National Mission Critical Design Leader

DLR Group; Houston (TX); Hybrid; USD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Four-day work model

Job summary

A leading design firm is seeking a National Mission Critical Design Leader to manage project documentation and drive design excellence within high-performance environments. The candidate must have over 10 years of experience in relevant architecture or engineering projects, including significant experience with large data centers. This role involves collaboration with various teams and cultivating strong client relationships. A flexible work model allows for remote work on Fridays, emphasizing a culture that embraces technology and innovation.

Qualifications

• 10+ years of experience as a Project Architect or Project Engineer in Data Center, Industrial, Warehouse Distribution, and Office projects.
• 5+ years working on 10+ MW Data Center buildings.
• Licensed Architect or Engineer.

Responsibilities

• Manage all aspects of project document development for mission-critical facilities.
• Lead design teams to deliver coordinated, high-performance solutions.
• Engage clients and cultivate strong relationships with technical stakeholders.

Skills

Project Management

Design Leadership

Technical Excellence

Client Engagement

Collaboration

Education

Bachelor’s degree in architecture, engineering, or a related field

Tools

REVIT

CAD

Job description

DLR Group is an integrated design firm with a promise to elevate the human experience through design. We are seeking a National Mission Critical Design Leader to help shape the future of resilient, high‑performance environments that power the world’s most data‑driven industries. This role influences design culture, elevates technical excellence, and advances the firm’s mission to deliver integrated, human‑centered, and operationally critical facilities.

Position Summary

As a Mission Critical Design Leader at DLR Group, you will be responsible for managing all aspects of project document development and coordinating with project team members to maintain quality within established schedules for large, complex mission‑critical facilities, including hyperscale data centers, emergency operations centers, industrial environments, and advanced manufacturing projects. You will partner directly with Market Sector leadership to ensure the project’s financial health, quality of design and documentation, risk mitigation, team collaboration, and seamless communication. Additionally, you will lead cross‑functional design disciplines in developing innovative, technically rigorous solutions.

The Successful Candidate Will

Lead & Inspire Design Excellence

• Champion design quality and innovation across mission‑critical project types, setting vision from concept through completion
• Elevate human‑centered, resilient, and high‑performance design principles tailored to secure and technology‑driven environments
• Engage in internal and external thought leadership to advance design excellence in the mission‑critical market

Mentor & Grow Design Talent

• Inspire and mentor multidisciplinary design teams, fostering curiosity, creativity, accountability, and technical confidence
• Support and develop emerging design leaders across studios and regions
• Model collaboration and knowledge‑sharing to strengthen practice‑wide design culture

Advance Technical Execution

• Lead integrated design teams to deliver coordinated, high‑performance solutions
• Balance design excellence with mission‑critical performance requirements, including redundancy, resiliency, security, and uptime
• Drive quality assurance, documentation excellence, and adherence to DLR Group standards

Engage Clients & Build Trusted Partnerships

• Cultivate strong relationships with sophisticated clients and technical stakeholders
• Translate complex operational, security, and reliability expectations into thoughtful, scalable solutions
• Confidently communicate design strategy, vision, and technical rationale in both client‑facing and internal settings

Collaborate Strategically

• Partner with Market Sector leadership to support practice growth, innovation, and strategic pursuits
• Work closely with Project Managers to align design intent with scope, schedule, and performance goals
• Strengthen and reinforce DLR Group’s integrated design culture through shared accountability and transparent communication

Required Qualifications

• 10+ years of experience as a Project Architect or Project Engineer working on Data Center, Industrial, Warehouse Distribution, and Office projects, with 5+ years working on 10+ MW Data Center buildings
• Bachelor’s degree in architecture, engineering, or a related field
• Proficient in the use of REVIT and CAD computer modeling and rendering software
• The ability to travel occasionally to support project tasks
• Licensed Architect or Engineer
• Must be eligible to work in the United States without needing a work visa or residency sponsorship
• To be considered, please submit current portfolio/work samples in PDF format

DLR Group follows a four‑day in‑office work model, with employees having the flexibility to work somewhere other than the office on Fridays.

We are proud to be an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action/M/F/Veteran/Disabled employer.