Technical Architect, Sports Design

At SOM, we are a collective committed to shaping a better future for clients, communities, and the planet. We aspire to create the most sustainable, impactful work through creative, interdisciplinary teams with all the resources and diversity of a global firm. We value those who are passionate about excellence, innovation, integrity, inclusivity, and collaboration. Together we can achieve great things.

The Technical Architect, Sports Design is responsible for the technical leadership, innovation, integration, documentation, and execution of complex sports and entertainment projects, including stadiums, arenas, and training facilities. This position serves as a day‑to‑day technical leader across project phases from Concept Design through Construction Administration, leading code review, material and systems research, specifications coordination, and construction documentation. It is also a firm‑wide subject matter expert in the technical execution of sports venues and facilities.

• Establish the technical resolution and innovation strategy for sports and entertainment projects through all phases, consistent with project scope, schedule, budget, and SOM quality standards.
• Integrate criteria and input from architecture, structures, MEP, acoustics, AV/IT, security, vertical transportation, code, landscape, and other disciplines into coordinated design solutions for stadiums, arenas, and training facilities.
• Establish, communicate, and maintain standards of quality for technical documentation across the full internal and external project team, and oversee implementation of the Quality Management System for assigned projects.
• Lead or oversee the research, review, and analysis of applicable building codes, accessibility requirements, life safety criteria, crowd egress, occupancy classifications, event operations requirements, and jurisdictional approvals, providing parameters and restrictions early in the design process.
• Oversee team selection and assessment of construction systems, enclosure strategies, seating bowl integration, long‑span structural coordination, premium and hospitality fit‑out requirements, and high‑performance venue components appropriate to sports facility delivery.
• Oversee and/or lead design and construction documentation, including drawings, details, specifications, technical narratives, and presentation materials, ensuring consistency with firm standards for publication and presentation of work.
• Develop, coordinate, and review technical specifications for venue and facility projects, including specialty systems relevant to sports environments.
• Collaborate with project leadership and specialist consultants to address venue‑specific planning issues such as spectator circulation, team operations, broadcast integration, loading and service, security zoning, event conversion, and operational resilience.
• Work closely with design leadership to ensure technical decisions support design intent, revenue‑driving program elements, operational performance, and long‑term flexibility of sports facilities.
• Oversee the team’s construction phase services scope and participate in contractor review, technical clarifications, submittal review, mockups, field observation, and issue resolution as appropriate.
• Attend and present in owner/architect and owner/architect/contractor meetings, review and approve meeting minutes, and help facilitate weekly internal project team meetings and project status updates.
• Actively participate in local and firm‑wide technical meetings and contribute meaningfully to the advancement of technical practice, standards, and knowledge‑sharing activities.
• Conduct ongoing research into sports venue trends, evolving fan expectations, athlete performance environments, materials, systems, sustainability approaches, operational technologies, and construction innovations relevant to stadiums, arenas, and training facilities.
• Maintain awareness of peer venue benchmarks, emerging market expectations, and leading‑edge delivery strategies, and translate that research into recommendations, lessons learned, technical guidance, and design opportunities for…