Design Associate I / II
Great Buildings Are Built on Great Details. Help Us Design Them.
J2 Building Consultants is looking for a Design Associate who wants to do more than draft. You’ll help develop real building envelope solutions for roofing, waterproofing, cladding, and insulation, working alongside a team that cares about getting the details right.
We’re hiring at two levels and will place the right person based on experience:
Design Associate I: An early-career role for someone with 1 to 3 years of experience in building envelope design or a related field who’s ready to build deeper technical expertise.
Design Associate II: For someone with 3 to 5 years of building envelope design or AEC experience who can manage complex designs with minimal supervision and help mentor junior team members.
What You’ll Do
🔹 Produce Drawings and Technical Documentation Create plans, elevations, sections, and specifications for facades, roofing, waterproofing, and insulation systems using AutoCAD, and revise them based on senior staff and project feedback.
🔹 Research Materials and Systems Evaluate materials and systems for performance and cost, and help select the right fit for each project.
🔹 Check Designs Against Code Review designs for compliance with local, state, and federal building codes and industry standards, and stay current as codes change.
🔹 Work With Project Teams and Clients Participate in design and constructability reviews, and (at Level II) present design concepts and answer technical questions in client meetings.
🔹 Grow, Then Help Others Grow Level I team members get hands-on mentorship and training. Level II team members review junior work and pass that knowledge forward.
What We’re Looking For:
✔ Bachelor’s degree in Architecture, Architectural Engineering, Civil Engineering, Construction Management, or a related field preferred ✔ AutoCAD proficiency (basic for Level I, strong for Level II) ✔ Strong attention to detail and pride in high-quality work ✔ Clear written and verbal communication ✔ Solid organization and time management ✔ Comfort with Microsoft Office for documentation and reporting
✔ For Level I: 1 to 3 years in building envelope design or a related field. ✔ For Level II: 3 to 5 years in building envelope design or a similar AEC role, plus a working knowledge of building codes, materials, and construction methods
Bonus points for:
- Photoshop experience
- Familiarity with other drafting or design platforms
- Foundational knowledge of building envelope systems and materials
What Success Looks Like in This Role
You:
- Produce accurate, clean drawings that meet project standards
- Ask good questions and take feedback seriously
- Build a working knowledge of envelope systems, materials, and code
- Become someone the project team trusts with more complex work over time
- (Level II) Help junior team members get better, not just get done
This role is a strong fit for someone coming from:
- Architecture or architectural engineering programs or firms
- Building envelope or AEC design and drafting roles
- Construction documentation or detailing work
- A technical, detail-driven background with an interest in how buildings actually perform
Working Conditions
This role is primarily office-based, with the possibility of occasional remote work.
You should be comfortable with:
- Occasional travel for site visits, meetings, or events across WA, OR, and UT (some may be in the evening)
- Long stretches of focused computer and drafting work
- Collaborating with other departments, agencies, and vendors, both virtually and in person
- Lifting up to 20 lbs (laptops, small equipment)
What You’ll Get:
Design Associate I: $26.50–$32.75 per hour, based on experience Design Associate II: $31.25–$38.50 per hour, based on experience
Full-time, overtime-eligible position
- 100% employer-paid medical, dental, and vision insurance for employee coverage
- 401(k) with company match
- Paid vacation and sick time, plus 8 paid holidays
- HSA, FSA, Costco & Gym membership reimbursements
- Monthly cell phone reimbursement
- EAP, Company-paid Life, AD&D, and Long-Term Disability insurance
- Professional development support: $1,500 per year after 6 months of employment
- A collaborative team that actually likes working together
J2 Building Consultants is an equal opportunity employer. We welcome applicants of all backgrounds and do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, or any other protected characteristic. We consider applicants based on qualifications, experience, and business needs.
Ready to Apply?
Don’t check every box on this list? If you bring most of what we’re looking for and you’re excited about the work, we’d still love to hear from you.
We’re looking for someone who wants to build their career in building envelope design the right way and grow with us over time. If that sounds like you, let’s talk.
No ghost posting. No resume black hole. Just a real team reading real applications.
(And yes, an over-caffeinated HR person really is reviewing them. 👋)