Project Architect - Federal

Role Description: Huitt-Zollars is seeking a full-time Project Architect / Project Manager with approximately eight or more years of professional experience to support the Federal Practice in its Alexandria, Virginia (NCR) office. This position will contribute to the planning, design, documentation, coordination, and construction-phase delivery of projects for federal and Department of Defense clients. The successful candidate will work closely with senior project managers, technical leaders, discipline leads, and client representatives while developing the leadership and management skills needed to assume increasing responsibility for federal projects.

The ideal candidate will bring strong architectural production and coordination experience, sound knowledge of building systems and construction documentation, and familiarity with federal design and construction requirements. Experience in supporting agencies such as NAVFAC, USACE, GSA, or other federal clients is preferred. The position may support secure or mission-driven facilities and requires an individual who can organize assignments, communicate clearly, collaborate across disciplines, and reliably meet project requirements.

As an employee-owner, the successful candidate will support Huitt-Zollars’ mission and core values while consistently following key business processes, including timekeeping, resource planning, percent-complete tracking, quality control, project financial awareness, and timely communication of risks or issues.

Practice Overview  

Huitt-Zollars’ Federal Practice brings together architects, engineers, planners, program managers, and construction professionals to deliver facilities and infrastructure for federal clients nationwide. The practice supports planning, programming, architecture, engineering, security coordination, sustainability, design-build, construction-phase services, and program and project management. Our teams focus on technical quality, responsive client service, disciplined coordination, and reliable delivery for mission-focused federal programs.

Location: Alexandria, Virginia, NCR Office

Employment Type: 40 FT Hours

Compensation Type: Salary

Reports To: Managing Principal and designated Federal Practice project leadership 

Registration: Registered Architect Required, Virginia Registration Preferred, or ability to obtain reciprocity

Education: Bachelor's in Architecture required. A professional degree in Architecture from a NAAB-accredited program is preferred. 

Duties:  

• Project Delivery: Support senior project managers and technical leaders in the delivery of federal projects from planning and design through construction administration and closeout. Manage defined work packages or smaller projects with appropriate oversight.
• Architectural Design and Documentation: Develop architectural drawings, specifications, design analyses, reports, presentations, and other project deliverables using established standards and project requirements. 
• Client Management: Serve as a primary point of contact for clients, developing and maintaining strong relationships through proactive communication, responsiveness, and understanding of client needs and project goals. 
• Federal Criteria: Apply applicable Unified Facilities Criteria (UFC), Unified Facilities Guide Specifications (UFGS), agency design manuals, federal accessibility criteria, sustainability requirements, antiterrorism/force protection criteria, and other project-specific standards with guidance from senior technical staff. 
• Interdisciplinary Coordination: Coordinate architectural work with structural, civil, mechanical, electrical, plumbing, fire protection, interior design, security, cost, and other specialty disciplines. Participate in interdisciplinary reviews and resolve coordination issues.
• Client and Stakeholder Coordination: Participate in meetings with federal clients, users, installation representatives, consultants, contractors, and design-build partners. Prepare meeting materials, document decisions, and follow through on assigned actions. 
• Scope, Schedule, and Budget Support: Develop task-level work plans and monitor assigned scope, hours, schedule, and progress. Communicate potential variances, constraints, and resource needs to project leadership in a timely manner. 
• Quality Control: Perform self-checks and participate in peer and interdisciplinary quality reviews. Incorporate review comments and verify that assigned deliverables comply with contract requirements, applicable criteria, codes, and firm standards.
• Construction Phase Services: Assist with submittal and RFI reviews, field observations, meeting documentation, punch lists, change evaluation, and other construction administration activities 
• Design-Build Coordination: Support performance-based and prescriptive design-build projects, including RFP review, design development, contractor coordination, constructability review, and preparation of compliant project deliverables. 
• Secure Project Delivery: Follow applicable procedures for safeguarding sensitive project information, including Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI), and coordinate with project security personnel when assigned to controlled or classified projects.
• Proposal Support: Assist with SF 330 updates, resumes, project descriptions, technical narratives, graphics, fee development inputs, and interview preparation for federal pursuits.
• Team Support and Mentorship: Coordinate the work of junior staff on assigned tasks, provide technical guidance, share knowledge, and contribute to a collaborative and accountable team environment.
• Professional Development: Continue developing federal project delivery, technical leadership, client communication, project management, and business development skills in preparation for greater project responsibility.

