Our Team
Over 33 years, RMA has developed and upheld the highest of standards in everything we do. Our clients trust us because of these standards. RMA is constantly evolving. Each year, we surpass our previous capabilities, thanks to a culture of continuous learning and shared growth.This mindset for excellence is embedded in our processes where skills and career development are mapped out for years to come. This approach focuses on making incremental improvements to drive exceptional outcomes.
Within our studios in Sydney, Melbourne, and now Italy, we prioritise long-term career development. Our tailored approach focuses on steady progress, enabling exceptional individual achievements while advancing the practice as a whole. Many of our team members share our aspiration to live overseas and work on international projects—a goal we are realising through our growing international profile and our focus on efficiency and communication.
We are a team striving for incremental improvement each day to ensure we remain world-class and honour our commitments to our clients.
Our technological capability is world-class. Through RMA’s professional development program, we ensure every team member stays at the cutting edge of technology. To achieve this, we hire only those proficient in Rivet and BIM. These tools allow us to dedicate more time to creativity and rigour in our designs, enabling us to deliver superior architecture for our clients—in record time, around the globe.
RMA is a creative, cohesive, and collaborative workplace where we love coming to work to create exceptional homes as a team.
"I have been working at RMA for over 21 years, having started back in August of 2003. My experience at RMA has always been very positive and rewarding.
RMA and Rob are like my second family. I have been fortunate to work closely alongside Rob throughout the years. Rob has always been available to share his knowledge and experience with me and continues to be an amazing Mentor. Rob’s passion, dedication, work ethic, strategic thinking, communication style and unique design ability has been a constant inspiration to me.
I am very grateful for all the relationships, opportunity, responsibility, collaboration, and great work that I continue to be part of at RMA."
– Jay McSheffery, Head of Architecture, 21 Years with RMA
"I have been working at RMA for over 21 years, having started back in August of 2003. My experience at RMA has always been very positive and rewarding.
RMA and Rob are like my second family. I have been fortunate to work closely alongside Rob throughout the years. Rob has always been available to share his knowledge and experience with me and continues to be an amazing Mentor. Rob’s passion, dedication, work ethic, strategic thinking, communication style and unique design ability has been a constant inspiration to me.
I am very grateful for all the relationships, opportunity, responsibility, collaboration, and great work that I continue to be part of at RMA."
– Jay McSheffery, Head of Architecture, 21 Years with RMA
"Working alongside Rob and the RMA team to design bespoke residences on some of the most prestigious land in the country is an opportunity I feel honored to have. Robs continuous mentorship and guidance has been invaluable to my professional growth, and with the unwavering support of the team I have truly cherished my time here and look forward to all my future endeavours at RMA.”
– Louy Bell, Head of Interior Design, 5 Years with RMA
"Working at RMA has been both an incredibly rewarding and challenging experience. The projects here push creative and technical boundaries, giving me exposure to high-end design and complex problem-solving that I wouldn’t encounter elsewhere. I’ve gained unique insights into the architectural process, from detailed planning to client collaboration, learning so much along the way. The high standards and diverse projects at RMA have helped me grow immensely, both professionally and personally."
– Stanley Yao, Associate Director, 6 Years with RMA
“So far, my experience at RMA has been positive, and I have no complaints. I appreciate the support and professionalism I’ve encountered, and I'm looking forward to continued growth and collaboration here.”
– Mariano Vitale, Project Leader, 1 Year with RMA
“Family like environment, everyone is supportive of each other, contributing to incredible architecture designs.”
– Muhammed Reza, BIM Manager
"Here at RMA, the culture really focuses on teaching, mentoring, and growth. With a great team and Rob’s leadership, RMA always delivers amazing results down to every detail."
– Koosha Enayati, Graduate of Architecture
“Working in RMA is full of dynamic, an eye-opening and I keep on learning the new things.”
- Oliver Loo, Interior Designer, 1 Year with RMA
“Knowledge sharing among colleagues has been invaluable for both my current work and skill development, and level of detail in projects I'm involved in is valuable to my personal development
– Paul Ritter, Interior Designer & Architectural Documenter
At RMA it’s been refreshing to be a part of an environment that takes pride in our work and in creating the best possible outcome for our projects and clients. It’s been great to be involved in so many interesting and varying projects, and to be able to so side by side with so many talented and experienced colleagues that are not only concerned about their work, but value upskilling and sharing knowledge and skills with each other to create a great work environment.
