Principal / Associate Architect Aviation

About the Role

WSP in the Middle East is seeking a Principal / Associate Architect – Aviation to join our team in Dammam. This full-time role involves supporting the design and delivery of major airport projects across the region. The ideal candidate will possess a minimum of 15 years of relevant experience, demonstrating strong aviation design capabilities and a proven background in airport projects.

Role Context and Focus

This position requires leadership in architectural and interior design delivery, with a comprehensive understanding of airport planning, terminal design, and operational requirements. The role also involves providing coordinated oversight across various specialist design interfaces, including landscape, façade, lighting, and engineering, to ensure integrated project outcomes.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead architectural and interior design across all project stages, from concept through detailed design and delivery.
• Provide technical and design leadership for airport modernisation, refurbishment, and expansion programmes.
• Represent the architecture discipline in client meetings, design workshops, technical reviews, and submissions.
• Make discipline-level design decisions and respond proactively to multidisciplinary coordination requirements.
• Coordinate with lead architects, interior designers, landscape, façade, and specialist design teams, including lighting.
• Develop terminal layouts that support efficient passenger flows, operational requirements, and appropriate levels of service.
• Integrate local cultural considerations, placemaking, and wayfinding principles to enhance regional identity and passenger experience.
• Ensure designs comply with applicable building codes, fire and life safety requirements, accessibility standards, and relevant aviation requirements.
• Develop design and phasing strategies for works within live operational airport environments, focusing on minimising disruption.
• Review architectural drawings, specifications, and design deliverables for quality, durability, constructability, and suitability for high-traffic airport environments.
• Coordinate architectural interfaces with structural, MEP, ICT, landscape, façade, and specialist airport systems.
• Provide architectural oversight across interior design and specialist design interfaces, ensuring an integrated design approach.
• Work collaboratively with multidisciplinary teams to resolve design and coordination issues throughout project delivery.
• Provide technical guidance, design reviews, and mentoring to architectural team members.

Qualifications and Experience

• Minimum of 15 years of proven experience in the planning and design of airport passenger terminal buildings, preferably including modernisation, refurbishment, or expansion of operational terminals.
• Strong understanding of passenger flows, terminal processes, and airport planning principles.
• Experience in interior design, material specification, and placemaking within high-traffic public environments.
• Experience coordinating landscape, façade, lighting, interior design, and other specialist design interfaces.
• Proficiency in BIM-based architectural design and multidisciplinary coordination.
• Demonstrable experience delivering design within live operational airport environments, including phased implementation.
• Familiarity with relevant international aviation requirements and airport design standards.
• Strong stakeholder management, presentation, and communication skills.
• Experience working across multidisciplinary architectural and engineering teams.
• Experience of culturally responsive design within the GCC/Middle East would be advantageous.
• Proactive, solutions-focused approach with the ability to manage multiple architectural and specialist design interfaces.

Work Type

This is a full-time position based in Dammam, Saudi Arabia.

Application Information

WSP is committed to delivering major airport projects and seeks dedicated professionals to contribute to our team's success.