Design Your Future: Start your career with Populous Americas

The transition from college into the professional world can be filled with excitement and a sense of adventure — and of course feelings of uncertainty or confusion. To help with this significant and typically underemphasized life transition, a few of Populous’ newest hires share what it was like to graduate in May 2022 and then start their careers with Populous in the Americas region.

Sydney Obermeier, Interior Designer I, Kansas City

I was first introduced to Populous during my sophomore year of college, as I was researching design firms to start my career with after graduation. Sporting and live music events have played a vital role in my life, so I was instantly drawn to Populous.

A few months before graduating from Iowa State University with a bachelor’s in interior design, I received a job offer from Populous for the Interior Designer I position. In this position, I have worked predominantly on NFL-related projects, including the new Buffalo Bills stadium. I am working on various interior spaces throughout the stadium that I have been given the creative freedom to choose finishes, furniture, custom millwork design and much more. I am excited to continue to work on this project and one day experience the interior spaces I have designed in person.

From my first day at Populous, I have been provided with a wide range of trainings and resources to help me be successful and excel in my role. I have gained an extensive and diverse professional network, ranging from coworkers to materials vendors. This has broadened my wealth of knowledge and helped me increase the confidence I have in myself and my creative abilities.

Sabeeha Bachelani, IT Help Desk Administrator, Kansas City

I was an intern with Populous in the IT department during the summer of 2021 in the Kansas City office. After my internship, I knew I was interested in a full-time position with Populous, as I greatly enjoyed my experience throughout the summer and the gratification of helping individuals throughout the firm.

I graduated from the University of Kansas with bachelor’s degrees in information systems and data analytics and shortly after, I started my role with Populous as an IT Help Desk Administrator. In this role, I help mitigate problems with and offer continuous improvements to technology. I am constantly striving to find new and more efficient ways to solve technological problems.

During my first six months at Populous, I participated in a series of sessions curated specifically for individuals who recently graduated from college and were starting their career with the firm. These sessions helped ease my transition from student to work life immensely, as I was quickly able to gain a deeper understanding of how my role functions within the firm and build connections with my coworkers.

The team at Populous has continuously supported me in maintaining a healthy and true work-life balance. They have also encouraged me to continue my education — I plan to pursue my master’s degree in business in a few years.

I have grown immensely in my short time with the firm as I am now a more confident and assertive person, which has proved beneficial in both my personal and professional life. I am eager to continue to grow my career with Populous and see what opportunities are ahead.

Yarzar Hlaing, Architecture Designer I, New York City

I graduated from Pratt Institute in Brooklyn, New York, from the five-year Bachelor of Architecture program. A few months before I graduated, I applied for the Architecture Designer I position with Populous, as I have always been fascinated by designing public spaces and civic architecture.

Since my first day in the New York office, Populous continues to exceed my expectations of what I was looking for in a workplace. I focus predominantly on planning and creating design options for the preconcept stage of the design process. This involves issuing planning diagrams, area takeoffs, developing renderings, 3D modeling and creating review packages.

Populous has exposed me to a supportive office culture with resources and encouraging mentors that helped ease my transition from the school to work environment. My time at Populous has been pivotal in helping me map out and clarify the path I want to take to continue to grow and advance within my career and the architecture field. I would highly encourage anyone who is interested in starting their career with Populous to apply.

Details on the Recent Graduate Experience with Populous

Populous provides a robust new graduate experience complete with resources, trainings and opportunities to allow recent graduates to develop, grow and reach their fullest potential within their careers. Each recent graduate takes part in soft skills trainings and is paired with a mentor, who has between three to five years of experience in the firm and serves as a point of contact for advice and resources. There are also opportunities to network internally and externally with staff, consultants, clients and many more individuals, which allows recent graduates to gain a new breadth of knowledge on various topics.

For individuals in architecture and design, technical trainings are provided that explore BIM modeling, REVIT and mastering documentation. Recent graduates are given a wide array of opportunities to explore various project typologies and collaborate with individuals spanning all office locations.

If you are interested in starting your career with Populous, visit https://populous.com/careers.