Lead Project Designer

MAK Design+Build, Inc; Davis (CA); Hybrid; USD 110,000 - 140,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive compensation

Paid time off

Health insurance

SIMPLE IRA matching

Profit sharing

Job summary

MAK Design + Build, Inc is seeking a Lead Project Designer in Davis, CA. You will be the accountable design lead for custom home remodel projects from client consultation through construction documentation and handoff to production.

We value design excellence, practical problem-solving, direct communication, and a healthy sense of humor, while balancing imagination with constructability, code, procurement, and budget.

Qualifications

• Minimum 5 years of residential design experience.
• Proficiency in BIM software, Vectorworks; experience with Revit/AutoCAD/Chief Architect welcomed.
• Strong knowledge of residential construction assemblies, detailing, and constructability.

Responsibilities

• Own the design-phase client relationship and keep project goals, scope, budget, schedule, decisions, and next steps clear.
• Lead client consultations, site assessments, programming, concept development, design development, and presentation meetings with confidence and empathy.
• Investigate the existing home and identify its challenges and opportunities.
• Develop multiple conceptual design solutions and space plans.
• Refine design development through computer modeling, material collages, and design presentations.

Job description

Lead Project Designer | MAK Design + Build, Inc.

Are you the right person for our team, and are we the right team for you? Do you want to see your work move from concept to completion, with designers, estimators, and builders working side by side?

MAK Design + Build is an award-winning residential design + build remodeling company in Davis, California, serving the greater Sacramento area, including Woodland and Yolo County. Our projects range from kitchens and bathrooms to additions, whole-house remodels, and occasional new construction. Because we design what we build, our designers stay connected to the work from early discovery through construction. This feedback loop helps us create solutions that are thoughtful and beautiful, and also permit-ready, price-aware, durable, and buildable. We manage projects from concept through completion and stay accountable for quality, timelines, and client satisfaction.

We have more work in our pipeline than we have designers, so we’re hiring a Lead Project Designer. You will be the accountable design lead for custom home remodel projects, from the first client consultation through final construction documentation and handoff to production. You’ll learn the MAK system quickly and use our programs and processes to design and detail each project efficiently. Every client has unique needs and preferences, and it’s your job to honor them and guide the client kindly through the design journey. The right person balances imagination with constructability, code, procurement, and budget without losing sight of what the client is trying to solve. We value excellent design, practical problem-solving, direct communication, continuous improvement, and a healthy sense of humor.

What you’ll do

• Own the design-phase client relationship and keep project goals, scope, budget, schedule, decisions, and next steps clear
• Lead client consultations, site assessments, programming, concept development, design development, and presentation meetings with confidence and empathy
• Investigate the existing home and identify its challenges and opportunities
• Develop multiple conceptual design solutions and space plans
• Refine design development through computer modeling, material collages, and design presentations
• Frame options and trade-offs clearly so clients can make timely, informed decisions without late-stage surprises
• Draw and detail complete permit and construction drawing sets and specifications in Vectorworks, integrating design intent, constructability, structural coordination, building systems, and jurisdiction requirements
• Create and review submittals
• Guide clients through fixture, finish, and specification selections so aesthetics, durability, cost, availability, and lead times stay aligned
• Work with our Production Manager, estimators, consultants, vendors, and trade partners on budget solutions, and identify budget risk and value-engineering opportunities early
• Build and maintain the design-phase schedule, decisions, and project record so unclear or late decisions don’t block downstream teams
• Lead the design-to-production handoff, communicate outstanding items and client-management details, and support the Build team during construction, answering questions and making sure design intent is maintained
• Direct and supervise project support appropriately while remaining accountable for the final design-phase outcome
• Contribute to the continuous improvement of MAK’s design standards and workflows

Who you are

• A confident, nurturing client leader who asks good questions before offering solutions, and who is kind and patient in guiding people to decisions
• Someone with real aesthetic expertise, balanced by technical ability
• Strong at self-management, project planning, and organization across multiple active projects and deadlines
• An excellent communicator, verbally, in writing, and visually, with strong meeting-facilitation skills, working with clients, colleagues, management, and outside vendors
• Someone with sound judgment under pressure and a habit of surfacing risks early rather than improvising past uncertainty
• Collaborative and low-drama, with high standards for accountability, quality, and follow-through
• Someone with a sense of humor and a willingness to learn and grow

Qualifications

• Minimum 5 years of residential design experience, preferably in remodeling, additions, custom homes, or design-build
• Proficiency in BIM software with demonstrated space-planning, modeling, and documentation skills. We use Vectorworks, and our designers produce their plans and specifications in it. If you’ve mastered another platform (Revit, Chief Architect, AutoCAD, or similar), we welcome you and will support you in getting up to speed quickly.
• Strong knowledge of residential construction assemblies, detailing, and constructability
• Familiarity with common building code and permitting requirements
• Demonstrated ability to produce coordinated permit and construction documents and clear project specifications
• Experience leading clients, coordinating consultants, and keeping design decisions aligned with schedule and budget
• Strong rendering, graphic presentation, and general computer skills, including documentation and cloud-based collaboration
• Education in architecture, interior design, or a related field is preferred

Monday to Friday, 7:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

Location and work arrangement

This is a full-time, in-office, Davis-based position, with the possibility of some flexible remote options after complete in-office onboarding. Regular in-office collaboration and local project-site visits are required. Our office is in downtown Davis, and our projects are generally within a 45-minute drive. A valid California driver’s license and reliable transportation are required.

What we offer

• Competitive compensation
• Paid time off
• Health insurance
• SIMPLE IRA matching
• Profit sharing
• A supportive, design-focused team and the chance to see your design work come to life through thoughtful construction