Principal Architect Planner, Site Services

The Position

As a Principal Architect with Genentech, you will play a pivotal role in shaping the architectural future of a dynamic campus encompassing 50+ buildings and 6 million square feet of space. Collaborating with multidisciplinary teams, you’ll bring your technical leadership and innovative expertise to ensure architectural designs are safe, sustainable, code-compliant, and aesthetically enriching for diverse stakeholders. As a seasoned expert, you’ll lead the evolution of design standards, influence cutting-edge industry solutions, and guide high-impact projects in the biotech and pharmaceutical space—all while engaging with global thought leaders and pushing boundaries in architectural excellence.

This is your opportunity to bring visionary ideas to life within a world-class organization.

The responsibilities for this position may include, but are not limited to:

• Under the direction of the Director of Design Engineering, the Design Engineering Principal Architect provides technical leadership and accountability for architectural designs on capital projects performed at the South San Francisco and other sites where SSF Design & Construction (D&C) has active projects.
• This role engages actively in the upgrades to the portfolio of 50+ buildings / 6M square feet of space and the design and planning of new buildings.
• This role is a respected industry expert and engages with the Roche/Genentech internal and industry external network to learn, influence and collaborate on new technologies, best practices and standards, bringing this knowledge and expertise to bear so that project designs provide a safe, code compliant, sustainable and aesthetically pleasing environment to Genentech customers.
• The Principal Architect will be an industry expert in the area of architectural design, and will engage frequently with various levels of the organization, acting as a Subject Matter Expert (SME) and advising external design consultants on architectural design.
• This role interacts day to day with many project teams, including coordinating with the project managers in Design & Construction and providing design and technical guidance to design vendors and Alliance Partners.
• Interact frequently with the leads of similar functions in Genentech REWE (Real Estate and Workplace Effectiveness) and the PTT (Roche Pharma Global Engineering) groups, influencing and aligning on design standards and approaches across the network.
• Teach and direct project managers and partners on industry practices and new technologies in their area of technical expertise.
• Periodically present to upper management (Director to VP level) to demonstrate business drivers and site strategies surrounding applicable project programs.
• Present periodically at industry events as a technical expert.
• This role requires excellent interpersonal, leadership, strategic agility, collaboration, and conflict resolution skills, as well as a good working knowledge of project design, construction and management.
• Confidence in leading a team of project professionals, positive attitude, and a good temperament for customer interaction is a must.
• This role must embrace approachability and true relationship building with partner groups.
• Establish and maintain positive working relationships with others, both internally and externally, to achieve the goals of the organization.
• Demonstrate professional conduct when communicating with peers, customers and supervisor.
• Positively influence others to achieve results that are in the best interest of the organization.
• Participate in process improvement initiatives.
• Successful completion of Genentech specific site training and continual training compliance.

Project Technical Analysis & Design Guidance:

• The primary area of focus for this role will be supporting the execution of a portfolio of projects with input and coordination in the area of architectural design, including code compliance, materials selection and general building “look and feel”.
• Expertise involves balancing aesthetics, performance, cost and maintainability in the process of applying innovative architectural design solutions.
• The Principal Site Architect…