Senior Medical Planner

About Healthcare at DLR Group

At the center of DLR Group’s Healthcare practice is an individual - be it a patient, caregiver, instructor, or student. Our design extends beyond the building to consider the emotional, mental, and social well-being of its inhabitants. DLR Group designers are conscious that there are practical and aesthetic issues that must be mediated in healthcare facility planning and design. We leverage our experience and knowledge to deliver evidence-based solutions that support the unique needs of our clients, all the while rooting our practice in one core idea: empathy.

Position Summary

DLR Group is seeking a Senior Medical Planner to lead and shape innovative, human-centered healthcare environments across a range of project scales. This individual will serve as a design and planning leader on strategic, facility master planning, and complex healthcare projects, collaborating with multidisciplinary teams and guiding clients through the full design process—from early programming to execution.

As a key member of our integrated design team, you will partner with architects, interior designers, engineers, and sustainability experts to deliver transformative care environments that improve outcomes, streamline clinical workflows, and support community wellness. This is a client-facing, leadership position focused on both project excellence and thought leadership in the healthcare sector.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead the development of planning concepts, functional programs, and strategic and medical space planning for healthcare projects.
• Translate clinical needs, workflows, and operational goals into architectural solutions by engaging with users, administrators, and leadership teams.
• Facilitate user group meetings and stakeholder workshops, using evidence-based and patient-centered design approaches.
• Oversee medical planning deliverables and ensure alignment with clinical operations, FGI Guidelines, ADA, NFPA, and applicable regulatory codes.
• Collaborate with project managers and project architects on schedules, staffing, and quality control throughout all project phases.
• Partner with firm leadership in business development activities, including proposal writing, client interviews, and planning narratives.
• Contribute to facility master plans and strategic campus development efforts, often working across multi-site health systems.
• Mentor junior and mid-level medical planners, fostering professional development and knowledge-sharing.
• Maintain strong relationships with healthcare clients, consultants, and internal stakeholders, ensuring continuity and satisfaction.

Qualifications

Required:

• 12–20+ years of experience in healthcare facility design, planning, and programming.
• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Architecture or related discipline.
• Demonstrated expertise in planning and design of inpatient, outpatient, or specialty healthcare environments.
• Deep knowledge of clinical workflow, room-by-room planning, and departmental relationships (ED, OR, Imaging, Inpatient Units, etc.).
• Strong understanding of FGI Guidelines, building codes, and healthcare licensing requirements.
• Advanced communication skills with the ability to facilitate clinical meetings and present ideas clearly to both technical and non-technical stakeholders.
• Portfolio that demonstrates impactful leadership on large, complex healthcare projects.

Preferred:

• Architectural registration (RA) strongly preferred.
• ACHA or EDAC credentialing.
• Experience with integrated project delivery (IPD), Lean design, or alternative delivery methods (e.g., design-build).
• Familiarity with data-driven design approaches and healthcare analytics.
• Active involvement in professional organizations (e.g., ACHA, AIA Academy of Architecture for Health, HFMA, etc.).
• Experience with HCAI (formerly OSHPD) healthcare facility requirements.