Project Architect / Project Manager

Big Tent Design Studio; Washington; On-site; USD 85,000 - 115,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Healthcare coverage

Paid time off

Direct collaboration with principal

Varied project mix

Shape standards, systems, culture

Room for increasing leadership

Job summary

Big Tent Design Studio in Washington, DC, seeks an experienced Project Architect / Project Manager to take ownership of multiple projects from design through permitting and construction. The role emphasizes hands‑on leadership in a small practice with a collaborative culture and evolving standards.

You will coordinate documentation, schedules, and consultants while mentoring junior staff and interacting with clients to keep projects moving and aligned with design direction.

Qualifications

• 6–9 years in architectural practice
• Proven project coordination, scheduling, permitting, and client communication
• Licensure preferred; ARE in progress considered

Responsibilities

• Lead projects from concept through construction administration with the principal
• Coordinate documentation, schedules, consultants, and client communication
• Manage consultant coordination across structural, MEP, and civil disciplines
• Develop and QC Revit drawing sets
• Oversee permit submissions and agency responses
• Mentor junior staff and interns
• Help establish office standards and workflows
• Site visits and construction administration

Skills

Project coordination

Client communication

Leadership

Graphic communication

Organizational skills

On-site work

Education

Architectural licensure

ARE in progress

Tools

Revit

Adobe Creative Suite

InDesign

Illustrator

Photoshop

Job description

Big Tent Design Studio | Washington, DC | Full-time, in-person

$85,000–$115,000, commensurate with experience and licensure

About Us

Big Tent Design Studio is a small, growing architecture practice based in Washington, DC. Our projects span residential, educational, retail, commercial, and institutional work, and many share a common thread: building community—creating spaces that foster connection, inclusion, and a sense of belonging.

We care about thoughtful design, pragmatic solutions, and making good architecture accessible across a wide range of project types, scales, and constraints.

The Opportunity

We’re looking for an experienced Project Architect / Project Manager who is ready to take meaningful ownership of projects while working closely with the firm principal

This is a hands‑on role in a small practice. You will help lead multiple projects from design through permitting and construction, taking significant responsibility for coordination, documentation, schedules, consultant management, and follow‑through.

At the same time, we are intentionally building the studio’s design approach, standards, and systems. This is therefore a highly collaborative role—not one where projects are simply handed off and managed independently.

We are looking for someone who can take initiative, anticipate what needs to happen next, and make thoughtful recommendations, while also recognizing when a design, technical, or project decision benefits from discussion and collaboration.

As the studio grows, we expect the role to grow with it, with increasing opportunities for independent project leadership, client management, and responsibility within the practice.

What You Will Do

• Help lead projects from concept through construction administration, working closely with the principal on design direction and major project decisions
• Take primary responsibility for project coordination, documentation, schedules, deliverables, and follow‑through
• Serve as a key client contact alongside the principal, helping lead meetings, track decisions and action items, and keep projects moving
• Plan and manage consultant coordination across structural, MEP, civil, and other disciplines
• Develop and QC coordinated Revit drawing sets—producing work directly as well as reviewing the work of others
• Research and resolve zoning, building code, accessibility, and permitting issues
• Organize and coordinate permit submissions and responses to agency review comments
• Participate in site visits and construction administration
• Coordinate and mentor junior staff and interns as project teams require
• Help establish and improve office standards, templates, checklists, workflows, and quality‑control procedures

How We Work

We value clear expectations, direct feedback, thoughtful design, and steady progress over heroics.

The right person:

• Moves comfortably between design thinking, technical production, coordination, and project management as project needs shift
• Can turn broad project goals into an organized sequence of tasks, responsibilities, and deadlines
• Prioritizes effectively—understanding what is urgent, what is blocking others, and what can wait
• Brings a solutions‑oriented mindset: surfaces decisions, offers options, and makes recommendations
• Knows what they can resolve independently, what requires coordination, and when a larger design or technical decision should be discussed
• Understands how buildings are assembled and uses that knowledge to develop and review drawings
• Communicates proactively about progress, assumptions, decisions, and potential problems
• Documents decisions clearly so clients, consultants, and the project team stay aligned
• Maintains a high standard for coordination, accuracy, organization, and graphic quality
• Uses sketches, markups, and diagrams as everyday tools for thinking through and communicating ideas
• Is interested in helping shape the systems and standards of a growing practice rather than simply inheriting an established way of working

Requirements

• Approximately 6–9 years of experience in architectural practice
• Demonstrated responsibility for project coordination, schedules, consultants, documentation, permitting, and client communication
• Experience taking substantial responsibility for at least one project through multiple phases of design, permitting, or construction
• Architectural licensure strongly preferred; candidates actively completing the ARE with strong project leadership experience will also be considered
• Advanced Revit skills, including the ability to plan, produce, coordinate, and QC complete drawing sets
• Experience taking projects through permitting; familiarity with DC, Maryland, or Virginia jurisdictions is strongly preferred
• Strong written, verbal, and graphic communication skills
• Proficiency with Adobe Creative Suite, including InDesign, Illustrator, and Photoshop
• Able to work onsite in Washington, DC

Candidates with somewhat more or less experience may be considered where their project responsibilities, technical experience, and overall fit are particularly strong.

What We Offer

• Full‑time employment with healthcare coverage and paid time off
• Meaningful project responsibility from day one
• Direct collaboration with the principal on design, project strategy, and firm direction
• A varied project mix across residential, educational, commercial, retail, and institutional work
• The opportunity to help shape the standards, systems, and culture of a growing architecture practice
• Room for increasing project leadership and responsibility as the studio grows