Senior Architectural Lab Planner (Life Sciences)

Location: Chicago, IL, United States

Salary: $120,000–$155,000 annually, plus a discretionary annual bonus.

Company

hirify.global is an architecture, design, and planning firm within Clayco, delivering projects across commercial, mixed-use, residential, and life sciences sectors.

What you will do

• Lead planning, programming, and design for laboratory and research facilities across life sciences project types.
• Develop laboratory layouts, workflows, spatial requirements, and planning strategies focused on functionality, flexibility, safety, and adaptability.
• Integrate technical, operational, regulatory, and sustainability requirements, including NIH, CDC, BSL, GMP, ISO, and LEED standards.
• Coordinate laboratory casework, furniture, equipment, utilities, scope, budgets, and schedules with architects, engineers, consultants, scientists, and facility stakeholders.
• Facilitate user-group meetings, workshops, presentations, and client interviews, and support business development proposals.
• Mentor junior lab planners, architects, and designers while collaborating across offices and disciplines; travel as required.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Architecture, Laboratory Planning, Engineering, or a related field.
• 10+ years of experience in laboratory planning and design within life sciences.
• Strong knowledge of laboratory typologies, equipment, operational needs, building codes, safety guidelines, and industry regulations.
• Proficiency in Revit, AutoCAD, and relevant planning and design tools.
• Strong problem-solving, analytical, critical-thinking, communication, presentation, and multidisciplinary collaboration skills.
• Professional licensure as an RA, LEED accreditation or sustainable laboratory design knowledge, and experience with BSL laboratories or cleanrooms are preferred.

Culture & Benefits

• Collaborative design-build environment with cross-office and multidisciplinary teamwork.
• Work on creative, complex, award-winning, high-profile projects for nationwide clients.
• Medical, dental, and vision coverage, 401(k), paid time off, and paid company holidays.
• Flexible spending accounts, life insurance, disability coverage, employee assistance, and learning and development programs.
• Discretionary annual bonus based on company and individual performance.