Sustainability Strategist, Junior

About the Role

At Gensler, design is a catalyst for creating a better world. Through the Gensler Cities Climate Challenge (GC3) and our Climate Action & Sustainability practice, we collaborate with clients and project teams to advance decarbonization, resilience, wellness, and high-performance design. Gensler is dedicated to helping clients achieve ambitious sustainability goals and a net-zero future through measurable, design-driven solutions.

As a Junior Sustainability Strategist, you will support project teams in integrating sustainability strategies throughout the design and construction process. Your primary focus will include assisting with sustainable design strategy, third-party certification efforts, building performance analytics, design and material guidelines, and analyzing qualitative and quantitative data to determine impact on sustainability performance criteria for spatial design. This role combines sustainability coordination, certification support, materials evaluation, research, and collaboration with multidisciplinary design teams. You will work closely with sustainability leaders, architects, interior designers, engineers, and consultants to help deliver high-performance, low-carbon projects across multiple practice areas. The role involves, but is not limited to, direct hands-on LEED project experience, the ability to manage assigned LEED certification tasks with minimal supervision, integrating sustainability into the design process, coordinating life cycle assessment, energy modeling, daylighting, and other technical analyses, and effectively balancing multiple project deadlines. Success in this role requires strong organizational skills, initiative, attention to detail, and the ability to work independently on assigned responsibilities while seeking guidance and collaborating with senior sustainability staff and project teams as needed.

Key Responsibilities

• Sustainability-focused project work, with oversight from Sustainability Directors, including the development of design guidelines and materials standards, sustainable strategy identification and goal setting for single projects and portfolios of buildings.
• Design and support engaging workshops with internal teams, clients, and other stakeholders.
• Undertake performance analysis including but not limited to embodied carbon/whole-building lifecycle analysis, daylight simulations, energy simulations, and climate risk assessments to determine impact on clients’ project and organizational goals, and/or performance criteria for sustainable design solutions.
• Synthesize information and data into narratives told through presentations and reports.
• Identify and maintain awareness of current and emerging technologies, tools, and methods as they impact the delivery of green building design.
• Track Federal, State, and local regulations and incentives and provide guidance to clients and internal teams.
• Ensure sustainable design projects status is integrated into Gensler Digital Library.
• Support LEED certification processes from project kickoff through certification submission, including credit tracking, documentation review, consultant coordination, and communication with certification bodies.
• Have experience with research methodologies and activities, and can work with both qualitative and quantitative data.
• Collaborate with sustainability leaders and project teams to integrate sustainability, wellness, and resilience strategies into architecture and interior design projects.
• Assist with sustainability goal setting, design reviews, and project performance evaluations.
• Conduct research on sustainable materials, products, technologies, and industry best practices.
• Assist with embodied carbon assessments and sustainability analyses to inform design decisions.
• Support the evaluation of Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs), Health Product Declarations (HPDs), Declare labels, and other sustainability documentation.
• Collaborate with project teams to identify opportunities for improved environmental performance and carbon reduction.
• Prepare sustainability reports, presentations, graphics, and client-facing materials.
• Contribute to internal sustainability education, research, and knowledge-sharing efforts.

Requirements & Tech Stack

• Knowledgeable in third-party green building rating systems ( LEED, WELL, Green Globes, Fitwel, etc.).
• Proficient user of building performance simulation and LCA software including Climate Studio, IES/Energy Plus, OneClick LCA, or Tally.
• Proficient user of design software including Revit, Rhino with Grasshopper.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s or master’s degree in architecture, Interior Design, Engineering, Environmental Design, Sustainability, Building Science, or a related field.
• 0-2 years of experience in sustainability certification, research, analytics and/or strategy focused project work.
• Demonstrated ability to work collaboratively with multidisciplinary project teams while supporting senior sustainability staff and project leadership.
• Comfortable interpreting LEED requirements and assisting project teams in meeting certification goals while escalating complex issues as appropriate.
• LEED Green Associate preferred; actively pursuing LEED AP accreditation.
• Strong knowledge of lifecycle assessments, integration of embodied carbon into sustainability goals, and building performance analytics.
• Strong knowledge of building systems, climatic and passive design principles, integrative design practices, and consultant coordination.
• Experience with data science, coding, and data visualization a plus.
• Proficiency with Passivhaus and/or THERM a plus.
• Ability to read, interpret, and review construction documents, drawing sets, project manuals, specifications, and material submittals.
• Familiarity with green building certification systems such as WELL, Green Globes and Fitwel a plus.
• Strong interpersonal skills with the ability to collaborate effectively across disciplines and contribute as part of a team-oriented project environment.
• Passion for sustainability, climate action, and creating positive environmental impact through design.

This position is in-person. Successful candidates will be located in the Houston, Texas area. Non-local candidates are welcome.