Sustainable Design Practice Leader
Clark Nexsen
Lead sustainable design, oversee green certification, mentor staff, drive carbon‑reduction.
8 days ago ago
Expert & Leadership (13+ years), Experienced (8-12 years)
Full Time
Virginia Beach, VA
Office Full-Time
Company Size
325 Employees
Service Specialisms
Architecture
Engineering
Planning
Interior design
Civil engineering
Environmental engineering
Transportation engineering
Traffic engineering
Sector Specialisms
Energy & Renewables
Minerals Processing
Material Handling & Bulk Material Handling
Petrochem
Plastics
Pulp & Paper
Terminals
Architecture
Role
What you would be doing
sustainability workshops
quality control
research lead
process development
staff mentoring
deliverable authoring
- Leads sustainability workshops, eco-charrettes, and/or integrative design processes to help stakeholders identify and realize project sustainability goals.
- Contributes to business development and thought leadership through involvement in professional organizations and industry conferences.
- Performs quality control reviews of project deliverables generated by Sustainability Coordinators.
- Incorporates relevant practices, knowledge, and tools into the firm’s practices.
- Leads specialized research activities; assists with the identification and implementation of targeted research.
- Assigns Sustainability Coordinators to projects and monitors their performance.
- Provides leadership of sustainable design activities throughout the project life cycle.
- Serves as an in-house subject matter expert for sustainability-related information, monitoring sustainable design industry trends related to software, emergent research, and best practices.
- Supports recruitment, interviews, and hiring of Clark Nexsen Sustainability staff.
- Partners with market sector leaders to support new project pursuits including contributing to marketing proposals and participating in interviews.
- Develops appropriate internal processes and tools to enhance sustainable design workflows.
- Mentors Sustainability Coordinators, providing direction and feedback to support their professional development.
- Authors project sustainability deliverables, including client presentations, basis of design narratives, charrette reports, green building certification system checklists, requests for proposals, sustainability plans, and studies.
What you bring
leed ap
revit
rhino
sustainability
10+ years
licensure
- Professional licensure in architecture or related field preferred.
- Ability to successfully complete a background check for work on Federal Government projects
- Experience authoring sustainability or decarbonization plans for clients is desirable.
- Ability to problem solve and apply innovative solutions.
- Excellent written and oral communication skills, with the ability to convey information to technical and non-technical audiences.
- 10+ years of professional experience, including 5+ years working directly in the field of sustainable building design, is required.
- Ability to travel occasionally to Clark Nexsen offices and project locations.
- Thorough understanding of project work planning, scheduling, budgeting, and staffing.
- Minimum bachelor’s-level accredited professional degree in Architecture, Engineering, or related field.
- Direct experience leading project eco-charrettes, sustainability workshops, or similar building sustainability work sessions involving multiple stakeholders is required.
- Demonstrated knowledge of strategies and systems related to occupant wellness, energy efficiency, daylighting, embodied and operational carbon, indoor air quality, materials assessment, stormwater management, and other common project topics.
- Additional accreditations such as WELL AP, LFA, Green Globes Professional, etc. will be
- Exposure to analysis tools pertaining to built environment sustainability such as Climate Studio, IES Virtual Environment, Climate Consultant, Sefaira, PVWatts, tallyLCA, and/or EC3 is preferred. Experience with Revit is required. Experience with Rhino, Grasshopper, and related plugins (Ladybug, Honeybee, etc.) is desirable.
- Direct experience facilitating an integrated building design process, including scheduling and coordination of energy and daylight modeling, site analyses, and similar activities to achieve desired sustainability outcomes within project schedules and budgets, is required.
- LEED Accredited Professional with Specialty (BD+C or ID+C) must be active. Experience serving as LEED Project Administrator for projects which have been successfully certified is required.
- Open to learning new things and excited to share knowledge with others.
Information not given or found
Training + DevelopmentInformation not given or found
Interview process
Information not given or found
Visa SponsorshipInformation not given or found
Security clearance- must successfully complete a background check for federal government projects.
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Company
Overview
Nine Offices
Regional Presence
The firm operates nine offices across the Southeast U.S., highlighting its regional presence and sustained growth.
2024 Award
Best of Practice
Recipient of the 2024 Architect’s Newspaper Best of Practice Award, recognizing excellence in design and operations.
Top Ranking
National Recognition
Ranked among the top design firms nationally, reflecting its reputation for innovation and quality.
2025 Merger
Expansion Milestone
Merged into JMT in May 2025, forming an expanded leader in design and engineering.
- Multidisciplinary studio blending architecture and engineering.
- Specializes in sectors including infrastructure, education, science & technology, commercial, industrial, and transportation.
- Their iterative, collaborative process combines planners, architects, and engineers to craft transformative built environments.
- Tackles high-profile projects such as Fitts-Woolard Hall at NC State, Madera Cyber Innovation Center, and the Normandy WWII Navy SEALs monument.
- We design for a greater purpose.
- Our culture is the result of a collective effort to innovate and inspire, to support and challenge, to impact and transform.
- Our people form that culture by working together across disciplines and market sectors, fostering an environment of inclusion and creativity.
- We believe great ideas are the result of collaboration between individuals with diverse backgrounds, perspectives, and passions.
- Non‑hierarchical approach: supporting ideas from interns to senior executives
- Active support for continuing education, professional development, volunteerism, and community involvement
- Strong community involvement via outreach programs, volunteerism, fundraising, and Foundation grants
- Office‑based social events (sports teams, potlucks, recreation) that foster camaraderie
70% pEUI
Building Energy Efficiency
Achieved significant energy use intensity reduction for the Ferguson Headquarters 3 project compared to baseline.
73% pEUI
Adaptive Reuse Efficiency
Reduced energy use intensity for the Car Barn Adaptive Reuse project compared to baseline.
- Signatory to AIA 2030 Commitment: design all new buildings and major renovations to be carbon neutral by 2030
- Member of Structural Engineering 2050 Challenge: eliminate embodied carbon in structural systems by 2050
- Joined MEP 2040 Challenge: achieve net zero operational carbon by 2030 and net zero embodied carbon by 2040
- Average predicted Energy Use Intensity (pEUI) reduction slightly exceeding national average
- Building Science Group provides energy modeling (concept through construction) to improve EUI and reduce operating costs
- Use of tools Tally and EC3 for embodied carbon calculations; publication of Embodied Carbon Action Plan annually
- Material sourcing focus: reduce transport emissions, use low‑carbon concrete mixes (SCMs), recycled‑content steel, region‑based mass timber when viable
$5,000 Donated
Women's Advocacy Support
The Clark Nexsen Foundation donated $5,000 to women-empowering nonprofits during Women’s History Month 2024.
$500 Per Office
Local Scholarships
Clark Nexsen offices each received $500 toward local scholarships via the JEDI group's partnership with HBCUs.
$10,000 Donation
Cancer Research Support
The foundation donated $10,000 to the American Cancer Society on Giving Tuesday.
- Professionals across offices honored Black community members for Black History Month 2024.
- All qualified applicants considered without regard to sex, sexual orientation, or gender identity.
- JEDI group-led scholarship and philanthropy initiatives
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