Careers

Why work at FFA?


Our dedication to quality and craft means that our work is rooted to its place on the planet, and representative of the people it serves. If you share these values and have a desire to invest in a career at FFA, we’d like to meet you.

Every voice matters
At FFA, everyone has a seat at the table. Our design culture allows open conversations about ideas because when everyone has a voice, it leads to better outcomes for our clients. Candid, respectful and open dialogue encourages new thinking, diverse ideas and creates an inclusive workplace environment. Everyone is part of the bigger picture and takes ownership of their work and professional growth.

Culture
We strive to create a healthy professional environment that inspires our design culture and enriches our employees’ lives. From providing healthy snacks in the breakroom to all-office design charrettes and weekly happy hours, we focus on initiatives that support employee wellness. FFA’s office environment, competitive salaries, events and job perks create a flourishing, productive backdrop where we can thrive.

Work-life balance
We put in hard work because we are dedicated to the design process and the work we produce. There may be a late-night right before a deadline, but we produce our most profound and insightful work when the fuel tank isn’t running on empty. We empower employees to build a healthy work-life model where they can be present in both their life and at work.

Meaningful projects
Since 1956, our practice has been focused on developing architecture that is timeless, beautiful, and sustainable. FFA is proud of this tradition and its legacy of thoughtful, contextual projects throughout the Pacific Northwest and beyond. Today, we continue to learn and elevate our design portfolio with projects ranging from thoughtful historic renovations to a myriad of new building types. We pursue unique projects which are diverse in scope and location — check out our portfolio. Whether it’s architecture, planning or interior design, or all the above, each of FFA’s projects tells a compelling and memorable story.

Equity
At FFA, our goal is to create and sustain a community where everyone feels valued.  This is important to us and not just something we say we do, but something we work on every day.  In our ongoing work to honor this commitment, our Equity Committee and Leadership Group have developed  Community Agreements – a living document which is posted throughout the office.  We use these agreements as a guidepost for everyday decision-making,  collaborating with team members, participating in meetings, and generally interacting with our colleagues. Using these agreements daily helps us continue to be supportive of our equity and inclusion goals, and each other.

Why FFA? Ask our staff.

Téjara (joined in 2017)

“As an interior designer, I appreciate how fully integrated the interiors team is. We’re not just expected to pick paint and carpet at the end of project design. We’re part of the team from the very beginning. This gives us the opportunity to impact the spaces holistically − in partnership with the architecture − which makes for much more successful projects which are truly tailored to the needs of our clients.”

 

 

Andrew (joined 2018)

I’ve really appreciated how collaborative the office is.  For me, this comes through in the work of our project teams and our different committees.  Staff are supported to impact the firm in ways that align with our individual values, interests, and goals.  We’re able to accomplish a lot together and are always improving our projects and the way we work.”

 

 

 

Amy (joined in 2023)

“I appreciate the work that has gone into FFA’s internal sustainability guidelines.  I am excited to have further conversations about resiliency and equity in design with the team! I also appreciate the weekly staff meetings with treats, the culture of cooking & eating food together in our kitchen, our happy hours, impromptu celebrations, and weekly design exploration conversations.”