Medical Planner & Healthcare Architect

At Gensler, we design for people. We leverage our global perspective and local presence to innovate at every scale. Fueled by passion and entrepreneurial spirit, our people bring new ideas to solve challenging problems.Our depth of expertise spans disciplines, and we strive to make the everyday places people occupy more inspiring, more resilient, and more impactful.

Your Role

As a Gensler Medical Planner & Healthcare Architect, you will lead a team of architects and designers to deliver unparalleled architectural projects. You will leverage your industry experience and healthcare expertise to guide projects from concept through construction, ensuring design excellence at every phase. In this role, you will also support business development efforts by cultivating strong client relationships, contributing to proposals and pursuits, and identifying opportunities to expand existing engagements. Your work ethic paired with curiosity, enthusiasm, and a commitment to collaboration and mentoring helps build client trust and loyalty while making Gensler an ideal place to grow your career. We also will look to you to grow our existing client base through increase revenue in addition we would look to you to open new doors for clients that are currently not client of Gensler due to your relationships.

What You Will Do

Medical Planner & Healthcare Architect

• Serve as a senior design and planning leader, providing clear direction and decision-making across healthcare projects from early planning through construction and activation.

• Lead medical planning efforts, including test-fits, program development, clinical adjacencies, and workflow optimization, translating operational models into architectural and interior solutions.

• Guide the development of program and planning documents grounded in regulatory requirements, healthcare codes, industry standards, and emerging best practices.

• Lead client, user group, and stakeholder meetings, synthesizing diverse input into clear, actionable design direction.

• Direct coordination among designers, project architects, engineers, and specialty consultants to ensure integrated, buildable, and high-quality solutions.

• Oversee site visits and construction-phase services, ensuring RFIs, submittals, substitutions, and field decisions align with design intent and regulatory requirements.

• Collaborate closely with interior designers to translate conceptual vision into resolved interior architecture, detailing, and material strategies.

• Ensure compliance with applicable codes, authorities having jurisdiction, and hospital licensing standards, validating requirements throughout design and construction.

• Provide senior-level communication with clients, consultants, contractors, and permitting authorities, representing the firm with clarity and confidence.

• Lead and present in client meetings, design reviews, and project interviews.

• Mentor and develop team members, fostering technical excellence, healthcare knowledge, and leadership capability.

• Contribute to studio and firmwide initiatives, knowledge sharing, and continuous improvement of healthcare design and planning practices.

Business Builder

• Drive healthcare growth in the Chicago market by cultivating trusted client relationships with health systems, academic medical centers, and provider networks.

• Originate and shape new work by identifying opportunities early, positioning the firm strategically, and leading pursuits from initial client engagement through contract execution.

• Serve as a client advisor, translating clinical, operational, and strategic priorities into compelling planning and design solutions that align with organizational goals.

• Partner closely with local and regional leadership to define growth targets, account strategies, and market positioning for healthcare.

• Lead proposal and interview efforts, articulating a clear value proposition that differentiates design quality, planning rigor, and project outcomes.

• Expand existing client relationships by identifying follow-on opportunities, cross-discipline services, and long-term capital program support.

• Represent the firm externally through industry involvement, thought leadership, and visibility within Chicago-area healthcare and real estate networks.

• Mentor and elevate teams in business development, best practices, client engagement, and strategic thinking, building a sustainable pipeline beyond individual pursuits.

• Balance of growth and delivery, ensuring pursuits are grounded in realistic scope, fee alignment, and the ability to deliver exceptional outcomes.

Your Qualifications

• Bachelor's or Master's degree in Architecture

• 15 + years of project experience in an architectural practice

• Professional licensure is required

• Strong leadership, communication, and relationship management skills

• Strong design and planning skills with large or complicated architectural projects.

• Proficiency in Revit and Adobe Creative Suite (InDesign, Photoshop, Illustrator) is required. Enscape, AutoCAD, Sketchup, Rhino, and Microsoft Office are also beneficial.

• Working knowledge of building codes, standards, building construction, and building structures.

• LEED AP and Registered Architect (or in process) preferred

• Experience planning HCAI facilities

• Advanced knowledge of current healthcare planning and programming concepts, including patient safety and evidence-based design principles

• Proficient knowledge of guidelines for design and construction of healthcare facilities

• Strong knowledge of building codes and accessibility guidelines

• Strong organizational skills and the ability to work on multiple projects in various stages of development

• A quick learner with an ability to thrive in a fast-paced work environment

• Collaborative and team-conscious

• Must have the ability to maintain existing client relationships and build new client relationships through successful project delivery

• Previous experience in sustainable design projects is preferable. Specially built projects with LEED, Living Building Challenge, WELL Building Standard, Fitwel and /or Net Zero Building certification

• Deep understanding of building codes including IBC, NFPA 101, FGI Guidelines, and ADA, particularly as they pertain to healthcare and institutional environments.

• Strong understanding of healthcare design and operations standards, including functional program requirements and licensing processes.