Job Title:
Facility Designer Job Description The Facility Designer supports a nationwide restaurant refresh and modernization program, contributing to both remodeling of existing locations and the design of new restaurants. This role focuses on facility layout and interior construction documentation for kitchens and order areas, with a strong emphasis on space planning, branding, and signage. The Facility Designer works closely with project managers, architects, and vendors to ensure that restaurant environments are efficient, visually consistent with brand standards, and compliant with accessibility guidelines. Responsibilities Support a major national remodeling and modernization initiative for North American restaurants, as well as design work for new locations. Develop facility designs and layouts for restaurant kitchens and customer order areas to optimize operations and guest experience. Analyze customer and employee traffic flow to increase efficiency of space utilization and improve overall design. Participate in the placement and rearrangement of equipment, including kitchen, plumbing, utility equipment, and order stations. Create and update interior construction documents in AutoCAD, including floor plans, elevations, sections, and details, with a focus on redlining and revising existing drawings. Review shop drawings and coordinate with vendors and suppliers to ensure accurate implementation of design intent. Adhere to ADA guidelines and other relevant standards in restaurant design and layout. Contribute to architectural detailing and space planning to create functional and aesthetically consistent restaurant environments. Review architectural drawings such as roof plans and building elevations produced by external A/E vendors to verify that building signage aligns with corporate brand standards. View, mark up, print, and track changes on technical drawings in both 2D and 3D formats to maintain design consistency and accuracy. Update counters and design new boards behind counters in café areas, including redlining plans and coordinating with outside architects on space planning. Import technical plans received as PDF files into Autodesk Design Review, redline plans and elevations, and ensure proper branding and signage placement, dimensions, and locations. Follow established prototype design guidelines that apply to the majority of restaurants, while applying appropriate flexibility within the framework as needed. Provide support to project managers by taking on design and documentation workload, allowing them to focus on client-facing responsibilities. Collaborate effectively with internal teams of architects, interior designers, graphic designers, and engineering professionals to deliver cohesive project outcomes. Essential Skills Bachelor's degree in Architecture or Interior Architecture is ideal but not required. Minimum of 2+ years of professional experience; academic-only experience is not sufficient. Proven experience producing construction documents, elevations, sections, and details in AutoCAD. Demonstrated experience in facilities design, facilities planning, or space planning. Ability to mark up and review technical drawings and plans with attention to detail. Interest in and desire to be involved in building branding and signage. Motivation to work on the client/owner side rather than within an architecture firm. Proficiency in AutoCAD, with the ability to work daily in digital plan review tools such as Bluebeam or similar platforms (training in specific tools can be provided). Strong communication skills and the ability to interact effectively with team members and external partners. Ability and willingness to learn new concepts quickly. Self-motivated mindset with the initiative to seek out additional work and support the team when tasks are completed. Ability to work collaboratively as a team player and build positive working relationships. Positive attitude and the ability to adapt quickly and resourcefully to shifting priorities. Confidence to speak up, ask for help when needed, and proactively request additional responsibilities when available. Additional Skills & Qualifications Experience with commercial, retail, or restaurant projects is a strong plus. Kitchen design experience is a plus and highly relevant to the role. Residential design experience is not applicable to this position. Experience with branding, signage coordination, and ensuring consistency with corporate standards is beneficial. Familiarity with Autodesk Design Review or similar tools for reviewing and redlining PDF-based plans and elevations is advantageous. Work Environment This role is based in a modern office located in the West Loop/Fulton Market area, surrounded by numerous restaurants and shops. The Facility Designer works on a team of approximately 4-8 people within a larger group of architects, interior designers, graphic designers, and engineering professionals, all focused on thousands of remodeling projects across the country. The workspace offers impressive views of the Chicago skyline, creating an inspiring environment. Employees can use a complimentary bus service that runs between local train stations and the office. The position follows a hybrid schedule, with three days in the office and two days remote, typically Tuesday through Thursday in-office, with flexibility. The organization offers half-day Fridays, complimentary water, coffee, and soda, and regular Thursday happy hours on the ninth floor. An on-site gym is available for a monthly fee. Employees receive structured and documented onboarding to support success, along with paid time off and matched holidays. Dress code is typical for a professional design and office environment, suitable for collaboration with internal teams and occasional coordination with external partners. Job Type & Location This is a Contract position based out of Chicago, IL. Pay and Benefits The pay range for this position is $24.00 - $31.00/hr. Eligibility requirements apply to some benefits and may depend on your job classification and length of employment. Benefits are subject to change and may be subject to specific elections, plan, or program terms. If eligible, the benefits available for this temporary role may include the following:
- Medical, dental & vision
- Critical Illness, Accident, and Hospital
- 401(k) Retirement Plan - Pre-tax and Roth post-tax contributions available
- Life Insurance (Voluntary Life & AD&D for the employee and dependents)
- Short and long-term disability
- Health Spending Account (HSA)
- Transportation benefits
- Employee Assistance Program
- Time Off/Leave (PTO, Vacation or Sick Leave) Workplace Type This is a hybrid position in Chicago,IL.
Application Deadline This position is anticipated to close on Jul 7, 2026. About Actalent Actalent is a global leader in engineering and sciences services and talent solutions. We help visionary companies advance their engineering and science initiatives through access to specialized experts who drive scale, innovation and speed to market. With a network of almost 20,000 consultants and 5,000 clients across the U.S., Canada, Asia and Europe, Actalent serves many of the Fortune 500. We are proud to be an Engineering News-Record (ENR) Top 500 Design Firm for our engineering design services and a ClearlyRated Best of Staffing® winner for both client and talent service. The company is an equal opportunity employer and will consider all applications without regard to race, sex, age, color, religion, national origin, veteran status, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information or any characteristic protected by law. If you would like to request a reasonable accommodation, such as the modification or adjustment of the job application process or interviewing process due to a disability, please email actalentaccommodation@actalentservices.com for other accommodation options.
San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance:
Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, for all positions located in the city and county of San Francisco, we will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records.
Massachusetts Lie Detector:
It is unlawful in Massachusetts to require or administer a lie detector test as a condition of employment or continued employment. An employer who violates this law shall be subject to criminal penalties and civil liability. Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI): We may use Artificial Intelligence (AI) to support parts of our hiring process, including sourcing, screening, and evaluating candidates. AI helps assess applications and qualifications, but final decisions are made by our hiring team. By applying, you acknowledge and agree that your application may be reviewed using AI tools.