---
title: 'Senior Architect at DISHER'
canonical: 'https://feeny.ai/job/senior-architect-disher-grand-rapids-t7pz6maj066b'
type: 'job'
last_seen: '2026-09-07'
---

# Senior Architect at DISHER

- **Company:** DISHER
- **Location:** Grand Rapids, MI
- **Employment:** full-time
- **Work type:** onsite
- **Posted:** 2026-08-11
- **Last confirmed live:** 2026-09-07
- **Apply:** https://jobs.lever.co/disher/77412668-767e-4634-9fff-9a621f578023

## Job description

Senior Architect – Grand Rapids or Kalamazoo, Michigan DISHER is excited to partner with a collaborative design studio on a Senior Architect based out of either their Kalamazoo or Grand Rapids studio. This studio integrates architecture, interior design, and experiential branding from the inception of every project, in order to design experiences and places that foster happiness, health, and connection, helping people live their everyday lives more fully. As a Project Architect, you will play a pivotal role in bridging creative vision and technical excellence. You’ll lead by example, mentoring others, championing collaboration, and ensuring every project benefits from diverse perspectives and expertise. We are looking for people who are a great cultural fit, are interested in learning our design theory, and have the technical skills to fulfill the role. What It's Like to Work Here: You’ll join a passionate community of designers, thinkers, and doers who believe one size never fits all. Here, every team member’s unique value is celebrated, and every voice is heard. The studio thrives on optimism, hospitality, and creative exploration, supporting each other to grow as professionals and as people. This is your opportunity to be part of a culture that values continuous learning, building strong partnerships, and the power of design to make a real difference, where you can shape not just projects, but the future of the studio itself.

What you will get to do:

- Collaborate from day one with a multidisciplinary team of interior designers, architects, and graphic designers, ensuring every project benefits from diverse perspectives and expertise.
- Engage directly with clients and team members to design with people, not just for them, creating spaces that foster happiness, health, and connection.
- Organize and inspire the team to produce high-quality, effective design and construction documents, leveraging each member’s unique strengths.
- Lead the technical development of projects, translating creative vision into detailed, buildable solutions through comprehensive drawings and specifications.
- Communicate the “why” behind design decisions, fostering understanding and buy-in from both team members and project stakeholders.
- Develop and refine studio processes, standards, and templates to support quality and efficiency across all projects.
- Mentor and teach others, helping team members grow their technical skills and understanding of how buildings come together.
- Participate in a collaborative studio environment where every project is approached as a unique opportunity.
- Contribute to a culture of optimism, hospitality, and creative exploration, supporting the studio’s core values in every interaction.

What will make you successful:

- 8+ years of related architectural experience.
- Professional degree in Architecture.
- Licensure preferred, or on track to take licensure exams.
- Experience preparing project specifications; familiarity with Deltek Spec Point or Masterspec is a plus.
- Comprehensive understanding of how buildings go together and the ability to communicate that knowledge graphically through detailed plans, sections, and construction details.
- Proficiency in Revit, AutoCAD, and other design software, with a passion for leveraging technology to improve outcomes.
- Strong technical knowledge of building systems, materials, and construction methods, with experience leading documentation teams and coordinating with consultants.
- Excellent communication skills, including the ability to explain complex technical concepts and the rationale behind design decisions.
- Commitment to continuous learning and improvement, both personally and for the team, especially in technical skills and professional growth.
- Collaborative mindset, willingness to work across disciplines and embrace the unique value each team member brings.
- Curiosity and openness to learning and applying the studio’s human-centered design philosophy.
- Ability to check your ego at the door, listen deeply to clients and colleagues, and build authentic relationships based on trust and respect.
- Excitement about the intersection of technical expertise and human-centered design, seeing yourself as a bridge between vision and reality.
- Eagerness to teach and develop processes that make the entire team stronger and more effective.

## About DISHER

## Company Overview
- **One-liner**: DISHER is an engineering, product development, manufacturing technology, and talent solutions firm that partners with clients to innovate and build custom solutions across diverse industries.
- **Entity Type**: Private (Employee-Owned via ESOP)
- **Headquarters**: Zeeland, Michigan, USA
- **Founded**: 2000
- **Founders**: Jeff Disher

## Core Business
- **Primary industry/industries**: Engineering Services, Product Development, Manufacturing Technology, Talent Solutions
- **Target customers**: B2B, primarily mid-market to Fortune 500 companies across a wide range of industries including automotive, consumer goods, medical, and industrial equipment in the US and globally.
- **Mission or purpose statement**: "Making a Positive Difference" — through integral relationships and innovative solutions with customers, coworkers, and communities. Their vision is to leave the world better than they found it.

