Design Lead

Are you passionate about creating spaces that inspire creativity and innovative thinking, and infuse people with energy and the spirit of collaboration? Do you want to create the workplace of the future? CIC's in-house Design Team creates a variety of engaging and creative spaces for the communities we grow and support.

CIC is looking for an individual with expertise in design of commercial interior spaces and design management  to join our Design team as Design Lead. If you are invigorated by an environment in which you are encouraged to explore innovative approaches to design and project delivery, this is the position for you. We seek to create spaces with elements that are multi-purpose, interactive, and aesthetically pleasing – places you would want to take a picture of and that are a pleasure to work in. This is an excellent opportunity for an Designer with at least four to five years of relevant work experience.

CIC builds and connects thriving innovation communities around the world. Founded in 1999 in Cambridge, MA, we were one of the first companies to offer flexible office space and coworking. We manage a global network of innovation-focused workspace, laboratories, and event space across North America, Europe, and Asia, and continue to expand globally.

CIC Cambridge is located in the heart of Kendall Square in Cambridge, Massachusetts. The campus includes One Broadway and 245 Main Street, steps from the Kendall Square MBTA Red Line stop. We offer private offices, coworking desks, meeting rooms and event-spaces with flexible membership terms. Our space is home to startups, accelerators, and the innovation arms of major companies. The community benefits from proximity to elite research institutions (e.g., Massachusetts Institute of Technology, the Broad Institute) and major corporate neighbors.

Learn more about us here.

CIC's Design & Construction Team members are closely involved in the entire spectrum of work associated with each construction project, including concept design, test fits, design development, construction details, bidding, permitting, construction administration, and the opening of a project. As CIC is expanding across the globe, Design & Construction Team members will be involved in various projects that are actually completed and built in a relatively short time frame. As a small team, our team members are given a lot of responsibility right away, and after a period learning CIC's design standards and principles, will get a chance to start leading and helping to shape entire projects. You'll be able to leave your mark at CIC and beyond, and you'll gain more exposure to different aspects of the process, take on more design responsibility, and receive that responsibility earlier in your career when compared with other opportunities at other firms.

CIC’s Design Lead will be able to take a project from a strong architectural base to a space with overall style and finesse - to find the tiny touches/elements that holistically and strategically create a memorable space and experience. This person will assist with multi-floor interior improvement projects, capital improvement projects, client space modifications, major renovation projects in existing CIC buildings, and advisory for external partners on space design and improvements that will support the innovation ecosystems they are supporting. The individual in this position, often in concert with other members of the team, will:

• Absorb and contribute to CIC’s culture and execute designs that demonstrate a sophisticated understanding of the larger design aesthetics across expansion sites 

• Simultaneously lead multiple projects of varying levels with different timelines and in different locations across the globe, and offer support and consultation for other design team members' projects

• Perform site analysis, including surveying existing conditions and obtaining field measurements

• Meet with external parties to gather their objectives and vision for a new project and execute a design that balances those project-specific interests with CIC’s proven best practices. 

• Produce plans, elevations, details, reflected ceiling plans, millwork design, furniture layouts, finish plans, color plans, and schedules (Architect of record documents and details will be by outside firms)

• Provide color/finish/material research and use selection boards and other presentation materials to sell design vision to multiple stakeholders

• Manipulate advanced design elements such as proportion, color, light, texture, and scale

• Coordinate with consultants to ensure material and furniture selections comply with local code requirements

• Provide project coordination for the finished plans, specifications, and material selections required for construction

• Provide construction administration services for projects, including answering and reviewing RFIs, review of submittals, finish samples, and shop drawings

• Research and participate in FF+E selection, creation of specifications, and procurement while being sensitive to the confines of project budget

• Act as design liaison between internal teams such as construction, finance, operations, and sales, as well as external teams such as local architects, engineers, and partner companies for specific projects

• Coordinate with consultants related to HVAC, electrical, low voltage, plumbing, fire protection and safety

You are a highly capable, self-directed individual who employs a high level of autonomy in their work. If you are the kind of person who not only thinks critically about problems, but also likes to take the initiative to pursue new ideas, you would enjoy working here. 

As our ideal candidate you will:

• Be organized, detail oriented, and have excellent time management skills

• Thrive in a project and team-oriented environment while also being able to work independently

• Be flexible, understanding of change, and willing to share information and decisions outside of the CIC Design & Construction Team 

• Be a true team player with the capacity to foster and maintain positive working relationships with clients, colleagues, building management, and vendors, while treating everyone as your equal

• Have experience working on commercial building projects and knowledge of related codes

• Be comfortable synthesizing data and using it to drive design 

• Be imaginative and willing to develop innovative solutions to challenges

• Be confident in delivering well-organized and clear presentations

• Have experience working on projects with short timelines and/or budget constraints, and be able to offer unique and creative ways to address both

• A minimum 5 years experience working (not including internships) in the field of design or architecture, preferably with a focus on commercial projects

• Fluency in AutoCad, Revit, Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator and Indesign, Bluebeam, Sketchup, and rendering software 

• A degree in interior design or architecture

• The ability to effectively produce layouts and space plans

• Advanced knowledge of furnishings, materials, and unique fixtures and features; experience with branding, signage design, and wayfinding is a plus

• Strong 3D modeling, graphic design and presentation skills

• The ability to travel (up to 20% of the time, depending on the specific project) to sites in new and existing locations around the world

• The ability to participate in business meetings outside of normal business hours in your time zone (estimated to be less than 20% of the time, but does happen due to the global nature of the role)

Applicants should submit a portfolio in PDF format, showing work samples and personal projects. Samples of work completed from educational and prior work experience strongly preferred. If you don't meet all the requirements or qualifications but bring some other unique skills and experience that would be valuable in this role, please apply and highlight those attributes for us in your cover letter.

• $90–105k, depending on the candidate’s experience and alignment with the role requirements.

• 100% company paid premium healthcare and dental benefits.

• 100% company paid long and short-term disability, and life insurance.

• 401k (must be 21+).

• Three weeks vacation from the start (more with seniority), plus thirteen paid holidays.

In addition to helping our clients achieve great things, we work to ensure that our employees are healthy and supported. Some of the benefits of being here include:

• Fun people in a dynamic space. We pride ourselves on finding driven and bright collaborators who are eager to lend their own unique skills to the team, as well as to our inspiring clientele. The number one reason CICers say they like working here is because of their colleagues!

• Personal growth. This is a great opportunity to learn and develop skills within the epicenter of the innovation community at a growing company.

• Central location. CIC Cambridge is a stone’s throw from the Kendall Square MBTA Red Line stop.