Qualifications:    

• Approximately eight or more years of professional architectural experience in an A/E, design, or design-build environment.
• Experience supporting the planning, design, documentation, or construction administration of institutional, public-sector, or federal facilities.
• Federal project experience preferred, particularly with Department of Defense agencies such as NAVFAC or USACE, GSA, or other civilian federal agencies.
• Familiarity with UFC and UFGS requirements and the ability to learn, interpret, and apply project-specific federal criteria with guidance from senior project leadership.
• Experience coordinating architectural work with multidisciplinary engineering teams and specialty consultants.
• Experience with design-build or other alternative project delivery methods preferred.
• Familiarity with secure-facility requirements, antiterrorism/force protection, ICD/ICS 705, TEMPEST, CUI, or other mission-specific criteria is a plus.
• Ability to obtain and maintain a U.S. Government security clearance if required by project assignments. U.S. citizenship may be required for clearance eligibility and access to certain federal projects.
• Ability to manage assigned tasks and smaller projects, organize competing priorities, and meet established deadlines.
• Strong understanding of architectural project delivery, building systems, construction documents, specifications, and construction-phase services.
• Proficiency in Revit required; familiarity with AutoCAD, Adobe Creative Suite, and other A/E design and collaboration tools is a plus.
• Familiarity with project and document management platforms such as Microsoft Project, Vantagepoint, Newforma, or similar systems preferred.
• Clear verbal, written, graphic, organizational, and presentation skills.
• Ability to interact professionally with government clients, end users, consultants, contractors, teaming partners, and internal staff.
• Ability to travel to federal client sites and project locations as required.

Project Manager (PM) Role Annual Performance Goals & Expectations:

• Having a deep understanding of how your work and contributions as a co-owner add to Huitt-Zollars’ mission and core values.
• Maintaining expected Effective Labor Multiplier (ELM) on sum of all associated projects. 
• Consistently upholds business processes including timely monthly A/R’s, invoicing, timekeeping, resource forecasting, percent completes, etc. 
• Achieves personal sales goal. 
• Achieves stated target personal utilization goal for PM. 
• Understands, follows and ensures quality control measures and risk management measures are being applied and adhered to projects and daily operations.     

This position is also required to adhere to Huitt-Zollars’ Core Value Competencies

About Huitt-Zollars:

• Huitt-Zollars, Inc. is a privately held, 100% employee-owned leading Architectural and Engineering (A/E) firm since being established in 1975. Since then, our firm has been providing innovative planning, engineering, architectural and interior design, construction and program management, and design-build services to our clients. 
• Located in more than 20 locations throughout 11 different US states, Huitt-Zollars holds a vision to improve the environment in which we live, work, and play. Employees/co-owners can expect to collaborate with their team, listen to client and community needs, and deliver world-class professional services. Learn more about a career with #teamHZ by viewing our LinkedIN Life page.

Benefits & Perks:

• Health insurance (BCBS TX BlueChoice PPO)
• Dental insurance (BCBS TX BlueChoice PPO)
• Vision insurance (BCBS TX BlueChoice PPO)
• MDLive Telehealth
• Employer-Paid Short- & Long-Term disability
• 8 Paid Holidays
• Employee Morale/Teambuilding events and activities
• Paid Vacation/Annual Leave
• Paid Sick Leave
• Tuition Reimbursement
• Commuter Benefits
• Professional Societies and Registrations Fee Reimbursements
• Term Life / AD&D insurance
• Cancer and Specified Disease insurance
• Two retirement plans: 401(k) and an ESOP
• Work for an Employee-Owned firm

Physical Requirements:

• Prolonged periods sitting at a desk and working on a computer, type/key-in data
• Able to walk project site while wearing personal protective equipment
• May lift and carry up to 25 pounds at times
• The employee must be able to concentrate on details, work under deadline pressures, apply sound logic and judgment, and prioritize tasks and responsibilities
• Employee may be asked to walk on uneven terrain
• May work in extreme weather conditions

Applicants must be legally authorized to work for Huitt-Zollars in the U.S. without employer sponsorship. Currently, Huitt-Zollars does not sponsor H1-B or any other work visa petitions.

Annual Base Salary Range: $138,000-$140,000 and up depending on experience and qualifications of the selected candidate(s). The expected salary range for this position is displayed in accordance with the Virginia HB 636 and SB 215. The final agreed upon compensation is based on the success candidate's individual education, qualifications, experience, and work location. The total annual compensation package will consist of a base salary and consideration to participate in our discretionary annual bonus incentive program. 

Huitt-Zollars does not accept unsolicited resumes from third-party recruiters without a previously signed third-party agreement. Any unsolicited third-party resumes forwarded by recruiters to any Huitt-Zollars hiring manager or employee will be considered public information, may be treated as a direct application from the person identified in the resume, and will not be eligible for placement fee payment to the agency submitting the unsolicited resume. Huitt-Zollars will not pay a fee to a third-party recruiter or agency that has not coordinated their recruiting activity with the appropriate member of the Human Resources team and without an active, fully executed service agreement. 

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, national origin, disability, veteran status, or any other legally protected status. Huitt-Zollars is a federal contractor and subcontractor and abides by the requirements of 41 CFR 60-300.5(a) and 41 CFR 60-741.5(a), which prohibit discrimination against qualified individuals based on protected veteran status or disability and require affirmative action to employ and advance qualified protected veterans and individuals with disabilities.