## Products & Services
- **Product Development**: Integrated design and engineering services from concept through production, covering mechanical, electrical, and software engineering.
- **Manufacturing Solutions**: Services to streamline processes, boost productivity, and advance manufacturing technology, including automation and process optimization.
- **Electronics Engineering**: Design and development of electronic systems and embedded solutions.
- **Talent Solutions**: Staffing and consulting to place top engineering, design, and technical talent into client teams (both short-term contractors and permanent hires).
- **DISHER Extended Network (DEN)**: A vetted network of freelance and contract professionals (engineers, designers, project managers) who work on a project-by-project basis for DISHER clients.

## Market Standing
- **Valuation/Market Cap**: Not publicly available (Private, ESOP-owned company). No external funding rounds.
- **Key Metric**: Core team of 130+ employees, with an extended network (DEN) of over 70 experts. Headcount has grown significantly from a one-person operation founded in 2000.
- **Notable Investors/Partners**: Not applicable (100% employee-owned). Bi-weekly meetings review state of the business, indicating strong internal transparency on financials.
- **Growth Signals**: 130+ core team members signals steady, stable growth over 20+ years. They are an award-winning firm that augments teams for clients ranging from startups to Fortune 500 companies, indicating strong reputation and demand.

## Competitive Advantages
- **Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP)**: Every full-time core employee becomes an owner of the company, fostering a strong sense of ownership and alignment with the company’s long-term success. This is a powerful differentiator.
- **Strong, Intentional Culture**: Built on 12 core culture characteristics (e.g., Unvarnished Communication, Trusting Relationships, Innovation, Stewardship) that are actively lived out through weekly team lunches, offsites, and ongoing feedback.
- **Flexibility & Autonomy**: No fixed start/end times for workdays. Team members are encouraged to work where they are most productive (office, remote, or at client sites).
- **High Employee Satisfaction**: 98% of teammates say DISHER is a great place to work, as per their internal Great Place to Work survey.
- **Community Commitment**: 10% of profits are given back to community and nonprofit organizations. Employees get 20 paid hours of volunteer time annually.

## Strategic Focus
- **Deepening Client Partnerships**: Moving beyond being "extra hands" to becoming true partners that help clients achieve their vision.
- **Continuous Improvement**: Using workplace assessments (Great Place to Work, Denison Organizational Culture Survey) to refine culture and operations.
- **Talent Development**: Investing heavily in their people through DISHER University, individual coaching, and personal development opportunities to maintain a high-caliber team.
- **Expanding the Extended Network (DEN)**: Growing their network of vetted freelance talent to provide flexible, scalable solutions for clients.

## Why Work Here
- **Culture is Core**: DISHER intentionally builds a collaborative, transparent, and supportive environment. Their 12 core characteristics guide how employees treat each other and customers.
- **Flexible & Remote-Friendly**: They have no fixed daily start/end times and support working from the office in Zeeland, MI, from home, or at client locations, based on what is most productive.
- **Exceptional Benefits**:
    - **Employee Ownership (ESOP)**: Full-time employees are immediately enrolled in an ESOP, providing a unique retirement benefit in addition to a 401k.
    - **Generous Time Off**: Up to 4 weeks of vacation plus 11 paid holidays.
    - **Parental Leave**: 2 weeks off after the birth or adoption of a child.
    - **Paid Impact Time**: 80 hours per year for community service, professional development, and charitable work.
    - **Insurance**: Excellent health, dental, and vision insurance, plus mental health resources.
- **Team Bonding & Events**: Weekly all-team Friday lunches, two companywide offsites per year, a Christmas party, a summer picnic, and group sports sponsorships.
- **Growth & Development**: Formal programs like DISHER University, educational reimbursement, individual coaching, and subject matter communities.

## Sources
1. [disher.com - Company Homepage](https://www.disher.com/)
2. [disher.com - About Us](https://www.disher.com/about/)
3. [disher.com - Careers Page](https://www.disher.com/careers/)
4. [disher.com - Our Culture Page](https://www.disher.com/our-culture/)
5. [jobs.lever.co/disher - Job Listings](https://jobs.lever.co/disher)

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