no not ship designer that is a person mere asking on the behave of an capt. and/or Adm. on what they would like. an architect is the person that build and/or over see's the building of whats need. there are as many architects for every system, structer, hull, wepons, sheilds, warp core, an so on an on on.
it kinda like engerring but much much more detailed. not only do you learn the engerring part of your feild but you learn how to build it from scrach at time this dose mean from atom up. you always must be up to date on your feild just in case you are ask to build something your not fermillure with.
as for rank you never are call Amd. or Capt. because by that rank you should ether be Master Archtect or Obs Archtect (on all sujects, most of the time on your on feild) they address you a Archtect Jonh (for example) anyone outside of your feild or someone unfurmiller with you can call you by your standing rank. anyone below the rank of Capt. get call by there rank. the different between Master Archtect an Ops Archtect. Master Archtect is the one that design plans on everything from scrach an is the one that does inseptcion on all feilds an most of the time trys new system or anything to any vessal. Ops Archtect is the one that you could say is the loudmouth. he carrys out all task of overseeing building the design. and is allways out on the feild an must report to the Master Archtect.
there is one expton when an archtect chain of command if they have there own ship or starbase or what-not. you will find that the frist officer is a Capt. most of the time. because Master Archtect frist officer must be Obs Archtect an these two must get along or magor problem will accer. (may i note that an Master Archtect normaly has a counsil of there own because for people that are a Master in one area an the one That has Master Archect of all feilds is most likely lead inless they dont have rank to do so an to be head of this. same go for Ops Archect beside that the first officer of the Master archtect is the leader of this cousil inless in experined
as for as for cadets the frist two ranks are craming you with info of your feild(1st 2nd 3rd 4th seinory or year in class cadets rank) inless your trying for it all you dont start building intell you complet the acadmy.
may i also note that archtecture is in its own feild
an how my goal is to Be Master Archtect over all feilds
is there anything that i forgot or anything you would like to ask please go on