Kaplan Thompson Architects

Architectural Interior Designer II

Kaplan Thompson Architects is a Portland, Maine architecture firm prioritizing sustainability, creative design, and technical excellence for every project. We focus on single-family homes (both new and renovations), multi-family residential, educational, and non-profit design projects. We are seeking an Interior Designer II with 5 to 8 years of professional experience; those with more experience are also encouraged to apply. This is a unique opportunity to get in the door with a design focused, mission-based, award-winning firm named to the Architect 50: Top 50 Firms in Sustainability in the U.S.

We are seeking candidates who currently live or are willing to move within commuting distance of our office in Downtown Portland and are able to work in-person for the first six months of employment. Once this training period concludes (and you have endured enough of our terrible jokes), we offer a flexible environment with options for both in-person and hybrid work. Some members of our team maintain a permanent desk in the office, others take advantage of flex work-stations for several days of in-office time per week. We value your time and a healthy work-life balance.

We observe a 40-hour work week, and time spent on project work beyond your weekly obligation is reimbursed quarterly as comp time or a cash bonus. Our workload and commitment to efficiency, project productivity, our clients, and the environment are rigorous, but so is our desire to foster a sense of community amongst our team and our peers. We enjoy monthly company social hours, compete and sometimes not place last in an industry bowling league, and maintain dedicated Slack channels for photos of our canine or feline companions. As if that’s not enough, let’s just say that after hours, we aren’t afraid to push up our sleeves and turn the conference room table into a ping pong court. If you are ready to be dazzled by our stunning assortment of nutritious office snacks (and meet the position requirements below!), we are ready to meet you!

Compensation, Timing, and (Excellent) Benefits
We offer competitive salaries in alignment with prescribed AIA rates at or near the top levels for the region. This offer includes 3 weeks of paid vacation / personal / sick time annually to start. Our benefits package also includes 100% medical coverage on Health Insurance and 100% coverage on Disability Insurance. Additionally, KTA offers a 401K benefit plan that allows you to save for retirement. With this plan, KTA will match your contributions up to 4% of your salary. There is no waiting period to receive these benefits.

We also offer 10 paid holidays including 3 paid floating holidays. A commuting stipend of $60/month will be provided, and may be either spent towards a parking space, bus pass, electric bike, or kept by you if an alternate form of transportation is used. Bonuses are distributed in accordance with hours worked and success of the office. Annually, every employee has the opportunity to spend up to $600 and two days pursuing professional development, which might include attending a conference, taking a class, or participating in another approved activity.

Designers interested in achieving licensure also enjoy access to company-paid training materials and reimbursement of ARE expenses upon successful completion of tests. We also offer one paid Community Day with the entire office and up to 24 matched hours over the year for any Community Service or Industry Engagement you would like to pursue. Kaplan Thompson Architects is an equal opportunity employer. In order to provide equal employment and advancement opportunities to all individuals, employment decisions are based on merit, qualifications, and abilities.

We do not discriminate in employment opportunities or practices because of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age or disability. We apply the same non-discrimination requirements with respect to the treatment of our customers, vendors, and suppliers. We are proud to be the first architecture firm in Maine to have received the JUST label for a socially just and equitable organization.

To Whom the Position Reports:
Project Managers, Associate
Interior Designer, Principals

Responsibilities:
A Level II Interior Designer works with Principals and Architectural Staff on varied projects from pre-design through project closeout.

Design Skill
• Generate all architectural concepts for interiors projects, including full responsibility for interpreting, organizing, executing, and coordinating interior design assignments
• Plan and design interior aspects of large or multiple projects by developing appropriate concepts and approaches
• Coordinate interior design, develop creative design concepts for projects and prepare presentation and design drawings

Technical Ability
• Provide subject matter expertise on specific components of interior design, including project specifications • Carry out complex or novel assignments requiring the development of new or improved techniques and procedures
• Coordinate with Principals and more experienced Interior Designers on appropriate technical solutions and strategies
• Occasionally provide technical guidance to less experienced interior design staff

Project Management
• Manage small, simple projects with guidance from more experienced Interior Designers
• Actively monitor client budget and schedule

Communication
• Be relied upon to present directly to the client on technical and design solutions
• Provide management of project communications and documentation pending project-specific role
• Assist in management of project communication and documentation

Teamwork
• Work in a collaborative team structure with other architects and designers on single-family and multi-family residential projects, restaurants, and sustainability-focused institutions
• Follow up with junior staff to check in to see if they have any questions or when task load might be light

Industry Awareness
• Strive to incorporate sustainable solutions throughout your work
• Produce work that is consistent with the quality and design aesthetic of the firm and the region
• Monitor activity in relevant industry organizations

Self-development
• Proactively engage in office culture
• Strive for professional and personal development, such as NCIDQ certification or other appropriate sustainable accreditations

Business Development
• Participate in lead nurturing
• Cultivate relationships with current clients and potential new clients

Leadership
• Champion one or more internal initiatives
• Introduce new initiatives that will benefit the organization
• Contribute to advancing the skills of others
• Act as a mentor to other staff members

Qualifications:

Required: BArch or BS completed in Interior Architecture and 5+ years of experience, physical presence in the office, ability to lift light packages. Access to the office requires climbing one flight of stairs. Construction Administration requires navigating job sites lacking accessibility features.

Preferred: NCIDQ certification or on track to get certified, current and ongoing knowledge of healthy design products, and strong vendor relationships, experience with GreenGuard, CARB-compliant, DECLARE products and Red2Green materials database

Skills:
Required:
3D drafting with BIM experience Preferred: ArchiCAD, photo or video, software proficiency with Mac, Microsoft Office, Gsuite, Adobe Creative Suite, Keynote or Powerpoint.

Expectations:
You bring:
• Affability and a positive attitude
• Joy and creativity to your projects and your workplace
• An emerging design vision, drive, and a deep belief in a more sustainable future
• The ability to push boundaries and think unconventionally

You embrace:
• Working independently and meeting timely goals
• Adaptability to work on multiple projects with changing project schedules
• Collaborating with other team members and external partners
• Active participation in the health and vibrancy of the business
• Maintaining rigor in quality of work and written communications

You are comfortable with:
• A flexible environment with options for both in-person and remote work
• An open, collaborative team approach and a collegial studio atmosphere
• Communicating when you see room for improvement and coming to the table with solutions

You can expect from us:
• The opportunity to work on high-performance, net zero energy, Living Building Challenge, and Passive House projects, with all the rigors and joys they entail
• Professional development support and resources
• A portfolio of mission-driven projects

Compensation:
The expected starting range for this role, based on our 2026 salary bands, is $64,281 to $81,485 base salary for uncertified professionals and $70,066 to $88,819 base salary for NCIDQ-certified professionals, plus benefits that equal a total compensation package in the range of $77,000 to $101,000. Role and compensation will be commensurate with experience and skill.

Timeline
We will be gathering resumes for this position through mid-March. Interviews with qualified candidates will be scheduled from mid-March through mid-April. We will be targeting a starting date for this role in early May.

To view some of our work and our philosophy, please view www.kaplanthompson.com.

Ready to join our firm? Please send a resume, brief cover letter, and examples of work to hiring@kaplanthompson.com. Our first test for consideration is rigorous: please also mention your most useless superpower in your initial response. No calls, thank you.

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