Generate analyses of existing physical character, coordination of existing lot sizes with corresponding building types
• Prepare site plans and present 3D site visualizations and present site plans to illustrate potential outcomes of proposed standards
• Generate compelling diagrams and drawings that clearly illustrate planning and coding concepts in the Opticos style
• Write clear, concise and effective narrative text and policy for planning documents and deliverables such as our signature Missing Middle Housing Scan and Deep Dive
• Support Project Managers and other team members through timely, collaborative, and proactive communication about the status of assignments and ownership of tasks
• Manage time for accurate timesheets with daily record of assigned time spent by project and align tasks with team priorities to meet project goals, timelines, and deliverables
• Provide outstanding service and responsiveness to clients and vendors
• Assist with research and development projects
• Other duties as assigned

Qualifications and Experience

• Professional-level degree in Architecture or Urban Design and 5+ years’ related experience
• Strong design skills, with architecture background preferred
• Intermediate to advanced knowledge of GIS, Adobe InDesign, Photoshop, and Illustrator; SketchUp; VectorWorks; Microsoft Word and Excel
• Solid problem solving and time management skills. Able to interpret and apply complex policies and procedures in a timely fashion
• Experience in document writing and editing
• Commitment to work toward accreditation by a professional organization in planning or architecture
• Solid interpersonal, written, and verbal communication skills; articulate and professional, yet service-oriented and approachable
• Self-motivated with stellar work ethic and a demonstrated penchant for getting the job done
• Great attitude and natural leadership qualities

Location: Must be within daily commuting distance to the Berkeley office

Benefits and Perks

• Environmentally and socially conscious organization
• Engaging and supportive staff culture
• Convenient location in downtown Berkeley close to public transportation
• Full benefits and paid company holidays
• Dog friendly
• Hybrid remote/in-office