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About the Role

The Technical Architect, Sports Design is responsible for the technical leadership, innovation, integration, documentation, and execution of complex sports and entertainment projects, including stadiums, arenas, and training facilities. This position serves as a day-to-day technical leader across project phases, from Concept Design through Construction Administration, and leads code review, material and systems research, specifications coordination, and construction documentation. This role is also a firmwide subject matter expert in the technical execution of sports venues and facilities.

Responsibilities

Establishes the technical resolution and innovation strategy for sports and entertainment projects through all phases, consistent with project scope, schedule, budget, and SOM quality standards.
Integrates criteria and input from architecture, structures, MEP, acoustics, AV/IT, security, vertical transportation, code, landscape, and other disciplines into coordinated design solutions for stadiums, arenas, and training facilities.
Establishes, communicates, and maintains standards of quality for technical documentation across the full internal and external project team, and oversees implementation of the Quality Management System for assigned projects.
Leads or oversees the research, review, and analysis of applicable building codes, accessibility requirements, life safety criteria, crowd egress, occupancy classifications, event operations requirements, and jurisdictional approvals, providing parameters and restrictions early in the design process.
Oversees team selection and assessment of construction systems, enclosure strategies, seating bowl integration, long-span structural coordination, premium and hospitality fit-out requirements, and high-performance venue components appropriate to sports facility delivery.
Oversees and/or leads design and construction documentation, including drawings, details, specifications, technical narratives, and presentation materials, ensuring consistency with firm standards for publication and presentation of work.
Develops, coordinates, and reviews technical specifications for venue and facility projects, including specialty systems relevant to sports environments.
Collaborates with project leadership and specialist consultants to address venue-specific planning issues such as spectator circulation, team operations, broadcast integration, loading and service, security zoning, event conversion, and operational resilience.
Works closely with design leadership to ensure technical decisions support design intent, revenue-driving program elements, operational performance, and long-term flexibility of sports facilities.
Oversees the team’s construction phase services scope and participates in contractor review, technical clarifications, submittal review, mockups, field observation, and issue resolution as appropriate.
Attends and presents in owner/architect and owner/architect/contractor meetings, reviews and approves meeting minutes, and helps facilitate weekly internal project team meetings and project status updates.
Actively participates in local and firmwide technical meetings and contributes meaningfully to the advancement of technical practice, standards, and knowledge-sharing activities.
Conducts ongoing research into sports venue trends, evolving fan expectations, athlete performance environments, materials, systems, sustainability approaches, operational technologies, and construction innovations relevant to stadiums, arenas, and training facilities.
Maintains awareness of peer venue benchmarks, emerging market expectations, and leading-edge delivery strategies, and translates that research into recommendations, lessons learned, technical guidance, and design opportunities for SOM teams.
Helps develop and maintain internal knowledge resources, precedent libraries, technical standards, and market intelligence related to sports and entertainment architecture.
Actively leads multiple projects and teams.
Serves as an officewide and firmwide resource in sports venue and facility technical design, with recognized subject matter expertise in the market.
Directly supervises, trains, and mentors team members, helping build technical depth in sports and entertainment work across the practice.
Engages in talent strategy to help identify, recruit, and develop specialists, leaders, and future professionals for the firm.
Demonstrates leadership in the implementation of sustainable strategies and resilient systems in all project assignments and supports the associated development of staff knowledge.
Creates and drives new ways of working through the development of services, standards, procedures, and technical guidance grounded in an understanding of business principles, risk management, and project delivery realities.
Contributes to basic business development efforts as a sports venues and facilities SME, including supporting pursuits, client presentations, qualification packages, interview teams, conference participation, and market-facing thought leadership.
Partners with practice leaders and business development teams to help articulate SOM’s value proposition in sports design, identify relevant opportunities, and strengthen technical positioning on pursuits.
Supports relationship-building with clients, consultants, operators, and industry partners in the sports and entertainment sector, helping reinforce SOM’s visibility and credibility in the market.
Represents the firm, where appropriate, in industry forums, technical panels, professional organizations, and market conversations relevant to sports and entertainment architecture.

Requirements

Completion of a professional degree in Architecture or a related field.
Licensed in state of practice; LEED or other green building accreditation preferred.
Minimum 10 years of experience or equivalent knowledge, skills and abilities, with significant experience in complex sports, entertainment, large public assembly, or similarly technical project typologies.
Strong understanding of sustainable strategies and principles, including familiarity with LEED or other green building rating systems.
Strong interpersonal and verbal and written communication skills.
Demonstrated technical leadership in complex, multidisciplinary projects through documentation, coordination, quality management, and construction administration.
Demonstrates proficiency in Rhino, parametric and rendering software, Adobe Suite, and Google Workspace.
Familiarity with Revit and AutoCAD.
Portfolios must be submitted for all design positions (Architecture, Interiors, Planning, etc).
Applications without work samples will not be reviewed.
Portfolios should be one PDF attachment, 10-20 pages, maximum 5 MB.
Submit portfolios as part of your application in the section where the application asks you for your Resume or CV.

