Project Architect (Full-Time)
Salary: $70,000 – $100,000 (DOE)
Location: The Villages FL
Role Snapshot
You’ll be the conductor of the project orchestra—guiding building design from first sketch to final punch list. This role blends concept design, technical rigor, consultant coordination, schedule/budget stewardship, and client-facing leadership. If you enjoy toggling between elegant design thinking and airtight execution—and mentoring a team while you do it—this seat has your name on it.
What You’ll Own (Start-to-Finish Project Leadership)
Project planning & delivery: Build phase plans, resource maps, and milestone schedules; align scope, fee, and risk with client expectations and firm objectives.
Client & stakeholder quarterback: Serve as the day-to-day point of contact for owners, developers, PM/CM teams, engineers, and contractors; lead progress meetings and decision logs.
Design development: Translate program and site constraints into compelling concepts; drive iterations that balance performance, constructability, and cost.
Technical documentation: Oversee coordinated, detail-rich CDs/specs that stand up in the field; set drawing standards and redline rigor across the team.
Codes & compliance: Perform zoning, building, and accessibility reviews; integrate life-safety, egress, fire-protection, and ADA pathways into the design early—then verify at each phase.
Bidding & procurement support: Prepare addenda/clarifications, assist with scope alignment, and support contractor selection.
Construction administration: Respond to RFIs with clarity and speed, review submittals/shop drawings for conformance, issue ASIs/PRs when needed, and manage punch/closeout.
Quality & risk management: Lead internal design reviews and interdisciplinary clash checks; document decisions to reduce field risk and change exposure.
Budget/schedule control: Track hours/burn vs. fee, align deliverable cadence to schedule, and proactively reset when scope shifts.
Mentorship & team health: Delegate thoughtfully, coach junior staff, and cultivate a collaborative, deadline-capable studio culture.
What Success Looks Like (90-Day/6-Month Markers)
90 Days: You’ve stabilized at least one in-flight project, aligned stakeholders around a clear decision calendar, and implemented a drawing checklist that reduces rework.
6 Months: Your projects are meeting interim milestones on time and on budget; CA response times are predictable; client satisfaction scores and repeat work indicators are trending up.
Must-Have Qualifications
Professional degree in Architecture (B.Arch/M.Arch); licensed or actively pursuing licensure/ARE.
8+ years of architectural experience spanning design, documentation, and construction administration (small to mid-size projects ideal).
Demonstrated lead role on mixed-use, commercial, residential, or institutional work with consultant coordination responsibility.
Fluency with Revit for production and coordination; working knowledge of SketchUp, Bluebeam, Adobe Creative Suite, and project tools such as Unanet.
Deep familiarity with IBC, local amendments, zoning, ADA, life safety, and permitting workflows.
Clear written/verbal communication, meeting facilitation, and client presentation skills.
Nice-to-Have (Differentiators)
Portfolio showing sustainable design strategies (envelope optimization, daylighting, electrification-ready MEP, low-embodied-carbon material choices).
Experience developing project manuals, basis-of-design narratives, and spec sections.
Comfort leading value analysis without eroding design intent.
Exposure to BIM-driven coordination with MEP/structural teams and clash detection workflows.
Day-to-Day Tools & Deliverables
Authoring & coordination: Revit (families, views, worksharing), Navisworks/Bluebeam Studio for markups and coordination.
Design communication: SketchUp/Enscape or equivalent for quick studies and client-ready visuals.
Delivery quality: Sheet set taxonomy, keynoting standards, detailing libraries, and phase-appropriate checklists (SD/DD/CD/CA).
CA pipeline: RFI/Submittal logs, field observation reports with photo documentation, change tracking, punchlist management, and closeout packages.
How We Work (Collaboration & Culture)
One-team mindset: Architects and engineers operate as a unified delivery team—regular pin-ups, interdisciplinary reviews, and open critique.
Feedback loops: Pre-issue quality checks and post-mortems to capture lessons learned and continuously raise the bar.
Growth path: Opportunities to mentor, lead pursuits, shape standards, and step into broader project management responsibilities.
Compensation
Base salary: $70,000 – $95,000 depending on experience and licensure status.
Benefits: Comprehensive health coverage, retirement plan, paid time off, professional development support (ARE/CEU), and flexible work practices. (Full details shared during interviews.)
Project Architect job, Architectural design leadership, Revit Architect, BIM coordination, Construction administration, Building codes and ADA compliance, Zoning analysis, Design development, Construction documents (CDs), Consultant coordination, Multifamily architect, Commercial architect, Sustainable design, Life-safety/egress planning, RFIs and submittals, Project schedules and budgets, Client-facing architect, Unanet project management, Bluebeam, SketchUp, Adobe Creative Suite.