Careers

Project Coordinator & Purchasing Assistant

At Summer Thornton Design we have 2 primary teams that support our projects.  A Design Team, who leads the creative concepts & technical drawings, and a Project Management Team who brings projects to fruition through administrative excellence, order placement and expediting with vendors, and the coordination of specialty tradespeople. As a Project Coordinator & Purchasing Assistant you’ll be an integral part of the Project Management Team, supporting the Director of Project Management & other Project Managers.

Primary Responsibilities:

• Manage product purchasing and tradespeople/subcontractors for large-scale, high-end residential, hospitality, and boutique commercial projects from Purchase Order through final installation and punch list
• Collaborate with outside vendors and tradespeople to expedite purchases and site work, problem-solving as issues arise to maintain project timeline and ensure Design Team’s creative vision is not compromised
• Drive project progress through timeline management and vendor expediting including making timely deposits and payments and coordinating shipping, overseeing purchases from issuance of Purchase Order all the way through installation including receiving initial pricing quotes, reserves, placing orders, tracking, receiving, inspecting, delivery, & installation
• Maintain strong relationships and communication with vendors, contractors, and tradespeople
• Manage Accounts Payable for assigned projects preparing purchase orders in Studiowebware & and reviewing invoices for product purchases
• Contact vendors for CFAs and finish samples
• May require up to 20% travel out-of-state

Key Qualifications & Skills:

• 3-10 years professional experience in related field & role (purchasing manager, expeditor, AR/AP, office manager, project management, interior design, theater production, etc)
• Bachelors degree (or Masters)
• Ability to problem-solve, try new things, and seek solutions with limited supervisor direction
• A taskmaster who loves creating and working through a list – strong multi-tasking skills and ability to prioritize & manage multiple projects with varying timelines and deliverables at once
• Teamwork & collaboration-minded
• Proactive self-starter – shows both initiative and detailed follow-through/completion
• Strong attention to detail & strong organizational skills…must love making a list and checking it twice
• Studio Webware / Studio Designer experience a plus
• Positive and fun, team player, utmost integrity, honesty, & no-drama/ego attitude a necessity

SEND RESUME, PAY REQUIREMENT, & REFERENCES TO: CAREERS@SUMMERTHORNTONDESIGN.COM

Interior Design Assistant / Interior Architecture Assistant

Primary Responsibilities:

• Assist Designers in overseeing large-scale, long-term design projects from concept through installation for high-end residential and boutique hospitality projects
• Assist in the drawing & development of comprehensive design plans & construction drawing sets including sourcing, floorplans, elevations, etc
• Collaborate with outside consultants and project partners including Architects, General Contractors, Craftsmen, & more
• Maintain strong relationships and communication with Designers, Senior Designers and outside vendors
• Prepare proposals for product & labor
• Prepare materials & organize presentations before client meetings
• Design custom furniture, cabinetry, textiles and more to achieve the design vision
• Create finish schedules and coordinate construction with architects/builders
• Contact vendors for pricing & samples
• Organize materials for client presentations
• Assist with project installations
• Assist with photo shoots
• Capture photos for social media and internal documentation
• Office tidying & organization as well as resource library maintenance/organization
• Pick-up and return unused product & samples as required
• May require up to 20% travel out-of-state
• Seamlessly transition orders and contractor-management to Project Management group at firm

Key Qualifications & Skills:

• Minimum 2 years (ideally 3-6 years) professional experience.  Priority is typically given to those in a related field – interior design, architecture, product/furniture design, textile design, hospitality design, etc – though career changers may apply.
• Bachelors degree (or Masters)
• Strong 2D AUTOCAD & Photoshop experience preferred (or willingness to learn). Rendering, hand-sketching, and 3D skills a plus but not required.
• Ability to problem-solve, try new things, and seek solutions with limited supervisor direction
• Strong multi-tasking skills and ability to manage multiple projects with varying timelines and deliverables at once
• Teamwork & collaboration-minded
• Proactive self-starter – shows both initiative and detailed follow-through/completion
• Strong attention to detail & strong organizational skills
• Studio Webware experience a plus
• Equal parts talented & nice
• Positive and fun, team player, utmost integrity, honesty, & no-drama/ego attitude a necessity

