Senior Project Designer, Higher Education

DLR Group; Houston (TX); Hybrid; USD 80,000 - 110,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading design firm in Houston is seeking an experienced Senior Project Designer to guide significant aspects of projects within their Global Higher Education practice. This role involves collaboration with integrated design teams to produce high-quality work while managing timelines and budgets. Candidates should possess a degree in Architecture and at least 8 years of experience. Proficiency in Revit and Bluebeam along with strong problem-solving skills are essential. The position offers a hybrid work model and involves substantial client engagement.

Qualifications

• Minimum of 8 years of professional experience in architecture.
• Comprehensive technical knowledge required.
• Active participation in professional organizations necessary.

Responsibilities

• Lead project development and manage client relationships.
• Oversee project implementation aligning with schedules and profitability goals.
• Coordinate teams and communication with clients and stakeholders.

Skills

Collaboration

Communication

Problem-solving

Attention to detail

Multitasking

Education

Undergraduate Degree in Architecture

Tools

Revit

Bluebeam

Standard architecture software

Job description

DLR Group is an integrated design firm with a promise to elevate the human experience through design. This fuels the work we do around the world and inspires our mission to improve the lives of our clients, our communities, and our planet. If this sparks your interest, you’re in the right place.

We have an opening for a Senior Project Designer within our Global Higher Education practice. We operate within a hybrid work model, supporting flexibility between office time and work from home.

About Higher Education At DLR Group

DLR Group’s Higher Education practice fully embraces our responsibility to society by designing spaces that emphasize academic learning and social development. We are transforming the educational landscape, working with our clients to set new horizons for learning and living that enrich school communities, the spaces they strive to provide, and what they can achieve.

Our team draws from evidence-based design to work with shareholders to affect student and teacher engagement, ensuring that learning is enhanced through design.

We also understand the rapid pace of technological, social, and cultural change; our teams work with schools to navigate these challenges.

Position Summary

As a key leader in our team, you will take responsibility for significant aspects of projects, guiding the development and delivery of project documents. You will collaborate closely with our integrated design team to produce high-quality work, ensuring that all project activities align with schedules, budgets, and work plans. This role offers an opportunity to make a substantial impact on our projects while contributing to our commitment to excellence in design.

If you are a collaborative thought leader with a strategic mindset this might be the position for you. DLR Group is 100% employee owned and as such you’ll enjoy the opportunity to have ownership in the Firm. We rely on all our employee-owners to apply their financial acumen to grow the Firm profitably.

What You Will Do

• Lead project development and manage client relationships in coordination with the Project Manager and Project Designer
• Oversee all aspects of project implementation, ensuring alignment with schedules and profitability goals
• Implement quality assurance/control processes and adhere to company practice standards
• Coordinate project teams and communication with clients and stakeholders
• Develop and lead conceptual designs or technical strategies for projects
• Supervise and mentor teams to ensure high-quality deliverables and design excellence
• Present technical and design solutions to clients, acting as a subject matter expert
• Ensure design intent is maintained throughout all phases of the project
• Manage project timelines, budgets, and profitability while prioritizing design elements

Required Qualifications

• Comprehensive technical knowledge with strong collaboration and communication skills
• Undergraduate Degree in Architecture required; graduate degree not required unless mandated for licensure
• Minimum of 8 years of professional experience in architecture
• Proficient in Revit and Bluebeam, with high proficiency in standard architecture software
• Skilled in applying design techniques and sustainable principles to technical plans and models
• Strong problem-solving and decision‑making abilities with attention to detail and accuracy
• Ability to multitask while maintaining quality and productivity
• Active participation in professional organizations and involvement in marketing and business development efforts
• TO BE CONSIDERED, PLEASE SUBMIT CURRENT PORTFOLIO/WORK SAMPLES IN PDF FORMAT*

DLR Group is an integrated design firm delivering architecture, engineering, interiors, planning, and building optimization for new builds, renovations, and adaptive reuse projects.

We are 100% employee‑owned: every employee is literally invested in our clients’ success. At the core of our firm are interdisciplinary teams engaged in every step of project lifecycles. Our teams champion true collaboration, open information sharing, shared risk and reward, value‑based decision making, and proficient use of technology to deliver exceptional design. We are pursuing the goals of the 2030 Challenge, the ME2040, and the SE2050, and are an initial signatory of the China Accord and the AIA 2030 Commitment.

Through our values – commitment, creativity, environmental stewardship, fun, integrity, ownership, sharing, teamwork – we elevate the human experience through design, together.

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.