Hord Coplan Macht · 3 weeks ago
Design Researcher PK-12 Education - 10+ YOE
Conshohocken, PA, US
Full-time
Onsite
Senior Level, Lead/Staff
10+ years expHord Coplan Macht is seeking a Design Researcher in their Conshohocken office to integrate educational strategy with evidence-based environmental psychology and neuroarchitecture. This role involves conducting research that enhances student learning and emotional well-being in school environments, collaborating with an interdisciplinary team to translate findings into effective design strategies.
ArchitectureConsultingLandscaping
Responsibilities
Lead and conduct research studies focused on the cognitive, emotional, and physiological impacts of built environments on students—especially related to attention, stress, memory, and social cognition
Design and deploy experimental tools, from behavioral protocols and psychometric surveys to sensor-driven data collection (e.g., EEG, eye-tracking, or physiological monitoring)
Analyze quantitative and qualitative data—using statistical software packages (R, SPSS, MATLAB)—and craft actionable insights for design teams
Translate research into design guidelines: sensory-rich classroom layouts, daylighting and acoustics strategies, outdoor environments and wellbeing zones informed by neuroarchitecture principles for all ages
Collaborate with educators, administrators, and design committees to align design decisions with pedagogical objectives and neurodevelopmental insights
Communicate research outcomes through internal workshops, client presentations, peer-reviewed publications, and community-facing exhibits
Mentor junior team members and help grow the firm’s internal capacity for user-based research methods and cognitive design tools
Work closely with Principals and leaders in the Pk12 Studio to set priorities for research topics and strategies
Work with internal design teams to incorporate research into design solutions
Qualification
Required
M.A./M.S./Ph.D. in Cognitive Science, Neuroscience, Psychology, Educational Psychology, Environmental Psychology, Architecture or related fields
10+ years of experience in applied research pertaining to architecture, education, workspace design, or environmental psychology
Technical research skills: Experimental design, sensor deployment, statistical modeling, data visualization
Proficient in Revit and Adobe Creative Suite—preferred if integrated into cognitive modeling and prototyping workflows
Effective communication skills and the ability to present to non-technical audiences and craft compelling, evidence-based narratives
Has a collaborative mindset and experience working across disciplines like architecture, education, human factors
Experience with research dissemination, peer-reviewed publications, conference presentations, or public engagement on neuroarchitecture themes
Preferred
Preferred experience in K‑12 design, and familiarity with regulatory standards related to educational environments (e.g., acoustics, lighting, IEQ)
Benefits
Medical, Dental, and Vision Plans
401(K) with company match
Company paid STD, LTD, Life
PTO Plans
Mentorship Programs and Professional Development
Company
Hord Coplan Macht
Hord Coplan Macht is an architecture and planning firm that provides designing, engineering, and architectural services.
201-500 employees
Funding
Current Stage
Growth StageTotal Funding
$4.57M2023-06-20Series Unknown· $1.77M
2022-09-23Seed· $0.34M
2021-04-15Series Unknown· $1.43M
Leadership Team
Tim Barnhill
Chief Executive Officer
Carol Macht, RLA, FASLA
Founding Partner
Recent News
2025-09-10
The Business Times
2025-05-07
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