Project Designer

HKS, Inc
$88,000.00 - $130,000.00 / yr
parental leave, sick time, long term disability, 401(k)
United States, D.C., Washington
Oct 07, 2025
Overview: A recognized practitioner who collaborates with the project team on overall effort of completing various design projects. Responsible for delivering exceptional design and delivery for clients on time and on budget. Collaborates on the development of design throughout design development and construction drawings. Coordinates with design talent across the firm to elevate the quality of work overall. Teaches and mentors staff and effectively embodies and expresses the firm's values and mission. Located about a half-mile from the White House, the Washington DC office was founded in 2003 and represents 5 of HKS' key practice areas, including Health, Commercial Mixed-use, Commercial Interiors, Sports & Entertainment and Mission Critical. In addition to these practice areas, we also have representation from our Innovation and Hub sectors, including Research, strategic Advisory Services, Facades Group and LINE (Laboratory for INtensive Exploration). This diversity of expertise reinforces an interdisciplinary culture with an emphasis on inventiveness and value creation, delivering unique solutions for our clients and reinforcing our broader civic role in creating a meaningful, memorable and sustainable built environment. Our 80 staff members come from over a dozen countries and speak as many languages. Our staff are leaders at both a national and local level, participating in organizations such as the Urban Land Institute, American Institute of Architects, American Academy of Healthcare Architects, Women in Healthcare, DCBIA, CREW, and NAIOP. We are well-established thought leaders, participating in research, industry interviews, and authoring articles for institutions, and our people and projects have been recognized at a local, national and international levels. Responsibilities: Works with senior designer(s) and project team on conceptual designs, presentations, design development and implementation documents Leads and may provide guidance to team on project design for assigned project, developing creative design concepts and expanding on concepts of others Collaborates to establish the vision and sets project goals with the senior designer, project team and client Develops design solutions based on industry standard construction techniques and engineering principals to support design effort and develop client relationships Collaborates on the development of and may modify and/or review graphic presentations, 3D rendering and implementation documents to incorporate the design intent Organizes and delivers project design presentations to client user group or public forum Coordinates with consultants, contractors, fabricators, furniture dealers and regulatory agencies to meet overall project objectives; collaborates on project details with consulting design or engineering firms Assists in resolving complex design issues with innovative and practical solutions to maintain goals and objectives of projects Works with senior designer or PM to manage client expectations, team communication and consultant coordination Prepares schematic land and site planning drawings with graphic content to convey ideas, methodologies and approaches for marketing and proposal requests Performs and coordinates product research; assists senior designers with materials and systems evaluation to make proper selections Participates in team meetings to discuss project issues, technical issues and coordination with other disciplines Develops, recognizes, recruits and grows diverse talent Manages conflict effectively and encourages a healthy team environment Fosters and maintains a collaborative professional working relationship with the project team Actively promotes the firm's principles of 'design excellence' through the integration of responsible and sustainable design practice with the art of design, including understanding mindful materials evaluation and selection Collaborates in and may be responsible for delivering a project on defined budget requirements Maintains accountability to project plan and planned utilization rate Participates in the pursuit and marketing of potential projects Qualifications: Accredited professional degree in Architecture or related field Architectural registration strongly preferred Typically 8+ years of experience Sustainable design accreditation preferred Proficiency in Revit Proficiency in architectural software such as 3D modeling (including Rhino and Grasshopper, 3D Studio MAX, etc.) and AutoCAD preferred Experience with Photoshop, Illustrator, SketchUp and InDesign graphic software preferred Proficiency in MS Office Suite preferred Experience with the entire project lifecycle, through post-occupancy Strong knowledge of sustainability and integrated design guidelines Knowledge of furniture, furnishings and equipment (FF&E) and Environmental Graphic process Strong knowledge of materials, construction techniques and building codes Strong presentation skills and graphic and visualization skills to communicate design ideas Ability to communicate in a clear, concise and professional manner both verbally and in writing Base Salary Range: $88k - $130k annually - Washington D.C. location only The estimate displayed represents the general base salary range of candidates hired in the Los Angeles location only. We may ultimately pay more or less than the posted range based on the location of the role.Factors that may be used to determine your actual salary may include internal equity, experience, education, specialty and training. HKS offers a comprehensive total compensation & benefits package with health, dental, and vision care coverage, 401(k) plans, life & AD&D insurance, short/long term disability plans, paid days off (sick leave, parental leave, vacation), and much more for benefits-eligible employees. To learn more about our benefits visit this page. #LI-KT1 If you currently work for HKS, please submit your application via the Internal Careers Portal. HKS is an EEO/AA Employer: M/F/Disabled/Veteran