Lab Planner (Architecture Background)

Lab Planner

Location: Chicago, IL | Hybrid

About the Role

At Perkins&Will, we believe thoughtful design can transform the places where discovery, research, and innovation happen. We're looking for an experienced Lab Planner to join our Chicago studio and help shape dynamic, high-performing laboratory and research environments.

In this role, you'll lead laboratory programming and planning efforts for complex science and technology facilities, including academic research, biotechnology, pharmaceutical, and other specialized environments. Working closely with clients, researchers, architects, engineers, and multidisciplinary design teams, you'll translate sophisticated technical requirements into thoughtful, flexible, and sustainable design solutions. You'll bring technical expertise, creative problem-solving, and collaborative leadership to projects from early visioning through construction.

What You'll Do

• Lead laboratory planning and programming for science and technology projects, developing innovative solutions that support research activities, operational needs, and long-term flexibility.

• Collaborate with clients and user groups to understand research workflows, equipment requirements, technical standards, and project goals, translating their needs into clear planning strategies.

• Guide laboratory design development from master planning and conceptual design through detailed layouts, technical documentation, and construction administration.

• Coordinate complex technical systems, including laboratory equipment, casework, utility requirements, and mechanical, electrical, and plumbing (MEP) systems, in partnership with engineering and design teams.

• Develop and review architectural documentation, including laboratory plans, specifications, equipment layouts, room data sheets, and construction details, while maintaining project quality and documentation standards.

• Support project delivery by contributing to scope development, budgets, milestone schedules, quality assurance, and resolution of technical design challenges.

• Communicate design concepts and recommendations through presentations, drawings, written reports, and collaborative discussions with clients and project stakeholders.

• Mentor and collaborate with team members, sharing specialized laboratory planning knowledge while contributing to Perkins&Will's broader Science and Technology practice and business development efforts.

• Integrate sustainable design principles into laboratory planning solutions, considering building performance, resource efficiency, and the evolving needs of research environments.

What You'll Bring

Required Qualifications

• A bachelor's degree in Architecture and professional architectural licensure.

• Progressive experience in laboratory programming, planning, and design across multiple project phases, with a strong understanding of complex science and technology facilities. Experience spanning at least five years of progressive laboratory planning is required; approximately 8–10+ years of relevant experience is typical for this role.

• Demonstrated experience with laboratory planning and technical requirements, including space programming, research workflows, equipment planning, casework, MEP coordination, and applicable building codes and regulatory requirements.

• Advanced proficiency in Revit and BIM-based design workflows, along with strong capabilities in architectural documentation, technical drawings, specifications, and 2D/3D design production.

• Strong communication, collaboration, and problem-solving skills, with the ability to lead user group discussions, explain complex technical concepts, coordinate multidisciplinary teams, and meet project deadlines.

• Knowledge of sustainable and integrated design principles, including LEED guidelines, with the ability to incorporate environmental considerations into technical design solutions.

• Ability to obtain LEED Green Associate (LEED GA) accreditation within six months of hire, along with professional accreditation in an area of Living Design identified in the position requirements.

Preferred Qualifications

• A master's degree in Architecture or a related field, along with experience across a range of specialized laboratory environments, such as vivarium, biocontainment, pharmaceutical, clinical, teaching, research, process, or manufacturing facilities.

• Experience with additional design, visualization, and analysis tools such as Rhino, Grasshopper, SketchUp, Enscape, V-Ray, Adobe Creative Suite, Ladybug, Climate Studio, and physical modeling technologies.

Why Perkins&Will?

At Perkins&Will, design is about more than creating buildings. It's about creating meaningful places that support people, communities, and the world around us. Our collaborative, interdisciplinary approach brings together diverse perspectives and expertise to address complex design challenges. As part of our Science and Technology practice, you'll contribute to research environments that support discovery and innovation while advancing thoughtful, sustainable design.

Salary Range Information

We foster a culture that is diverse and inclusive and strive for pay practices that are fair, and competitive and reflect our commitment to pay equity. Our compensation decisions include but are not limited to a candidate’s qualifications including skill sets, education, experience and training, licensure and certifications credentials if applicable, and business-related factors. This practice extends to all employees, including performance considerations for merit increases, job promotions, and transfer opportunities. We additionally review our pay practices, conduct pay equity audits, and ensure our managers are trained in our pay practices on an annual basis. At the time of posting this job advertisement, commensurate with qualifications, the annual pay salary range for this position in Chicago, IL is between $95,000 and $118,000.

Justice, Equity, Diversity & Inclusion

At Perkins&Will we believe that inclusion spurs creativity and that innovation is born from an engaged culture of diverse people + ideas. By moving beyond barriers and stereotypes of gender, race, color, religion, national origin, ancestry, age, medical condition, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, veteran status; we are committed to building an organization that reflects the diversity of the communities and clients we serve.

"Design has the power to inspire joy, uplift lives, and strengthen the spirit of community."

Equal Employment Opportunity Statement

Perkins&Will has established and adopted an Equal Employment Opportunity Employment policy (“EEO”), which is part of the Company’s Human Resources Policy. The purpose of this EEO policy is to ensure that all employment decisions are made on a non-discriminatory basis, and without regard to sex, race, color, age, national origin, religion, disability, genetic information, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, gender reassignment, citizenship, pregnancy or maternity, veteran status, or any other status protected by applicable national, federal, state, or local law. In some cases, local laws and regulations may provide greater protections than those outlined here and employees will be covered by the laws of their local jurisdiction.

Pay Transparency Nondiscrimination Provision

Perkins&Will will not discharge or in any other manner discriminate against employees or applicants because they have inquired about, discussed, or disclosed their own pay or the pay of another employee or applicant. However, employees who have access to the compensation information of other employees or applicants as a part of their essential job functions cannot disclose the pay of other employees or applicants to individuals who do not otherwise have access to compensation information, unless the disclosure is (a) in response to a formal complaint or charge, (b) in furtherance of an investigation, proceeding, hearing, or action, including an investigation conducted by the employer, or (c) consistent with the contractor’s legal duty to furnish information.