Skills

Technical leadership
Innovation
Integration
Documentation
Execution of complex sports and entertainment projects
Stadium design
Arena design
Training facility design
Code review
Material and systems research
Specifications coordination
Construction documentation
Subject matter expertise in technical execution of sports venues and facilities
Deep technical knowledge of venue typologies
Fan and athlete experience requirements
Operational demands
Premium and back-of-house planning
Broadcast and event infrastructure
Crowd movement
Life safety
Long-span building systems
Market scanning for innovations, emerging technologies, delivery approaches, and operational best practices
Quality Management System
Building codes
Accessibility requirements
Life safety criteria
Crowd egress
Occupancy classifications
Event operations requirements
Jurisdictional approvals
Construction systems
Enclosure strategies
Seating bowl integration
Long-span structural coordination
Premium and hospitality fit-out requirements
High-performance venue components
Technical specifications
Spectator circulation
Team operations
Broadcast integration
Loading and service
Security zoning
Event conversion
Operational resilience
Revenue-driving program elements
Operational performance
Long-term flexibility
Construction phase services
Contractor review
Technical clarifications
Submittal review
Mockups
Field observation
Issue resolution
Owner/architect meetings
Owner/architect/contractor meetings
Internal project team meetings
Project status updates
Local and firmwide technical meetings
Advancement of technical practice
Standards development
Knowledge-sharing
Sports venue trends
Evolving fan expectations
Athlete performance environments
Materials research
Systems research
Sustainability approaches
Operational technologies
Construction innovations
Peer venue benchmarks
Emerging market expectations
Leading-edge delivery strategies
Internal knowledge resources
Precedent libraries
Technical standards
Market intelligence
Mentorship
Sustainable strategies
Resilient systems
New ways of working
Business principles
Risk management
Project delivery realities
Business development
Client presentations
Qualification packages
Interview teams
Conference participation
Market-facing thought leadership
Value proposition articulation
Opportunity identification
Technical positioning
Relationship-building
Industry forums
Technical panels
Professional organizations
Market conversations
Rhino
Parametric software
Rendering software
Adobe Suite
Google Workspace
Revit
AutoCAD

Location

Local

Work Type

Full-time

Experience Level

10 years of experience or equivalent knowledge, skills and abilities
Significant experience in complex sports, entertainment, large public assembly, or similarly technical project typologies

Education Level

Professional degree in Architecture or a related field
Licensed in state of practice
LEED or other green building accreditation preferred

Salary/Compensations

$120,000 to $170,000

Benefits

Medical insurance
Dental insurance
Vision insurance
Disability insurance
Life insurance
Accident insurance
Retirement support
Free access to employee assistance programs for employees and family members
Workplace flexibility
Paid holidays
Family leave
Paid time off
Reimbursement for professional licenses, certifications, and exams
Specialized, in-house career development programs
Mentorship programs

About the Company

At SOM, we are a collective committed to shaping a better future for our clients, communities and planet.
We aspire to create the most sustainable, impactful work through creative, interdisciplinary teams with all the resources and diversity of a global firm.
We value those who are passionate about excellence, innovation, integrity, inclusivity, and collaboration.
Success at SOM Means Ideas: We believe in a meritocracy of ideas. We look to everyone to actively contribute to the discourse in the firm.
Knowledge: We believe that expertise is the result of lifelong learning. We are not expected to know everything, but rather to passionately pursue answers, develop new skills and deepen our knowledge.
Product: We strive for excellence in the concept, quality, and delivery of our work.
Individual: We value individuals who bring the highest standards of professionalism and personal integrity in the way they work. Each person can develop and contribute their wealth of attributes, skills and knowledge to support the overall health of the firm.
Team: We value the power of interdisciplinary integration. A positive team culture in which everyone collaborates openly towards common goals is essential.
Firm: We have a history of making transformative contributions to the profession and our communities. We are constantly innovating and attempting to bring new approaches, solutions and processes to our work.
Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (SOM) is a global practice of architects, engineers, and planners renowned for designing buildings, interiors, and public spaces that push the boundaries of technical and environmental innovation.
Our interdisciplinary teams collaborate across an international network of studios to deliver projects of lasting impact.
Through our built work, research, and advocacy, we are advancing strategies to decarbonize the built environment.
Our practice was built to champion inclusivity of expertise, people, and ideas.
Together, we cultivate an entrepreneurial mindset that equips our teams to face new challenges.
Our studio culture offers opportunities for mentorship, growth, and leadership across project teams, offices, and employee resource groups.

Equal Opportunity

SOM is proud to be an equal opportunity and affirmative action employer, and we have been recognized with the highest ranking awarded on the Human Rights Campaign Foundation’s Corporate Equality Index.
We publish an annual Impact Report as part of our ongoing commitment to advancing equity in our practice and the profession.