Architecture - at a pretty fundamental level - is about getting designs built. While I can appreciate your apprehension about becoming pigeonholed, I think you've been given a tremendous professional opportunity. However, I also think you need to approach the next two years with the right attitude. Learn all you can; do a good job; make a strenuous effort to ensure the underlying design intent is realized; don't go to work every day conveying your frustration at not spending your time designing. Professionally, two years is a very short period of time. I'm betting the experience will give you much needed seasoning and enable you to become a much better designer later on. Provided you also have design talent and a decent portfolio, I expect you can easily parley this experience into a great design job at the end of two years. Our firm would kill for a talented designer who also really understands how a building goes together in the field. Good luck.

If I were in your shoes I would feel good about it. Construction experience isn't common for designers and you might be able to finish the CA part of the IDP if you are going for the license.

I like the idea of going through all of that schooling then getting involved in the completion of the building. It's a great learning experience regarding construction processes, needs of the contractor, scheduling, building assemblies and a different point of view of the client.

Firms are interested in your skills as they are employable. If you can claim knowledge of construction and design for two years then that sounds pretty good. If it is a commercial, residential or other typical category then you can claim in-depth knowledge of that category. Nobody designs without a long career behind them so in the mean time gain some diversity which sets you apart from everyone else.

Again, I would like to have that position as you are outside often and part of the process in an important way. I face a similar dilemma with a non-architecture position and how that would affect my standing down the road but I know it won't be that big of a deal and you need to put a good effort into what you are doing so that the best of you comes out.

The first person to pigeonhole you is yourself, by letting others define who you are. You've only got 1 year of experience, you just got a job do work on CA ? I don't know how you managed to do that but you should listen to the people above you are lucky to have that job. Most interns with 1 year of experience do not get to do any CA until after a few years maybe. Your concern about getting stuck or pigeonholed as a technical guy? Have you considered that it works both ways? Trust me you will need to be just as creative and flexible if you plan on surviving in this profession whether a Tech guy, or a designer. I highly doubt you will know everything technical within 2 years of doing your job, there's a reason why the guys that know a lot have a lot of grey hair. good luck

you will learn so much about the important things; getting stuff built and (hopefully) getting stuff built on budget, as well as client and contractor relations. This will make you sooooo valuable as an employee to 99% of the firms out there. You will be able to use this as leverage when you negociate for your next job.

if you want more design experience, do some smaller projects or competitions on the side

Thanks for the insight everyone.  I'm still apprehensive about being unprepared for the type of job I really want, but I can probably use this as a way to weather the recession for a bit and get some IDP knocked out.