Research Assistant Programmer Jobs in Portland, OR

About KPFF

KPFF, a multi-office, multi-discipline engineering firm, is committed to Excellence, Trust, Relationships, Stability, and Passion. For over 65 years KPFF has been providing creative solutions and excellent client service for a diverse range of projects and industries. Our 1,500 professionals in 35 offices nationwide thrive in a decentralized structure, offering abundant flexibility and numerous opportunities for professional growth. At KPFF, join a legacy of excellence where every team member has the opportunity to contribute to innovative solutions and meaningful projects. We are a collaborative and creative team of civil and structural engineers and surveyors that thrives on designing innovative solutions for projects of all scales. KPFF is a leader in sustainable design, providing our clients with visionary, environmentally sensitive and technically advanced services.

The Portland Civil office currently consists of 110 employees including staff in our two satellite offices in Eugene and Washington DC. We work on a wide variety of project types, serving public and private clients in land development, transportation, and municipal projects. This includes architectural-led building projects for higher ed campuses, sports facilities, schools, medical campuses, and mixed-use housing. In addition, we work on parks, trails, master planning, and include stormwater management and a sustainability focus on everything we do. We believe in encouraging personal and professional growth, and we work hard at providing a solid structure with minimal organizational restrictions. We have a great group of collaborative and dedicated engineers in a family-friendly, business casual environment located in downtown Portland.

KPFF is seeking a Marketing Coordinator with AEC industry experience to support proposal development, marketing communications, and content management. This role works closely with marketing and technical teams to develop clear, compelling, client-focused pursuit materials that reflect KPFF’s brand, culture, and technical expertise.

The ideal candidate is a strong communicator and organized marketer who thrives in a collaborative, deadline-driven environment. This position is well suited for someone who enjoys both storytelling and visual communication, can balance multiple pursuits at once, and takes pride in producing polished, high-quality work.

This position is based in our Portland office with a hybrid schedule of three days in-office and two days remote. KPFF values collaboration, mentorship, and professional development, and this role offers meaningful opportunities for growth in responsibilities and career development over time.

What We're Looking For: Someone who is proactive, adaptable, detail-oriented, and service-minded, with a strong sense of ownership and follow-through. The right candidate enjoys collaborating with technical professionals, is comfortable asking questions and learning new subject matter, and values producing thoughtful, high-quality work that helps tell the story of our people and projects.

Responsibilities:

Proposal Coordination & Pursuits (Primary Focus – approximately 60%)

• Coordinate, write, edit, and format RFQ/RFP responses, qualifications packages, presentations, and interview materials for prime and subconsultant pursuits.
• Support or co-lead the full proposal process from kickoff through final delivery, including schedules, assignments, compliance review, and production.
• Collaborate with technical staff, project managers, and marketing team members to develop pursuit strategies, key messaging, and client-focused narratives.
• Translate technical information into clear, persuasive content that communicates project understanding, team strengths, and design outcomes.
• Develop and maintain proposal content including resumes, project descriptions, graphics, charts, and boilerplate materials.
• Review materials for consistency, accuracy, grammar, formatting, and alignment with brand standards.
• Monitor procurement sites and support opportunity tracking and pursuit research.
• Assist with interview preparation, pursuit debriefs, and continuous improvement of proposal processes and materials.

Marketing & Communications Support (40%)

• Support internal marketing and communications efforts including presentations, graphics, employee engagement materials, and promotional content.
• Help maintain and organize marketing assets, templates, photography, resumes, project data, and content libraries.
• Assist with updates to the company website, intranet, CRM database, and social media platforms.
• Support ongoing improvements to marketing systems, workflows, and content management practices.

• 3–5 years of experience in AEC marketing, proposal coordination, or professional services marketing.
• Experience managing RFQ/RFP responses and understanding the full proposal lifecycle from kickoff through delivery.
• Strong writing, editing, proofreading, and visual communication skills with the ability to develop clear, compelling messaging from technical content.
• Proficiency with Microsoft 365 and Adobe Creative Suite, particularly InDesign.
• Ability to manage multiple concurrent deadlines and priorities in a fast-paced environment.
• Strong organizational, communication, and collaboration skills.
• Experience maintaining marketing databases, content libraries, or CRM systems; Deltek Vantagepoint experience is a plus.
• Understanding of how AI tools can support efficiency while recognizing their limitations and risks in professional communications.
• Bachelor’s degree in marketing, communications, journalism, or related field preferred, or equivalent professional experience.

Physical Demands and Work Environment

• Duties are typically performed in a normal office environment while sitting at a desk
• Ability to actively engage with a computer for several hours per day and communicate over the telephone or virtual meeting platforms
• May occasionally need to lift items up to 15 lbs.

Compensation

The base pay for this role is competitive and will be determined based on the candidate's experience, education, and skills. The expected range for a qualified candidate for this AEC Marketing Coordinator position is $38.00 - $42.00/per hour. Additionally, we offer performance-based bonuses to recognize and reward outstanding contributions in each Reporting Center. KPFF is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer.

Benefits

We are passionate about supporting our employees through flexible and comprehensive Benefits:

• 401(k) retirement savings plan with employer contribution (regardless of employee contribution)
• Medical insurance (two plans available to choose from)
• Dental Insurance
• Vision Insurance
• Health Savings Account (HSA) with employer contribution
• Healthcare and Dependent Care Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA)
• KPFF Paid Family Leave
• Amazon Pharmacy with MedsYourWay
• Behavioral Health Options – Employee Assistance Plan
• Pregnancy Program
• Short-term and Long-term disability insurance
• Paid holidays (including two floating Holidays)
• Paid time off (vacation, sickness, jury duty)

Other Perks

• Hybrid work schedule (3 days in/2 days remote)
• Free secure bike parking
• Transit Pass stipend (50%)
• Technical educational sessions and Lunch-n-Learns
• Monthly social events
• Winter parties and summer picnics
• Office committee opportunities
• Community projects participation
• Offsite retreats

How To Apply: 
Submit your application online, including a cover letter and resume.

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KPFF Consulting Engineers participates in E-Verify and will provide the federal government with your Form I-9 information to confirm that you are authorized to work in the U.S.

KPFF Consulting Engineers is an equal opportunity employer and considers all qualified applicants for employment without regard to race, color, creed, ethnicity, national origin, religion, marital status, sex/gender (including sexual orientation or gender identity), pregnancy, veteran status, citizenship status, physical or mental disability, or any other protected basis.