Project Principal

HDR; Kansas City (MO); On-site; USD 140,000 - 200,000; Full time

Job summary

HDR seeks a Project Principal to lead Education, Science and Sports projects in the Kansas City area. You will drive delivery and design excellence with engineers, architects, and other design professionals in an employee-owned practice focused on resilient, sustainable spaces.

You will oversee client relations, proposals, contracts, and team performance while advancing HDR’s community impact and global design leadership.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Architecture and 15 years related experience.
• Minimum 7 years project management experience.
• Registered Architect.
• Must have experience on large-scale projects.
• Must be able to lead a team on projects and make client presentations.
• Willing to travel.
• Experience with Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, Project).

Responsibilities

• Provide leadership and vision for growth of the Education, Science and Sports sector in the KC region.
• Develop capture plans and initiate relationships with key clients.
• Manage client relations and participate in marketing, contractual, design and production meetings.
• Direct multi-discipline teams across the project lifecycle.
• Produce and coordinate multiple projects concurrently.
• Track financials and ensure projects meet budget and schedule.
• Mentor staff and provide career development guidance.
• Travel as required.

Skills

Team leadership

Mentoring

Communication skills

Travel willingness

Education

Bachelor's degree in Architecture

Tools

Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, Project)

Job description

At HDR, our employee-owners are fully engaged in creating a welcoming environment where each of us is valued and respected, a place where everyone is empowered to bring their authentic selves and novel ideas to work every day. As we foster a culture of inclusion throughout our company and within our communities, we constantly ask ourselves: What is our impact on the world?

Watch Our Story:' https://www.hdrinc.com/our-story

Each and every role throughout our organization makes a difference in our ability to change the world for the better. Read further to learn how you could help make great things possible not only in your community, but around the world.

We believe architecture is more than designing buildings, it’s about providing solutions to societal challenges and creating stronger, more vibrant communities. As part of our Architecture practice at HDR, you’ll contribute to the design and delivery of spaces and experiences that advance community well-being around the world. From healing environments and learning spaces to research labs and civic landmarks and infrastructure, your work will directly influence how individuals experience the world around them. We bring together architects, planners, designers, and technical experts to solve complex design challenges with creativity, curiosity, and collaboration. From championing design excellence with an emphasis on resilience and sustainability to pioneering innovative building technologies, your contributions will leave a lasting impact on the built environment. This isn’t just a job, it’s a chance to drive meaningful change and help define the future of our communities.

We are currently searching for a Project Principal to support the Education, Science and Sports sector to join our Kansas City team focused on delivery, planning and designing exciting spaces in the education and life science markets. Places that inspire researchers to discover; spaces that promote curiosity and allow communities to thrive. The successful candidate will work together with architects, engineers, and other design professionals as part of a collaborative interdisciplinary team. We are an employee-owned, expertise-driven practice that balances deep technical knowledge with the highest degree of creativity which results in award-wining design.

We design facilities that support life-changing scientific advances and that foster discovery. We believe that at the root of all good design is an understanding of human behavior, and how the physical environment can affect these behaviors.

We are consistently ranked #1 in Science and Technology and have been recognized by the industry's Lab of the Year program 11 times for designing facilities in which world-class scientists can discover cures for insidious diseases, create new sources of clean energy, protect our resources, and improve public health—enriching people’s lives around the world. Seamlessly integrating our science and education expertise, we are leading the transformation of learning environments at the world’s top academic institutions to better prepare the next generation’s leaders.

Primary Responsibilities

• Leadership and visioning for the growth of the sector.
• Developing capture plans and initiating relationships with key clients.
• Establish client relations and be involved with marketing, contractual, design and production meetings.
• Maintaining an active and visible presence in the Science and Technology sector, allocating time in proportion to annual fee goals for the local region.
• Helping develop qualifications and proposals for Education and Life Science pursuits.
• Leading pursuit go/no-go and strategy discussions.
• Directing interview strategies and implementation.
• Preparing and negotiating project contracts.
• Serving as Principal-in-Charge on projects as appropriate.
• Working closely with local leadership to maintain project oversight throughout execution, including conformance to client expectations for technical/quality, financial performance, and schedule adherence.
• Providing mentorship and guidance to staff in support of career development.
• Direct and coordinate work of single or multidiscipline teams throughout the project’s lifecycle (from development & initiation to close-out).
• Responsible for any project assignment regardless of size, visibility, number of disciplines, technical complexity or number of staff.
• Produce and coordinate several projects concurrently.
• Conduct work sessions for deliverable development in conjunction with other staff and stakeholders.
• Track financial aspects of projects, and coordinate and adjust work effort with team to ensure that work is completed within parameters of agreed-to budget and schedule.
• Work with the Accounting, Operational and Business leadership for periodic project reviews.
• Perform other duties as needed.

In collaboration with subject matter experts, and independently when appropriate, developing abstracts and presentations for industry conferences, seminars, workshops, and other similar events promoting program messages, research, project outcomes, lessons learned, trends, etc. related to facility design.

Project types include buildings for the life sciences, physical sciences, biocontainment, animal research, public health, and related support facilities. Project opportunities will largely focus on growing the regional markets of Kansas and Missouri but may extend to neighboring states and potentially abroad due to personal relationships, particular expertise, project needs, etc.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience and/or interest in sustainable design/LEED
• Higher Education, science or sports project experience
• PMP certification
• Preference will be given to local candidates

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Architecture
• 15 years related experience
• A minimum 7 years project management experience
• Registered Architect
• Must have experience on large-scale projects
• Must be able to lead a team on projects and make client presentations
• Experience with Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, Project)
• Extensive knowledge and experience within the local and regional market
• Strong team leadership, mentoring, motivational/organizational and people skills
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills
• Must be willing to travel
• An attitude and commitment to being an active participant of our employee-owned culture is a must

What We Believe

HDR is our company. Together, we build on each other's life experiences and perspectives to make great things possible every day. This shapes our collaborative culture, encourages organizational trust and connects us closer to the clients and communities we serve.

Our Commitment

As employee owners, we all have a role in creating an inclusive environment where each of us is welcomed, valued, respected and empowered to bring our authentic selves to work every day.

Our eight Employee Network Groups (Asian Pacific, Black, Hispanic/Latino(a), LGBTQ+, People with Disabilities, Veterans, Women, Young Professionals) help create a sense of belonging and foster a supportive environment where everyone is empowered to engage and contribute. Each group has an executive sponsor and is open to all employees.

Primary Location:United States-Missouri-Kansas City Industry:Architecture Schedule:Full-time Employee Status:Regular BusinessClass:EdSciSport ARC Job Posting:Jul 27, 2026

At HDR, we are committed to the principles of employment equity. We are an affirmative action and equal opportunity employer (https://www.hdrinc.com/equal-employment-opportunity-employer). We consider all qualified applicants, regardless of criminal histories, arrest and conviction records.