It's been a real pleasure working with Rob. He has amazing ability and insight and is often sharing as much of his knowledge and experience with everyone whenever he can. He is always well across the work each of us are doing, and when it comes to our work, he never shies away from congratulating and encouraging the good work from his employees. His experience and knowledge drives a culture of quality, yet he is always open to hearing different points of view so as to continually find the best outcome.
- Austin Verrion, Visualiser, 1 Year with RMA
At RMA it’s been refreshing to be a part of an environment that takes pride in our work and in creating the best possible outcome for our projects and clients. It’s been great to be involved in so many interesting and varying projects, and to be able to so side by side with so many talented and experienced colleagues that are not only concerned about their work, but value upskilling and sharing knowledge and skills with each other to create a great work environment.
It's been a real pleasure working with Rob. He has amazing ability and insight and is often sharing as much of his knowledge and experience with everyone whenever he can. He is always well across the work each of us are doing, and when it comes to our work, he never shies away from congratulating and encouraging the good work from his employees. His experience and knowledge drives a culture of quality, yet he is always open to hearing different points of view so as to continually find the best outcome.
- Austin Verrion, Visualiser, 1 Year with RMA
Being afforded the opportunity to design alongside Rob is an incredibly rewarding experience for any passionate and driven architect. Whilst intense at times, Rob's unwavering dedication to impart his design philosophy and share the knowledge of his 35 years in the industry is a surefire way to expedite ones skills as an accomplished architect knowledgeable in all aspects of our craft.
- Deniz Varol, Project Architect, 2 Years with RMA
Over the last 20 years I have worked at RMA, had children and returned and I can honestly say the work environment is incredibly supportive for my family and I.
I am also grateful for my friendship with Rob, as his guidance and support professionally and personally is invaluable.
There are many opportunities for learning and advancement and a strong sense of camaraderie, which makes coming to work each day enjoyable and rewarding.
- Melissa Dal Pozzo, Office Manager, 20 Years with RMA
"Rob has always encouraged me to pursue my strengths and define my own position, allowing me to branch out into areas and roles that I wouldn't be able to experience in other workplaces. I thrive in the fast-paced, dynamic environment here, and the expertise of my colleagues and Rob’s guidance have driven me to push boundaries and realise my full potential. I'm grateful for the exposure I've gained across various facets of the firm and look forward to continually expanding my knowledge."
– Megan Pengelly, Marketing & Administration Support, 1 Year with RMA
“Great people around to work with. If you like a challenge, this is the place for you.”
– Edith Tong, Bookkeeper, 8 Years with RMA
RMA has an exciting range of projects and an amazing collection of local talent. I’ve been working here for over 3 years, growing from a fresh graduate to a capable professional, continually improving my skills. Working side by side with Rob has been invaluable, as I’ve gained insights and knowledge from his expertise and mentorship. It is a fast-paced working environment, but this is not a problem for those passionate and willing to accept the challenges.
- Tony Liu, Graduate Architect, 3 Years with RMA
I've found Rob to be a very driven individual with the utmost dedication to his work. More than that, however, is his dedication to the RMA team. It is very clear that Rob is not just intent on creating world-class architecture, but a world-class team who can learn under him and contribute to the development of exceptional architecture.
- Matthew De Martin, Graduate of Architecture
Working with Rob has been a rewarding experience. Following my travels, I was eager to re-join RMA in 2024. His extensive knowledge and passion for the field inspire the team to strive for excellence. While his high expectations can be challenging, they motivate us to achieve our best work.
He creates an environment at RMA that encourages growth and creativity, and I’m grateful to be part of such a dynamic team, I feel supported, I can work very efficiently from a different time zone, and I’m inspired by the design and projects I get to work on. I also love the opportunity of delivering autonomously finely designed buildings and facilitating the connection between RMA and the Italian craftsmanship.
- Federica Schiaroli, Project Architect
RMA has provided a platform for significant personal and professional growth. We are privileged to be working alongside talented professionals to deliver award winning projects. I have personally had the privilege of working directly with Rob on two of his most significant personal projects, one being a highly complex apartment building, the other his personal family eco lodge in the Victorian Alps. It has been a pleasure to watch them come to life through a collaborative team effort.
- Ornella Altobelli, Project Architect, 5 Years with RMA
Working at RMA has given me countless incredible experiences in the years I have been here. Designing beside an incredibly skilled and kind team, who are the best in the industry allows us to create a different calibre of work. Rob leads with decades of knowledge and working with him allows each of us to be carefully mentored with lessons he has gathered over his extensive career. The projects we have the privilege of working on are one-of-a-kind projects on remarkable pieces of land across Australia, and the world. The fast-paced dynamic has genuinely allowed me to up skill and learn beyond the years I have worked here.
