Architects, Urban Designers, Planners

Opticos Design, Inc. is an innovative urban design and architecture firm in Berkeley, California. We're looking for architects, urban designers, and planners to join our growing team of thought leaders, celebrating over 20 years of finding solutions to the most challenging housing and community issues of our time. We created the international Missing Middle Housing movement in 2010, and our recent award-winning work includes Culdesac Tempe, the largest car-free community in the United States; Prairie Queen, the country’s first Missing Middle Neighborhood; and a multi-jurisdictional Objective Design and Development Standards toolkit for Marin County, CA. Our people and work have been featured in many high-profile publications such as the Wall Street Journal, New York Times, Curbed, and Fast Company. As creatives, we think big to have the greatest impact on the built environment—all while having fun. Together, we have regular desk crits, all staff project sharing, book clubs, game nights, and picnics.

Please visit our Careers website for current open positions and full job descriptions.

Urban Designers

• Generate compelling presentation drawings that clearly illustrate design concepts in the Opticos style, via hand drawing and digital rendering
• Support in developing illustrative plans and building concept designs
• Assist in crafting technical documents such as Specific Plans and Form-Based Codes. Assist with other architecture and planning designs and documents using Opticos’ standards and templates, and participate in the continuing development of these templates and standards
• Experience: Professional-level degree in Architecture or Urban Design and 2-4+ years’ experience in an architecture or similar firm or Masters-level degree in Architecture or related field

Planning Manager/Planner IV (Zoning Reform and Planning)

• Lead and manage mid-size to large Urban Planning projects, including Framework Plans, Development Plans, Comprehensive Plans, Specific Plans, and Form-Based Codes
• Continue to refine our signature Missing Middle Housing Scans + Deep Dives^TM
• Organize community engagement workshops
  Plan, organize, direct, and control small- to mid-scale projects, from initial scope, schedule and budget development through project delivery, for well-designed, timely, and profitable results
• Experience: Professional-level degree in Urban Design, Planning, or Architecture and 10+ years’ related experience

Benefits and Perks

• Environmentally and socially conscious organization
• Engaging and supportive staff culture
• Convenient location in downtown Berkeley close to public transportation
• Full benefits and paid company holidays
• Dog friendly
• Hybrid remote/in-office