Architect - Out of Practice (Design & Build)

For architects who are done watching projects drag on for years.You’ve spent months (sometimes years) living inside one project.Design reviews. Coordination calls. Endless comments from client, contractor, planning, heritage, fire…And somewhere between Stage 3 and practical completion, the scheme you poured yourself into becomes a watered-down cousin.Meanwhile, your salary still looks suspiciously like early-career practice pay - despite the fact you’re leading packages, answering RFI's, and quietly keeping the whole thing on track.If any of this feels uncomfortably familiar, this could be the opportunity you've been waiting for...Why This Role ExistsAn award-winning workplace design & build company in central London has approached Grõ Careers with a very specific brief from the CEO:“We want to diversify our talent by hiring architects from practice - people who understand design quality but want a new environment and better pay.”They’re not just open to people from practice - they’re actively looking for them.They know that architects leading fit-out and interiors from within studios are already doing 70-80% of what they do. This role is about moving you inside that D&B environment, with the pace, exposure and salary to match.What This Role Actually Feels LikeImagine taking the parts of your current job you actually enjoy...the interiors, the drawing packages, the problem-solving with contractors...and dropping them into a fast, focused, design-led D&B environment.You’d join an award-winning multidisciplinary team in central London, reporting directly to the Managing Director, sitting alongside other architects, project managers and commercial leads - working on the same problems in real time.Instead of one 2-5 year monster project, you’re working on:Central London workplace fit-outs, typically £5m-£200mProgrammes in the 6–20 week range (not years)Boutique projects from 5,000–25,000 sq ft to multi-floor HQs up to c. 90,000 sq ftYou still care about design quality.You just finally get to see finishes appear within months - not a decade.The RoleYou’ll join as a Technical Architect / Technical Designer.Your job is to bridge the point where design intent, technical detail and buildability meet - and make sure they all line up.On any given week, that might look like:Taking a concept and turning it into coordinated technical information - plans, RCP's, elevations, sections.Owning interior packages - walls, ceilings, joinery, doors, receptions, collaboration areas - and making the call on how they go together.Juggling 2-3 live projects (depending on scale): maybe a 10,000 sq ft Cat B fit-out in detailed design, a smaller floor on site, and a larger multi-floor scheme in early technical coordination.Sitting with PM's and commercial leads to agree what’s realistic in the programme, where you can flex, and where you can’t.Spending time on site with the contractor and trades - walking the job, resolving clashes, tweaking details so they can actually be built.It’s not a back-room drafting role.You’ll be client and contractor-facing, as the person who understands both the design ambition and the technical reality.Tools & Ways Of WorkingThe team is currently transitioning to Revit, which has been brought in more strongly for larger and complex projects, having historically used AutoCAD.You’ll help the team transition more of the portfolio into Revit over the coming months - your existing Revit experience will actually be used, not just listed on your CV. Don't have Revit? This is the ideal time to join and gain access to live projects.You’ll work in a genuinely collaborative environment, with knowledge sharing directly from multidisciplinary professionals. Want more exposure to Project Management and a pathway to that position? You're in the right spot.Why Architects From Practice Have Loved This MoveYou see the loop, end to endYou’re involved from concept handover through to construction information and completion.You see how your own details hold up in reality, and you adjust your approach on the next project - quickly.Your responsibility and salary finally line upYou’re already running packages, leading meetings and dealing directly with contractors.Here, that level of ownership is recognised with a clear step up from typical practice pay for similar experience.Progression is measured in months, not decadesThe business has serious growth plans - doubling headcount over the next few years.People who perform can move quickly into senior leadership or project / commercial management-leaning positions without having to jump ship.Your D&B curiosity is satisfied (properly)You’ll work alongside PM's, commercial leads and site teams every day - learning the language of risk, programme, cost from the people who live it.You Might Be The Right Kind Of Person If...You’re an Architect, Interior Architect / Designer with roughly 3-8+ years experience here in the UK.You’ve worked on workplace or commercial fit-out - leading interior packages on complex fit-out projects. Transferable fit-out experience (hospitality, retail, etc.) will be considered.You enjoy RIBA Stage 3-5 - the drawing packages, the detailing, the coordination - and you’re good at it.You’ve worked closely with contractors on D&B contracts.You’re comfortable in Revit (highly desired) and AutoCAD on live projects.You're comfortable operating on a live site, dealing directly with clients and contractors.Practical BitsLocation: Central London studioStart: ASAP / early 2026Package: Highly competitive salary + benefits, with a significant uplift vs typical practice bands for your levelHow to applySend your CV to Grõ Careers by hitting the apply button.Shortlisted applicants will be invited to share a concise, tailored portfolio (we will advise what to highlight).Full details on the employer, team and progression routes will be shared discreetly with shortlisted candidates only.About Grõ CareersWe specialise in helping architects step out of traditional practice and into alternative environments: Design & Build, design management, project leadership and client-side roles.Our approach is highly tailored, selective, hands-on, and ethics-first - we map realistic routes out of practice, sharpen your narrative, and prepare you for the commercial realities so you can land and deliver with confidence.Many of our opportunities are exclusive and not widely advertised.