Career Opportunity

5265-Architectural Associate I

Recruitment: RTF0165360-01032696

Published: June 01, 2026

Apply using SmartRecruiters, the City and County of San Francisco's application portal.

About:

TYPE OF APPOINTMENT: PROVISIONAL (TPV)

A provisional appointee must participate and be successful in a Civil Service Examination process for this classification and be selected through an open competitive process in order to be considered for a permanent appointment.  Provisional appointments may not exceed three (3) years.

Specific information regarding this recruitment process is listed below:

• Application Opening: June 1, 2026
• Application Deadline: This job announcement may close at any time but not before June 5, 2026, at 5:00 p.m. PT; interested applicants are encouraged to apply as soon as possible.
• Salary Range: $127,946 - $155,454
• Recruitment ID: TPV-5265-165361

Working at SFO:

San Francisco International Airport (SFO) is one of the most dynamic and consequential airports in the world, serving as the primary international gateway to Northern California and Silicon Valley. As an enterprise department of the City and County of San Francisco, SFO welcomes over 54 million guests annually and offers nonstop service to more than 140 destinations worldwide on 50+ airlines.

SFO is far more than a transportation hub. It is a recognized leader in environmental sustainability, equity, arts and culture, and forward-thinking infrastructure. With approximately 1,900 City employees and a broader community of more than 25,000 workers across airlines, concessionaires, and partners, SFO generates significant economic vitality across the Bay Area region.

Our mission is to deliver an airport experience where people and our planet come first. Our core values of Safety and Security, Teamwork, Excellence, Care, and Equity guide everything we do as we build a supportive, purpose-driven workplace where all employees can thrive.

SFO is proud to be an equal opportunity employer committed to a diverse, equitable, and inclusive workplace. We welcome candidates of all backgrounds, identities, and lived experiences. Applicants are considered regardless of race, sex, age, religion, color, national origin, ancestry, disability, genetic information, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, military and veteran status, or other protected category under applicable law.

Learn more about careers at SFO at flysfo.com, and follow us on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, LinkedIn, Bluesky and Threads.

Role description

The Architectural Department at San Francisco International Airport (SFO) is a team of 15–20 architects dedicated to enhancing and maintaining the airport’s-built environment.  The department operates under the Design and Construction Divisions, which also includes Mechanical, Electrical, Plumbing, Civil, Utilities, Construction Services and Project Management. Its primary focus is on renovations, design, and construction support. The team manages ground-up construction projects typically under 10,000 square feet, as well as interior improvements, and space reconfigurations. The team collaborates closely with a wide range of stakeholders, including Facilities, Aviation Management, Revenue Developments, Airport Operations and design consultants, to deliver thoughtful, high-quality projects that prioritize operational efficiency and enhance passenger experience.

Under direction, the Architectural Associate I performs a variety of difficult and responsible architectural duties in connection with the investigation of building sites, preparation and coordination of preliminary and final working designs and drawings, and the preparation of related specifications for a variety of building renovations and construction maintenance and conversion projects.

1. Prepare and supervise the preparation of preliminary plans and detailed drawings for a wide variety of complex construction, conversion and repair projects.
2. Develop finished designs of ordinary projects and portions of designs for highly complex projects.
3. Analyze and interpret data, sketches and designs and provides technical assistance to subordinate architectural drafting personnel engaged in such work.
4. Prepare and review contract specifications for various projects; coordinates design activities with those responsible for the structural, mechanical and electrical design phases of such projects; participates in meetings and discussions with representatives of City departments and outside organizations relative to design, specifications, and functional use problems.
5. Make field observations of projects under construction to ensure compliance with contract documents; takes field measurements, documents existing conditions and incorporates data provided by other professionals, such as surveyors and geotechnical engineers.
6. Make, coordinate, and review quantity and cost estimates; checks construction submittals to determine if contract specifications are complied with.
7. May be required to perform duties in connection with the architectural phases of interior design and construction management; when appropriate applies critical path method techniques to such work.
8. Assist in the development and advancement of subordinate personnel; may plan and assign work to subordinate architectural drafting personnel.
9. Perform duties as listed in the 5265 Architectural Associate I class specification, which can be found on DHR’s website.

How to qualify

1. Education: Possession of a baccalaureate degree in Architecture or an architecture related field such as Environmental Design or Interior Architecture, or a professional degree in Architecture (Bachelor of Architecture or Master of Architecture) from an accredited college or university;

AND

1. Experience: Four (4) years of progressively responsible experience in the architectural field including architectural design, architectural detailing, construction documents, programming, preliminary cost budgeting, specification coordination and review, construction administration, and field observation of architectural construction projects, all under the direction of a licensed architect. One (1) year must have been served as a job captain, project lead, or in some role of increased responsibility and supervision on a project. (Experience in a lower-level class (i.e., 5260 or 5261) is considered qualifying.);

AND

1. License and Certification: Possession of a valid California driver's license.

Applicants must meet the minimum qualification by the final filing date unless otherwise noted.

One year full-time employment is equivalent to 2,000 hours (2,000 hours of qualifying work experience is based on a 40 hour work week). Any overtime hours that you work above 40 hours per week are not included in the calculation to determine full-time employment.

Every application is reviewed to ensure that you meet the minimum qualifications as listed in the job ad. Please review our articles on Employment Application and Minimum Qualifications and Verification of Experience and/or Education for considerations taken when reviewing applications. 

Desirable Qualifications:  

The stated desirable qualifications may be used to identify job finalists at the end of the selection process when candidates are referred for hiring.

