Senior Architect

Brightpath Associates LLC; McLean (VA); Hybrid; USD 120,000 - 160,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid work options

Job summary

Brightpath Associates LLC in McLean, VA seeks a Senior Architect to lead renovation projects and supervise the architectural team within a multidisciplinary setting.

You will coordinate with in-house engineers, manage drawings, and drive project delivery while ensuring constructability and field readiness. This role offers hybrid work and growth within a growing team.

Qualifications

• NAAB-accredited professional degree in architecture required or NCARB Education Alternative.
• 10+ years of design and construction administration experience.
• Experience with renovation, modernization, and existing buildings.

Responsibilities

• Lead architectural work across all project phases including field surveys and design development.
• Produce construction drawings with detailed specs and review documentation.
• Supervise and mentor architectural staff and coordinate with engineers and clients.

Skills

Team leadership

Communication

Coordination

Scheduling

Problem-solving

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Architecture (5 year; NAAB-accredited)

Master’s degree in Architecture (NAAB-accredited)

NCARB Education Alternative

Tools

AutoCAD

Revit

Microsoft Office

Job description

Do you enjoy solving renovation problems in close coordination with engineers while also leading the day-to-day work of an architectural team? We do too.

Looking for an experienced Senior Architect to join our Architecture group in our McLean, VA office. This is a strong opportunity for someone who brings technical depth, practical renovation experience, and the ability to lead both project work and architectural staff within a multidisciplinary engineering and architecture environment.

Much of our work involves renovations and modernization projects within existing buildings. That makes the work interesting, technical, and often challenging. Renovation projects require architects to solve real constraints: how to design within existing conditions, how to coordinate closely with in-house engineers, how to think through constructability, and how to deliver solutions that work in the field, not just on paper.

Within our Architecture group, the Senior Architect plays a central role in project execution and team leadership. This role is intended to provide day-to-day supervision and technical guidance to architectural team members while helping drive drawing quality, coordination, and delivery performance across the group.

With offices in Northern Virginia and Maryland, a strong federal and institutional client base, and a focus on renovation work, you will have the opportunity to work on interesting facilities, collaborate closely with engineers, and help shape the growth of a small architecture team.

Ready to solve problems? Let’s see what we can do together.

• Lead meaningful architectural work in a small, visible, and growing team environment.
• Strengthen your technical and leadership skills through renovation and existing building work.
• Work closely with in-house engineering disciplines on integrated project solutions.
• Gain exposure to a wide variety of facility and client types.
• Contribute in a role where project execution, quality, and team development all matter.
• Benefit from a flexible work environment, including hybrid work options.

Requirements

In this role, you will:

• Lead architectural work across project phases, including field investigation, programming support, schematic design, design development, construction documents, and construction administration
• Produce construction drawings with technical details and review specifications.
• Independently execute and oversee architectural scope on renovation, modernization, and improvement projects.
• Provide direct day-to-day supervision, technical guidance, and quality review for architectural team members.
• Coordinate architectural production efforts, staffing priorities, and workload flow.
• Support the technical and professional development of team members through coaching, feedback, and on-the-job instruction.
• Conduct field surveys and evaluate existing building conditions.
• Perform code and life safety analyses and integrate requirements into project documents.
• Identify constructability issues, coordination risks, and existing building constraints early in project development.
• Work collaboratively with engineers, clients, consultants, contractors, manufacturers, and internal team members.
• Support construction administration activities, including submittal review, responses to RFIs, site visits, and punch list support.
• Help maintain strong client relationships through responsiveness, coordination, and dependable project execution.

What You Should Bring With You

• Bachelor’s professional degree in Architecture (5 year, NAAB-accredited) OR Master’s degree in Architecture (NAAB-accredited) OR NCARB’s Education Alternative.
• 10+ years of experience in design and construction administration of architectural elements and systems.
• Experience with renovation, modernization, and work within existing buildings.
• Experience leading or supervising team members in a professional design environment.
• Experience with field surveys, code analyses, specifications, and construction documentation.
• Strong understanding of constructability, detailing, and interdisciplinary coordination.
• Proficient in AutoCAD and Revit.
• Proficient in Microsoft Office applications.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Strong planning, organization, and task prioritization skills.
• Ability to conduct day-long field surveys outdoors and indoors in conditioned and unconditioned spaces, including walking up to 10-20k steps in a day, climbing up and down a 6-foot ladder, kneeling, squatting, and bending
• With advanced scheduling notice, the ability to travel 5 to 10 nights per year if needed.
• Site Access Requirements: Due to government contract requirements and mandated access restrictions, sole U.S. citizenship is a strict requirement of this role. Dual citizenship is not acceptable.

Preferred Qualifications

• Active architectural registration (RA) in the United States.
• Experience working in a multidisciplinary A/E environment.
• Experience serving federal, institutional, or higher education clients.
• Experience with occupied renovation work and phased construction.