Following last week’s look at an opening for an Architect at Doctors Without Borders, we are using this week’s edition of our Job Highlights series to explore an open position on Archinect Jobs for a Senior Designer at Extell Development Company.

The role, based out of Extell’s New York City office, calls for applicants with degrees in architecture or interior design, and a minimum of five years of relevant experience in the industry. The successful candidate will “contribute to a variety of projects that change the city skyline” by engaging with the design process and interior design process at all stages of projects, reviewing design drawings and submissions, and participating in the procurement, construction, and administration process.

Why the role interests us

The position at Extell offers an insight into the role of architects in client-side businesses such as developers and contractors. As the details of Extell’s job advert demonstrate, the responsibilities undertaken by architects within development companies bear resemblance to those in traditional practice, be it reviewing drawings, giving feedback to the wider design team, monitoring a scheme’s design compliance, or performing AutoCAD drafting and 3D modeling tasks.

The reality of working as an architect within a development company has also been discussed extensively on Archinect forums, with contributors reflecting on the pros and cons of their own experience. “You can learn a lot and develop a sense for building efficiency, be paid better than some firms, and there is diversity in terms of educational backgrounds,” one commenter said. However, the same contributor also warned of the possibility of “not being among architects and having a dialogue about design” to the same level as a traditional practice.

Beyond the novelty offered by working as a client-side designer, the position at Extell also offers an alternative route to engaging with large-scale projects across New York. In recent years, notable projects by Extell to appear in our editorial include the Central Park Tower designed by AS+GG, the 50 West 66th Street tower by Snøhetta, and One57 by Atelier Christian de Portzamparc. The developer has also recently explored the potential of constructing a cylindrical supertall tower supported by steel cables; a rare departure from traditional column-based structures.

Further reading for interested candidates

• Looking back critically on the two-decade supertall building revolution in New York City (December 2022)
• New AS+GG book explores design process behind world’s tallest towers (November 2022)
• Central Park Tower penthouse lists for a record $250 million in Manhattan (September 2022)
• New report highlights inadequate oversight of building construction sites by the NYC Department of Buildings (September 2022)
• New York City projected to construct the most apartments nationwide in 2022 (August 2022)
• Cable-supported cylindrical supertall tower may come to Midtown Manhattan site (September 2019)
• Snøhetta reveals ‘excavated’ bronze tower that will be the Upper West Side’s tallest (November 2017)
• Archinect Forum: How is working for a developer?
• Archinect's ongoing coverage of tall buildings
• Archinect's ongoing coverage of New York City
• Extell’s Archinect Profile
• Archinect Tips: Employment Edition (November 2020)

Job Highlights is one of a number of ongoing weekly series showcasing the opportunities available on our industry-leading job board. Our Meet Your Next Employer profiles and interviews interesting studios with open positions currently available on Archinect Jobs, while our weekly roundups curate job opportunities by location, career level, and job description.