SEND RESUME, PORTFOLIO & REFERENCES TO: CAREERS@SUMMERTHORNTONDESIGN.COM

Intern

Summer Thornton Design offers internship opportunities for the best & brightest on an as-needed basis throughout the year. Several members of our team started as interns and were given the opportunity to join the team at the end of their internship. Also individuals considering career industry changes are possible candidates for an intern position. Interns can and have worked across a variety of functions including with our Design team, with our Project Management & Expediting team, or assisting with Business Operations (or across several different functions).

Intern – Examples of Intern Responsibilities:

• Office organization & tidying
• Maintaining resource materials library
• Pick-up & return product purchases & samples
• Presentation materials prep
• Research interior design products
• Contact vendors for pricing & product
• If knowledgeable in AutoCad, Create 2D CAD elevations & floor plans
• Creating Proposals for client meetings
• Marketing support
• Other tasks to help designers, project managers, architectural partners, and clients

Intern – Key Qualifications & Skills:

• Strong attention to detail & strong organizational skills
• Ability to problem-solve and seek solutions with limited supervisor direction
• Proactive self-starter – shows both initiative and detailed follow-through/completion
• Valid driver’s license & vehicle (& be comfortable driving in Chicago)
• 2D AUTOCAD skills preferred but not required
• Strong teamwork skills a necessity
• Interior Design or Architecture degree preferred but not required (must be at least a Junior in college, though most interns have completed their undergraduate studies)
• Studio Webware experience a plus but not mandatory

SEND RESUME, PORTFOLIO, REFERENCES & AVAILABILITY TO CAREERS@SUMMERTHORNTONDESIGN.COM

Designer – Boutique Hospitality

Primary Responsibilities:

• Independently manage & oversee large-scale, long-term high-end design projects from concept through installation
• Present & sell design concepts and plans to clients independently &/or in collaboration with Principal
• Develop comprehensive design plans across both architecture & interior design including FF&E sourcing, floorplans, elevations, etc with limited supervision
• Oversee (or personally produce) the development of construction drawing sets, schedules, project timelines, etc
• Manage & supervise junior design staff and delegation of tasks, as appropriate
• Maintain strong relationships and communication with clients and vendors, driving project progress
• Interpret and help bring-to-life the Principal’s design vision for clients
• Design custom furniture, cabinetry, textiles and more to achieve the design vision
• Coordinate construction with general contractors & tradespeoples
• May require up to 15% travel out-of-state
• Seamlessly transition orders and contractor-management to Project Management group at firm where appropriate

Key Qualifications & Skills:

• Minimum of 6 years (prefer 10+ years) professional experience in related field and extensive prior experience with boutique hospitality projects
• Bachelors (or Masters) degree in Interior Design, Architecture, Industrial Design, or related field
• Impeccable design taste and alignment with Principal’s design style and philosophies
• Strong 2D AUTOCAD skills. Rendering, hand-sketching, watercolor, and 3D skills a plus but not required
• Strong knowledge of shopping resources, vendors, & skilled tradespeople
• Ability to problem-solve, try new things, and seek solutions with limited supervisor direction
• Proactive self-starter – shows both initiative and detailed follow-through/completion
• Valid driver’s license & transportation (& must be comfortable driving in Chicago)
• Strong attention to detail & strong organizational skills
• Studio Webware experience a plus
• Positive and fun, team player, utmost integrity, honesty, & no-drama/ego attitude a necessity

SEND RESUME, PORTFOLIO & REFERENCES TO: CAREERS@SUMMERTHORNTONDESIGN.COM