We are currently hiring for a Senior Project Designer in our Architectural Division at our Richmond, VA office.
The Architectural Division at LaBella provides comprehensive planning and design services across a wide variety of markets, including Healthcare, K-12 and Higher Education, Sports & Entertainment, Mixed Use Developments, Residential, Commercial, and Municipal.
The Senior Project Designer will perform at a project leadership level, working closely with Project Managers, licensed Project Architects, consultants, and internal design teams to lead the development and coordination of architectural projects from concept design through construction.
This position will be responsible for leading significant portions of project design and documentation, coordinating multidisciplinary teams, participating in client meetings, managing project workflows, and helping ensure that design intent, quality, schedule, and project objectives are maintained throughout the project.
In addition to project responsibilities, the Senior Project Designer will serve as a senior design and mentorship resource within the Richmond studio. The position will help elevate design quality, improve consistency across project deliverables, mentor developing staff, and foster a collaborative studio culture through design reviews, shared problem-solving, and active engagement with project teams.
The successful candidate will be self-motivated, highly collaborative, and capable of independently leading project efforts with limited oversight. Strong design judgment, technical coordination skills, communication ability, and a willingness to mentor and support others are essential.
Responsibilities:
Lead architectural project efforts from concept design through construction
Coordinate project teams, consultants, and internal disciplines
Develop and maintain project design intent, quality, and consistency
Lead or support client meetings, design presentations, and project workshops
Coordinate architectural documentation and multidisciplinary design requirements
Delegate and review work performed by project team members
Support Project Managers with project planning, scheduling, coordination, and delivery
Participate in construction administration, including submittal review, RFIs, field observations, and coordination with contractors
Mentor junior and mid-level staff in design, documentation, coordination, and project delivery
Provide design and technical review across selected studio projects
Facilitate collaborative design reviews, pin-ups, and internal project discussions
Contribute to business development, interviews, proposals, and client relationship building
Help improve studio design standards, workflows, and project delivery processes
Work with licensed architects to ensure projects meet applicable code, regulatory, and professional requirements
Requirements
Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Architecture
Actively working toward architectural licensure
Approximately 6-10+ years of relevant architectural experience
Demonstrated experience leading architectural projects or major project components
Strong architectural design and planning skills
Strong construction document and technical coordination experience
Ability to coordinate multidisciplinary project teams and outside consultants
Strong knowledge of building codes, construction systems, and project delivery
Experience participating in client meetings and presentations
Strong interpersonal, communication, mentorship, and organizational skills
Proficiency in Revit and BIM-based project delivery
Proficiency with Adobe Creative Suite, including InDesign, Photoshop, and Illustrator
Proficiency with Bluebeam
Visualization experience using Enscape, Lumion, or similar platforms
Microsoft Office proficiency
Preferred Qualifications
Experience in K-12, Higher Education, Sports & Entertainment, Civic, or other complex institutional project types
Experience leading project teams or mentoring architectural…