Emerson Collab Launch Team

Stage One Hiring

We are building a five-person studio, and
SEEKING CANDIDATES to fulfill one of four roles:

Conductor,
Strategist,
Steward, and
Innovator.

A Strategist may be early in their career. A Steward may bring decades of experience. We care less about seniority than aptitude, curiosity, judgment, and the unique strengths each person brings to the studio.

Our goal is not growth for growth's sake. Our goal is to build a small, exceptional team capable of producing work that is thoughtful, ambitious, and built to last.

Stage One, which is underway, is our proving ground.

Five people.
One office.
Real projects.
Real clients.

We test ideas, workflows, responsibilities, technologies, and ways of collaborating. We'll learn what works, discard what doesn't, and continuously refine how the studio operates.

As the practice grows and opportunities arise, we'll move thoughtfully into Stage Two, expanding to roughly ten people. Whether we stop there or eventually mature into a slightly larger team will depend entirely on what best serves the people and the work.

We're not interested in becoming the largest studio.

We're interested in becoming one of the best.

Before You Apply

Thank you for your interest in Emerson Collaborative.

We've intentionally kept the application process straightforward. Rather than asking for extensive materials, we'd simply like enough information to understand who you are, how you think, and the work you're most proud of.

Please take a few moments to review the guidelines below before preparing your submission.

Where We Work

Emerson Collaborative will begin as a hybrid studio, leaning more remote during its first six months while we establish the practice.

We'll regularly gather to sketch, review work, solve problems, and spend time together before eventually establishing a permanent studio in DTLA or NELA. Even then, we intend to maintain the flexibility and balance that a hybrid studio can provide.

Eligibility

At this time, we are not able to financially sponsor employment visas.

If sponsorship is your only obstacle, you're still welcome to introduce yourself. We'd be pleased to get to know you, and hope that future opportunities may allow us to work together.

Experience

Every role is open to candidates at every stage of their career.

We've identified five roles that together support every aspect of a small design practice. We're now seeking the individuals who will help shape the studio's first chapter.

Compensation, responsibilities, and title equivalents will be determined by experience, demonstrated capability, and the responsibilities each individual ultimately assumes.

Your Submission

Please submit a single PDF containing:

  • Cover page

  • Letter of interest

  • Resume or CV

  • Portfolio

Please do not submit multiple files.

Cover Page

Include:

  • Your name

  • The role you're applying for

  • Years of professional experience

  • Current location

  • Contact information

PDF Requirements

  • Maximum page size: 11 × 17 inches

  • Maximum file size: 10 MB

File Name

Please use the following naming convention:

LASTNAME_ROLE_YYYYMMDD.pdf

For example:

EMERSON_CONDUCTOR_20260621.pdf

Portfolio

Show us work that represents you.

We're less interested in project type than we are in how you approach design, solve problems, and communicate ideas.

We're especially interested in seeing evidence of:

  • Craft

  • Curiosity

  • Judgment

  • Initiative

  • Communication

  • Problem solving

Please identify your role on each project so we better understand your contribution.

Role 01 — Conductor

Purpose

The Conductor is the studio’s force multiplier.

This person possesses deep technical and practical expertise and helps others perform at their highest level. They are often the first person called when a challenge appears difficult, complex, or unfamiliar.

Responsibilities

  • Provide technical leadership

  • Mentor team members

  • Solve difficult design problems

  • Improve standards and workflows

  • Coordinate across disciplines

  • Review work for quality and constructability

  • Translate vision into execution

  • Identify risks before they become problems

Success Looks Like

  • Better work across the entire studio

  • Fewer mistakes

  • Faster learning

  • Stronger technical execution

  • Increased confidence throughout the team

Typical Characteristics

  • Calm under pressure

  • Deeply knowledgeable

  • Generous with expertise

  • Detail-oriented

  • Trusted by everyone

Role 02 — Strategist

Purpose

The Strategist sees connections others miss.

This role helps projects move from possibility to reality through research, planning, analysis, communication, and decision-making. The Strategist helps the team understand not only what should be designed, but why.

Responsibilities

  • Research opportunities and constraints

  • Lead due diligence efforts

  • Analyze sites and contexts

  • Support project planning

  • Develop narratives and frameworks

  • Coordinate stakeholder input

  • Track project objectives

  • Anticipate challenges

  • Help guide critical decisions

Success Looks Like

  • Better decisions

  • Clearer priorities

  • Reduced risk

  • Stronger project outcomes

Typical Characteristics

  • Curious

  • Analytical

  • Organized

  • Thoughtful

  • Forward-looking

Architectural blueprint of a residential property showing house layout, pool, landscaping, parking area, and property boundaries.

Role 03 — Steward

Purpose

The Steward is invested in long-term success.

Stewards care deeply about people, projects, places, and outcomes. They bring consistency, accountability, and follow-through to everything they touch. This role can be filled by someone early in their career or someone with decades of experience.

Stewardship is a mindset.

Responsibilities

  • Support project delivery

  • Coordinate teams and information

  • Maintain project quality

  • Track commitments

  • Assist with client communication

  • Organize project resources

  • Help maintain studio standards

  • Ensure nothing falls through the cracks

Success Looks Like

  • Reliable execution

  • Strong relationships

  • Well-organized projects

  • Consistent follow-through

Typical Characteristics

  • Dependable

  • Organized

  • Humble

  • Thorough

  • Service-oriented

Landscape architectural concept sketch plan for a large campus site with pathways, green areas, and trees surrounding multiple office buildings, with parking lots and streets surrounding the development.

Role 04 — Innovator

Purpose

The Innovator continuously improves how the studio works.

This role explores new tools, technologies, workflows, materials, and methods that help the team work smarter and create better outcomes. Innovation can be technological, organizational, creative, or operational.

Responsibilities

  • Test new tools and workflows

  • Explore emerging technologies

  • Improve studio systems

  • Support visualization and experimentation

  • Develop prototypes and processes

  • Document lessons learned

  • Share knowledge across the team

  • Help the studio evolve

Success Looks Like

  • Faster workflows

  • Better tools

  • Better communication

  • Better project delivery

  • New capabilities

Typical Characteristics

  • Curious

  • Experimental

  • Self-directed

  • Resourceful

  • Optimistic

Thank you for your consideration.