• Experience serving as Job Captain, with strong proficiency in preparing concept and schematic design drawings, presentation materials, construction documents, specifications, and detailing—preferably for Type I interior and aviation-related projects.
• Proven construction administration experience across various building typologies, with a focus on small-scale and interior renovation work in Type I Construction.
• Highly proficient in Revit for drafting and design coordination.
• Experience collaborating within interdisciplinary project teams of 1–4 members.
• Experience working with a variety of audiences and stakeholders.
• Understanding and practical knowledge of San Francisco and California Building Codes.
• Skilled in Adobe Creative Suite, including Lumion, Photoshop, Acrobat, In-Design and Illustrator.
• LEED accreditation or demonstrated experience with Title 24 Energy Code and Net Zero Energy Buildings is a plus.

Verification: Applicants may be required to submit verification of qualifying education and experience at any point during the recruitment and selection process. If education verification is required, information on how to verify education requirements, including verifying foreign education credits or degree equivalency, can be found at https://sfdhr.org/how-verify-education-requirements.

Note: Falsifying one’s education, training, or work experience or attempted deception on the application may result in disqualification for this and future job opportunities with the City and County of San Francisco.

All work experience, education, training and other information substantiating how you meet the minimum qualifications must be included on your application by the filing deadline. Information submitted after the filing deadline will not be considered in determining whether you meet the minimum qualifications.

Resumes will not be accepted in lieu of a completed City and County of San Francisco application.

Applications completed improperly may be cause for ineligibility, disqualification or may lead to lower scores.

Selection Procedures: The selection process will include evaluation of applications in relation to minimum requirements.  Applicants meeting the minimum qualifications are not guaranteed advancement to the interview.  Depending on the number of applicants, the Department may establish and implement additional screening mechanisms to comparatively evaluate the qualifications of candidates.  If this becomes necessary, only those applicants whose qualifications most closely meet the needs of the Department will be invited for an interview.

Notes: Applicants who meet the minimum qualifications are not guaranteed advancement through all the steps in the selection procedure.

What else should I know?

Transportation Security Administration (TSA) Security Clearance: Candidates for employment with the San Francisco Airport Commission are required to undergo a criminal history check, including FBI fingerprints, and Security Threat Assessment in order to determine eligibility for security clearance and may be required to undergo drug/alcohol screening. Per Civil Service Commission Rule Section 110.9.1, every applicant for an examination must possess and maintain the qualifications required by law and by the examination announcement for the examination. Failure to obtain and maintain security clearance may be basis for termination from employment with the Airport Commission.

Customs Clearance: This position requires that the incumbent be qualified for unescorted access to the San Francisco International Airport U.S. Customs Security Area.  An application for a U.S. Custom Access Seal may be submitted to Customs ONLY after employment has commenced.  Employment in this position requires that the incumbent submit an application for, successfully acquire and maintain a Customs Access Seal.  Per Civil Service Commission Rule 110.9.1, every applicant must possess and maintain the qualifications required by law and by the examination announcement for this examination.  Failure to acquire or maintain customs access, a requirement for this position, may be basis for termination from employment with the Airport Commission. Customs Access Seal requirements and procedures are located in the Code of Federal Regulations, Title 19, Part 122, Sections 181 or 189.

Additional Information Regarding Employment with the City and County of San Francisco:

• Information About the Hiring Process
• Conviction History
• Employee Benefits Overview  
• Equal Employment Opportunity 
• Disaster Service Worker
• ADA Accommodation
• Veterans Preference
• Right to Work
• Copies of Application Documents
• Diversity Statement

How to Apply:

All job applications for the City and County of San Francisco must be submitted through our online portal. Please visit https://careers.sf.gov/ to begin your application process. No other methods of application will be accepted.

• Select the “I’m Interested” button and follow instructions on the screen

Computers are available for the public (9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Monday through Friday) to file online applications in the lobby of the Department of Human Resources at 1 South Van Ness Avenue, 4th Floor and at the City Career Center at City Hall, 1 Dr. Carlton B. Goodlett Place, Room 110.

Ensure your application information is accurate, as changes may not be possible after submission. Your first and last name must match your legal ID for verification, and preferred names can be included in parentheses. Use your personal email address, not a shared or work email, to avoid unfixable issues.

Applicants may be contacted by email about this recruitment and, therefore, it is their responsibility to ensure that their registered email address is accurate and kept up-to-date. Also, applicants must ensure that email from CCSF is not blocked on their computer by a spam filter. To prevent blocking, applicants should set up their email to accept CCSF mail from the following addresses (@sfgov.org, @sfdpw.org, @sfport.com, @flysfo.com, @sfwater.org, @sfdph.org, @asianart.org, @sfmta.com, @sfpl.org, @dcyf.org, @first5sf.org, @famsf.org, @ccsf.edu, @smartalerts.info, and @smartrecruiters.com).

Upon successful submission, applicants will receive a confirmation email from notification@careers.sf.gov. Keep this email for your records. If you do not receive it, your application was not submitted successfully.

All your information will be kept confidential according to EEO guidelines.

Recruitment Analyst Information: If you have any questions regarding this recruitment or application process, please contact the analyst Carmen Ng, via email at carmen.ng@flysfo.com

The City and County of San Francisco encourages women, minorities and persons with disabilities to apply. Applicants will be considered regardless of their sex, race, age, religion, color, national origin, ancestry, physical disability, mental disability, medical condition (associated with cancer, a history of cancer, or genetic characteristics), HIV/AIDS status, genetic information, marital status, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, gender expression, military and veteran status, or other protected category under the law.