- Nidhi Kontham, Interior Designer, 2 Years with RMA
Past Employees
Rob Mills Architecture & Interiors has been built on a culture of empowerment and growth. Jess Williams and Jess Coolican, both instrumental to RMA's success for over a decade, helped shape and expand RMA into what it is today. Guided by our philosophy of mentorship and empowerment, we prioritise recruiting and promoting from within, tailoring roles with each individual’s unique strengths and potential. Their journeys exemplify that at RMA, there are no glass ceilings.
Today, our team of architects, interior designers, and management is a well-balanced collective. The practice is led by Melissa, Jay, Louy, and Megan, working alongside Rob as Creative Director. Melissa, a cornerstone of RMA for over 22 years, embodies the values of commitment, adaptability, and talent that continue to drive and inspire the team.
"Over the course of my time at RMA I worked in close proximity daily with Rob across many facets of the Studio. Through my role as Head of Interiors, I was responsible for working intensively with Rob to design and deliver a vast array of detailed and bespoke project outcomes. While within my role as General Manager, I worked in close collaboration with Rob to manage the broader requirements of the studio workflow and to manage the delivery of existing and potential projects. Within this role in particular, I had an extensive interface with Rob across many facets of the business-and thoroughly enjoyed our working relationship throughout the breadth of this time.
I learnt an immense amount during my time working with Rob. With his guidance and mentorship, I was able to build my skills and gain truly invaluable design and project experience, which has formed a fundamental base for my further professional development in the years following. I remain incredibly grateful for the time I spent working at RMA and the genuine level of care with which Rob personally approached my career progression and development.
RMA offers an unprecedented level of opportunity for architects and designers who are driven and passionate about refining their craft. To work at RMA is to undertake a masterclass in both design and project management-on industry leading prestige projects. During my time at RMA, I made lasting professional and personal relationships which I still enjoy to this day."
- Jessica Coolican, Interior Designer & Practice / General Manager, 4 Years.
As a graduate architect there were many mentors between myself and Rob. Rob would often check in directly with me to understand my professional progress and how my experience of the workplace was. As time progressed, I would occasionally work directly with Rob on planning applications and conceptual set-up work. He would always explain what was expected and make sure that I would deliver the highest standard of work.
Around two years into my employment Rob supported my endeavors to extend my education and allowed flexibility in my full-time hours while I undertook my Masters Course at Melbourne University.
Expectation and time pressure was often high, I genuinely believe this improved my skills and performance. I am grateful for the mentorship and guidance that Rob provided me with at this level.
As the practice manager I worked directly with Rob everyday. As a young professional I was entrusted with huge responsibly and was mentored closely. Rob always demanded exceptional performance and commitment which are virtues that I value and continue to deliver for clients in my current private practice
.My experience working at RMA was positive. The teams who I worked with over the years were professional, highly skilled and generous in sharing their knowledge. The projects that we worked on were exceptional and aspirational which required many layers of precise and accurate detail. This could at times feel stressful, but the results were fulfilling.
- Jessica Williams, Practice Manager, Graduate Architect & Practice Manager, 7 Years
Education & Experience
At RMA, we believe in the value of education to strive for continuous improvement in embracing the latest technologies, techniques and learnings. We encourage every team member to pursue learning opportunities and fostered a culture where new knowledge is shared and applied. This collaborative approach ensures that individual growth drives collective success, keeping our team innovative and inspired.
This was my first time working in an architecture firm and as an architecture student I was keen to gain some experience. The people at RMA were all very friendly and the practice has a good working culture. I had a range of experience from working with the marketing team and the architecture team but, mainly I was working with the interior team.
During the three months, I became proficient in Revit and helped produce many interior drawings for various projects. Additionally, I visited site with the team to help with photoshoots of finished projects which was inspiring. I liked how integrated the development of the architecture and interiors are to create a harmonious design overall.
- Poppy Theron, Intern / RIBA Part I Student, 3 Months.
One of a kind. I was able to not only study the strategies and processes employed by a firm producing top-notch work, much of which I aspire to be able to do, but also had many of my own ideas, designs, and strategies considered and workshopped. This experience was unique among all I've had in my time in the field and has been highly influential on the work I produce today.
Rob was incredibly kind. He welcomed me into the fold and helped me to seamlessly integrate my limited contribution while also making the experience extremely educational for me. I was able to gain a level of appreciation and understanding of not only the specifics of architecture and design but even the networking, marketing, and advertising levels of this field.
- Jan Lochtenberg, Intern, 3 Months