Architectural Associate Jobs in Hawaii (NOW HIRING)

ABOUT MKTHINK

MKThink is a future-forward design firm grounded in spatial intelligence and dedicated to "build less, solve more." Our data-informed solutions improve human performance at less operational, environmental, and capital costs than conventional approaches.Founded in 2000, MKThink practices from the Pacific Edge of San Francisco to the Oceanic Edge of O'ahu.At MKThink, we believe that we can play a role in helping create a better and more sustainable future by creating intelligent spaces that improve the quality of life. Our greatest resource is our staff and their ability to contribute fully as teammates and individuals. We bring together thinkers from various disciplines to solve problems at the nexus of architecture, culture, and the environment. Our people have the interdisciplinary skills to contribute to this mission within and across the domains of architecture, strategies, and innovation.

THE ROLE

MKThink is seeking a highly motivated and technically skilled Senior Associate (Job Captain) to support the development and delivery of architectural projects across a diverse range of sectors, including commercial, civic, education, healthcare, multi-family residential, and mixed-use developments. This role is ideal for an emerging architectural professional who thrives in a collaborative, interdisciplinary environment and is passionate about delivering thoughtful, high-quality technical documentation and project coordination from concept through construction. We are seeking a candidate with at least 3 years of experience in a similar role.

The Senior Associate (Job Captain) will serve as a key technical team member, collaborating closely with Project Architects, Project Managers, consultants, and clients to support successful project execution in alignment with MKThink's design standards, client expectations, schedules, and budget goals. This position requires strong technical proficiency in construction documentation, consultant coordination, BIM/Revit workflows, and construction administration support, as well as the ability to mentor and guide junior staff.

The ideal candidate is proactive, detail-oriented, organized, and comfortable managing multiple responsibilities in a fast-paced environment. Experience working with California, Hawaii, and Pacific Island jurisdictions, public agencies, DSA and/or HCAI processes, and multidisciplinary consultant teams is highly valued.

WHO THIS ROLE IS FOR

This role is for candidates who:

• Have a background in spatial design and strong spatial intuition
• Are seeking to move beyond traditional design delivery and into a practice that excels in strategy and advisory work
• Are curious about how space influences performance, behavior, and outcomes
• Want to work across disciplines-integrating design, data, and systems thinking
• Are motivated to have broader impact at organizational or societal scales
• Are comfortable taking ownership of workstreams and contributing to client-facing deliverables early on

PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIES

Project Coordination & Technical Delivery

• Support the preparation, coordination, and production of comprehensive architectural construction documents across all project phases.
• Collaborate closely with Project Architects and Project Managers to support project planning, technical execution, scheduling, and delivery strategies.
• Assist in translating design intent into coordinated and constructible documentation.
• Coordinate work produced by internal design teams, engineering consultants, specialty consultants, and contractors.
• Assist with drawing organization, technical detailing, constructability coordination, and document consistency.
• Participate in project meetings with clients, consultants, contractors, and agency representatives.
• Help maintain project schedules and deliverables to support successful project execution.

Construction Administration Support

• Support construction administration activities, including:
• Shop drawing review
• Submittal review
• RFI review and response
• Field observations and site visits
• Coordination with contractors and consultants
• Punch list development and closeout support
• Assist in resolving technical and construction-related issues during the construction phase.
• Help ensure project documentation accurately reflects field conditions, revisions, and approved changes.

Code Compliance & Technical Coordination

• Assist with building code analysis and compliance reviews, including accessibility, life safety, and jurisdictional requirements.
• Maintain working knowledge of applicable California and/or Hawaii building codes, ADA requirements, accessibility standards, and local agency review processes.
• Apply knowledge of building systems, construction methods, materials, detailing, and industry standards.
• Support permitting and agency coordination efforts, including DSA and/or HCAI review processes where applicable.

BIM / Revit Coordination

• Utilize Revit with a high level of technical proficiency for documentation, coordination, and model development.
• Support implementation and adherence to office BIM standards and workflows.
• Coordinate BIM deliverables with internal teams and external consultants.
• Assist in troubleshooting technical modeling and documentation issues.

Quality Assurance & Documentation Standards

• Participate in quality control and quality assurance reviews of drawings, specifications, and consultant coordination documents.
• Help identify and resolve technical inconsistencies, coordination conflicts, and constructability concerns early in the project lifecycle.
• Support efforts to ensure project documentation meets firm standards, regulatory requirements, and client expectations.

Team Collaboration & Mentorship

• Collaborate with and support junior architectural staff and emerging professionals.
• Foster a collaborative and inclusive studio environment focused on growth, accountability, and continuous improvement.
• Provide peer support related to technical documentation, project workflows, and production coordination.
• Participate in team coordination and project resource discussions as needed.
• Ability to work independently, prioritize effectively, and seek support when needed.
• Demonstrates kindness and actively supports colleagues.

Professional Development & Industry Engagement

• Stay informed on emerging design trends, technologies, sustainability initiatives, and evolving building codes.
• Pursue ongoing professional development opportunities, certifications, and licensure progression.
• Contribute to office initiatives, process improvements, and technical standards development.

Qualifications

Required

• Bachelor or Master's Degree in Architecture from an accredited program.
• Minimum 3+ years of professional architectural experience in a Job Captain or similar technical production role.
• Strong experience producing and coordinating construction documents.
• Advanced proficiency in Revit within a professional architectural environment.
• Working knowledge of construction administration processes and procedures.
• Strong understanding of building codes, accessibility requirements, construction methods, and building systems.
• Excellent verbal, written, and organizational communication skills.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities and work collaboratively in a team environment.
• Experience coordinating multidisciplinary consultant teams.
• Ability to iterate and test novel ideas
• Familiarity with campus design, urban design, and landscape architecture
• Strong interest in stakeholder engagement and experience
• Strong interest in data and database management as a component of the design process
• Strong interest in environmental controls, sustainability and supply chain
• Spec writing experience
• Interest in strategic and contextual analysis in architectural design processes.

Preferred

• California or Hawaii Architectural Registration or active progress toward licensure.
• Experience working on projects in California, Hawaii, and/or the Pacific Islands.
• Experience with public agency jurisdictions and permitting processes.
• DSA and/or HCAI project experience.
• LEED Accredited Professional and/or WELL Accreditation.
• Experience with sustainable and high-performance building strategies.
• Familiarity with healthcare, education, civic, and mixed-use project types.
• Additional software proficiency: Rhino, Sketchup, Rendering software such as Lumion, Bluebeam, Adobe software, hand sketching

• Familiarity with parametric tools such as Dynamo and Grasshopper.
• Curiosity about AI integration into project delivery

Desired Attributes

• Strong technical problem-solving abilities.
• Self-motivated and adaptable in a dynamic project environment.
• Commitment to design excellence, innovation, and continuous learning.

Interests:

Demonstrated interest in at least one of the following:

The relationship between architecture, the natural environment, and culture.

The psychology behind human behavior in the built environment.

The impact of built environment solutions on community strength, human health, environmental resiliency, or learning outcomes.

APPLICATION

Applicants should submit:

Cover letter

A single PDF including:

Resume

Relevant work samples demonstrating technical expertise, project experience, and overall fit for the role

LOCATION

Strong preference for candidates based in Hawaii; however, this position may also be located in MKThink's San Francisco office.

HOW TO APPLY

Please visit https://www.mkthink.com/contact and select the relevant posting. Applications should include a cover letter and a single PDF with your resume and work samples demonstrating your fit for the role.