Interior Project Designer: Education Studio

lpadesignstudios; Irvine (CA); On-site; USD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Mentorship

Professional development grants

In-house training

Volunteer time

Pro bono community projects

Habitat for Humanity involvement

Job summary

LPA’s Education Studio in California and Texas seeks an experienced Interior Project Designer to lead ideation, develop schematic design, and guide multidisciplinary teams toward sustainable, community-centered environments.

With 10+ years in architecture/interior design and licensure, you’ll mentor staff, advance design concepts, and collaborate across studios using Revit. Rhino and LEED exposure are preferred, and the firm offers growth, grants, and pro bono opportunities.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's or Master's degree in Architecture, Interior Architecture, or Interior Design.
• 10+ years of experience across architectural and/or interior design projects.
• Licensed Architect or Certified Interior Designer.
• Strong understanding of programming, building codes, and functional adjacencies.
• Proficiency in Revit.

Responsibilities

• Lead design ideation in collaboration with clients and internal project teams.
• Drive an integrated design process by engaging all disciplines and stakeholders from the earliest project stages.
• Develop and advance conceptual and schematic design solutions using a research-informed approach.
• Facilitate and present design concepts and project deliverables to clients for review and approval.
• Lead and participate in project-specific design meetings, presentations, and workshops.
• Contribute to firmwide design charrettes and collaborative initiatives.
• Partner with the Managing Director, Design Director, and Project Manager to shape project vision and deliver innovative design solutions.
• Build and maintain relationships with clients, consultants, contractors, and regulatory authorities.
• Mentor and guide design team members to align with firm standards and design excellence.
• Represent the firm at industry events to elevate brand presence.

Tools

Revit

Rhino

Job description

Join the 2025 AIA Firm Award Winner shaping a more sustainable future.

LPA is a collective of designers, engineers, and researchers committed to tackling the biggest issues of our time. Our "No Excuses" integrated design approach was recognized by the AIA as "a trailblazer in sustainable, high-performance architecture". At LPA you’ll be part of the team that is changing the way the industry thinks about design and carbon emissions, built around the belief that we only achieve our goals when everybody has a seat at the table and all input is valued.

We’re currently seeking an Interior Project Designer to join our dynamic Education Studio. You’ll be part of a culture that values deep collaboration, technical excellence, and continual growth. Our Education studio is committed to creating engaging environments that put 21st century skills at the center of learning. We have completed projects such as Environmental Nature Center Preschool, Tarbut V'Torah and Eastvale STEM Academy. Collaborate with multidisciplinary teams across our studios in California and Texas—and help bring high-performance, community-first design to life.

What You’ll Do:

• Lead design ideation in collaboration with clients and internal project teams.
• Drive an integrated design process by engaging all disciplines and stakeholders from the earliest project stages.
• Develop and advance conceptual and schematic design solutions using a thoughtful, research-informed approach.
• Facilitate and present design concepts and project deliverables to clients for review and approval.
• Lead and participate in project-specific design meetings, presentations, and workshops.
• Contribute to firmwide design charrettes and collaborative initiatives.
• Partner with the Managing Director, Design Director, and Project Manager to shape project vision and deliver innovative design solutions.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with clients, consultants, contractors, and regulatory authorities.
• Mentor and guide design team members, ensuring alignment with firm standards, processes, and design excellence.
• Represent the firm at industry events, strengthening professional networks and elevating brand presence.

What We Offer:

At LPA, your growth and contributions matter. We foster a collaborative culture where creative ideas are valued, and voices are heard.

• Mentorship from Managing Directors, Design Directors, and senior team members across disciplines.
• Career development support, including professional development grants and in-house training.
• Ongoing education through LPA+U courses and Tech Talks focused on innovative, sustainable practices.
• 8 paid hours of volunteer time each year.
• Opportunities to propose and lead projects that impact your local community, including more than $1 million since 2015 in Habitat for Humanity builds, scholarships, and other pro bono community projects.
• Access to our Professional Development Grants program, created to encourage professional development and further LPA's collective knowledge as a firm. Over the life of the grant program, we have invested $1,196,890 and impacted 848 LPA employees.

What We’re Looking For:

Required:

• Bachelors or Masters degree in Architecture, Interior Architecture, or Interior Design.
• 10+ years of experience across all phases of architectural and/or interior design projects.
• Licensed Architect or Certified Interior Designer.
• Strong understanding of programming, building codes, and functional adjacencies.
• Proficiency in Revit.

Preferred:

• Experience with Rhino.
• LEED accreditation or demonstrated knowledge of sustainable design principles.

LPA is an integrated design firm with offices in California and Texas. We specialize in creating innovative, sustainable environments that work better, do more with less and improve people’s lives. We provide a vibrant and rewarding work environment - one that values and fosters creativity, collaboration, critical thinking, community engagement and ongoing career development and growth. LPA is also committed to diversity, wellness and work-life balance. LPA offers competitive salaries and generous benefits, including health and dental insurance, retirement and financial, wellness and other work/life plans.

This position is eligible for an annual bonus. If you are hired at LPA, your base salary is based on factors such as geographic location, skills, education, experience and/or project complexity. We believe in the importance of pay equity and consider the internal equity of our current team members as part of any final offer.