Architectural Drafter

WHO WE ARE

We're looking for an experienced Architectural Draftsperson to join our team at Kellow Construction, a high-end design-build firm in Santa Barbara.

We're looking for the technical brain behind every set of plans that leaves this company — the person who takes a concept and turns it into a complete, buildable, permit-ready set of documents.

You will own the entire documentation process: permits, construction drawings, schedules, and Revit models. You work quickly, think in constructability, and understand that we operate at a different pace and with different expectations than a traditional architecture office.

Employment Type:

Full-time, 40 hours per week, in person

Compensation:
Starting base salary of $90,000 DOE. This is an exempt salaried position. Growth opportunities are available within our growing company for someone who proves to be a great fit.

At Kellow Construction, soft skills are just as important as hard skills.

• 10 paid holidays per year
• 80 hours paid time off
• 40 hours sick time
• Robust health and life insurance, with $475 of the employee's monthly premium paid by Kellow Construction
• Dental insurance available to the employee for approximately $21/month
• Employer match of up to 3% of annual salary toward either a SIMPLE IRA retirement account or Dependent Care Flexible Spending Account, whichever best suits the employee

• Own planning and permitting for projects from start to finish
• Prepare and submit complete permit application packages to the City of Santa Barbara and Santa Barbara County
• Navigate local permitting requirements, zoning, and code compliance for residential remodels and additions
• Track permit status, respond to plan check corrections, and coordinate with jurisdictions to keep projects moving

• Produce construction drawings in Revit, including floor plans, elevations, sections, reflected ceiling plans, structural coordination, and technical details required to build
• Develop permit-ready and construction-ready document sets that our field team and trade partners can execute without ambiguity
• Maintain drawing standards, file organization, and version control across active projects
• Coordinate with structural, MEP, and other consultants to integrate their work into the complete document set
• Issue ASIs and redline revisions in response to field conditions and approved change orders

• Build and manage project schedules in Revit and related tools
• Identify and implement workflow improvements using AI tools, Revit templates, and automation
• Maintain BIM models for accuracy and constructability throughout the project lifecycle
• Coordinate with project managers and our field team to ensure documentation remains aligned with construction progress

• 5+ years of experience working in Revit — confident, fast, and precise
• 5+ years of planning and permitting experience in the Santa Barbara area
• Proven track record producing complete permit and construction document sets for residential projects
• Deep understanding that we are a design‑build firm, not an architecture firm. This role carries different timelines, expectations, and responsibilities.
• Flexible, open‑minded thinker. You prioritize great output over rigid processes and are genuinely open to learning the Kellow way of working within a design‑build environment. You're adaptable, curious, and receptive to new approaches and feedback rather than attached to doing things a certain way. The fluid, collaborative nature of design‑build feels exciting to you, not inconvenient.
• Able to work quickly and adapt to existing systems without needing to reinvent them
• Genuinely open to learning new processes and systems and willing to approach Kellow Construction with humility and a student mindset
• Strong attendance, commitment to coming to work, ability to meet deadlines, and willingness to set a positive example for the team
• AI & Design Technology:
  Excited and passionate about leveraging AI to increase design productivity and output, streamline workflows, and reduce billable design time for our clients
• Digital-First Mindset:
  Comfortable working in a fully digital environment and passionate about electronic workflows and reducing unnecessary paper and waste. We respect traditional paper-based methods, but this role requires someone who is enthusiastic about digital tools and output.