Airport Design Specialist

Salary: Band 10 ($118,735.50)

Status: Full-time permanent, Unionized

Work environment: Hybrid (3 days in office, 2 days WFH)

Number of positions available: 1

Closing Date: August 28, 2026

WHY CALGARY AIRPORTS

Powered by heart and dedicated to excellence, we’re the team that keeps Calgary connected – and you could be our newest member.

We’re in the business of uplifting people, and every day, we create runways to new places and possibilities, building a better airport experience for everyone.

What’s The Team Like

Planning Services shapes the long-term future of Calgary Airports by leading how our airport is planned, designed, and developed across airside, terminal, and landside areas. The team is responsible for creating and maintaining master plans and design standards that guide how spaces look, function, and evolve over time.

This includes defining the design direction for key areas of the airport (such as terminal zones and passenger spaces), ensuring consistency in materials, finishes, and overall passenger experience, and supporting infrastructure projects from early planning through design.

Working closely with internal teams and external consultants, Planning Services ensures every project aligns with Calgary Airports’ long-term vision, operational needs, regulatory requirements, and design standards.

What Are Some Of The Responsibilities

• Lead the maintenance and evolution of Calgary Airports’ thematic plans, design standards, and technical specifications to ensure alignment with organizational goals and industry best practices.
• Own and advance thematic design initiatives (e.g., terminal zones, concourses, material and finishes standards), including ongoing updates and future fit-up or redesign projects.
• Review and evaluate project designs, drawings, specifications, and submissions (including shop drawings) to confirm compliance with established standards and provide technical feedback.
• Provide design governance and subject matter expertise during planning and early design phases to support risk identification and standards compliance.
• Collaborate with internal stakeholders and external consultants to ensure alignment on design intent, standards interpretation, and implementation across projects.
• Participate in design coordination and site meetings to resolve design-related issues and support project delivery.
• Reinforce Calgary Airports’ spatial identity by providing guidance on materials, finishes, and user experience consistency across infrastructure projects.
• Manage and maintain material samples and technical reference documentation to support standards application and internal design governance.

What Do You Need To Bring

• You’ll need to be eligible to obtain and maintain a RAIC, don’t worry – we’ll help you through this! For more details, check out: RAIC Program and Application Information
• Minimum 6–8 years of experience in architectural design, interior design, or design standards development within infrastructure or large-scale built environments.
• Degree in Architecture, Interior Design, Engineering, or a related built-environment discipline. Relevant professional experience may be considered in lieu of formal education.
• Experience working on airport, transportation, institutional, or large-scale public infrastructure projects, with involvement in design coordination, planning, or standards application.
• Demonstrated experience developing, maintaining, or applying design standards, thematic plans, or technical design guidelines.
• Proven experience reviewing architectural drawings, specifications, shop drawings, and material submissions for compliance with established standards.

What Additional Skills Are An Asset

• Bilingual in English and French

What Does Diversity Mean To Us

We are committed to building a team where exceptional leadership shines and our crew thrives both at work and at home. We believe that deliberate steps such as creating a workplace that is physically and psychologically safe, equitable to all, and actively and diligently taking steps along the path to reconciliation are the keys to making this a reality.

OUR VALUES

We prioritize genuine concern and compassion for everyone we engage with, from our team members to our partners and guests, always striving to help and support one another.

We actively seek diverse perspectives in our decision-making and collaboratively tackle challenges.

We work together with trust and transparency, supporting one another to achieve the collective goals of our organization.

We grow, evolve, and adapt with purpose, continually aligning our actions with our vision.

We embrace curiosity and boldly challenge the status quo, exploring new opportunities and taking thoughtful, responsible risks that drive purposeful innovation.