How to hire an architect & project lead

Architect & project lead hiring summary. Here are some key points about hiring architects & project lead in the United States:

In the United States, the median cost per hire an architect & project lead is $1,633.
It takes between 36 and 42 days to fill the average role in the US.
Human Resources use 15% of their expenses on recruitment on average.
On average, it takes around 12 weeks for a new architect & project lead to become settled and show total productivity levels at work.

How to hire an architect & project lead, step by step

To hire an architect & project lead, you need to identify the specific skills and experience you want in a candidate, allocate a budget for the position, and advertise the job opening to attract potential candidates. To hire an architect & project lead, you should follow these steps:

Here's a step-by-step architect & project lead hiring guide:

Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
Step 3: Make a budget
Step 4: Write an architect & project lead job description
Step 5: Post your job
Step 6: Interview candidates
Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new architect & project lead
Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

Post an architect & project lead job for free, promote it for a fee

Identify your hiring needs

Before you start hiring an architect & project lead, identify what type of worker you actually need. Certain positions might call for a full-time employee, while others can be done by a part-time worker or contractor.

Determine employee vs contractor status

Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

You should also consider the ideal background you'd like them an architect & project lead to have before you start to hire. For example, what industry or field would you like them to have experience in, what level of seniority or education does the job require, and how much it'll cost to hire an architect & project lead that fits the bill.

Here's a comparison of architect & project lead salaries for various roles:

Type of Architect & Project Lead	Description	Hourly rate
Architect & Project Lead	Software developers are the creative minds behind computer programs. Some develop the applications that allow people to do specific tasks on a computer or another device... Show more	$39-73
Lead Software Developer	A lead software developer is responsible for creating and designing software applications and systems to support business functions and client requirements. Lead software developers analyze specifications to build efficient applications, conduct multiple quality testing, and enhance the user's interface... Show more	$41-72
Lead Developer	A lead developer is responsible for creating software programs and applications, following the client and the business's software quality standards and design specifications. Lead developers assist a team of developers in implementing strategic procedures, managing system codes, debugging applications, running diagnostic tests, and troubleshooting defects to ensure its smooth performance... Show more	$39-77

Create an ideal candidate profile
Common skills:
- Architecture
- Web Services
- SQL Server
- C++
- Data Warehouse
- Java
- Windows
- PL/SQL
- JavaScript
- ETL
- XML
- CSS
- BI
- SharePoint
Check all skills
Responsibilities:
- Work with the Comcast QA team to coordinate releases and manage defect resolutions.
- Configure and manage JGroup multicasting communication for apache tomcat web servers.
- Involve in OBIEE design, implementation and support from UNIX and Microsoft platforms.
- Utilize page scripting for asynchronous data updates using AJAX, JSON, and JavaScript.
- Develop custom tools (.NET and JAVA) to build, deploy and test the application.
- Analyze the student assessment data and prepare assessment XML data structure, database model for EDI exchange.
Make a budget
Including a salary range in your architect & project lead job description is one of the best ways to attract top talent. An architect & project lead can vary based on:
- Location. For example, architects & project lead' average salary in north dakota is 37% less than in california.
- Seniority. Entry-level architects & project lead 46% less than senior-level architects & project lead.
- Certifications. An architect & project lead with certifications usually earns a higher salary.
- Company. Working for an established firm or a new start-up company can make a big difference in an architect & project lead's salary.
Average architect & project lead salary
$111,895yearly
$53.80 hourly rate
Entry-level architect & project lead salary
$82,000 yearly salary
Updated January 21, 2026
Writing an architect & project lead job description
An architect & project lead job description should include a summary of the role, required skills, and a list of responsibilities. It's also good to include a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager. Below, you can find an example of an architect & project lead job description:
Architect & project lead job description example
We are consistently ranked among the nation's top 100 design firms and have worked in over 50 countries across the globe.

Every day, we're working to shape the future.

The Architect will be responsible for designing and managing the overall project design and development process to ensure that construction documents conform with RS&H's agreement with the client. The position requires business management acumen and must demonstrate strong leadership, organizational and time management skills, as well as strong communication skills.

Responsibilities:
- Lead and manage a multi-discipline project team of architects, interior designers, and consultant's engineers
- Lead project programming, planning, design, development, review, and coordination of contract documents and specifications, coordination of consultants, and administration of construction contracts
- Lead workload projections, manpower scheduling, and manage project profitability
- Assist with consultant's agreements including scope of work, fees, schedule of deliverables and interfacing with in-house legal resources to ensure timely resolution of issues with contractual terms and conditions
- Lead and mentor junior architectural staff with all aspects of project design and delivery
- Engage with clients and key organizations to strengthen our presence in Texas
Qualifications
- Bachelors or Masters of Architecture degree from an accredited university
- Minimum 10+ years of experience
- Professional Registration in Texas
- Proficiency with Revit, MS Office, MS Project, and Sketch-Up
Benefits:
- Holiday Pay
- Paid Time Off
- 401K
- Medical and Dental
- Click Here for Full Benefits Information
#LI-JJ1
The Team
By working with our clients and listening to their needs, we gather a deep understanding of their desired outcomes, practicing creativity and innovation along the way. Become part of a team that's redefining client service and success in a rapidly changing world.
The Company
RS&H provides fully integrated architecture, engineering, and consulting services to help clients realize their most complex facility and infrastructure projects for land, air, and space. We are committed to bringing extraordinary solutions to our clients through the promise of imagination, ingenuity, and innovation. With a tradition of excellence that began in 1941, we are consistently ranked among the nation's top 100 design firms. We attribute our success to an unwavering commitment to our core values of: integrity, quality service, business success and valuing associates.

An Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, or protected veteran status and will not be discriminated against on the basis of disability.

Please view Equal Employment Opportunity Posters provided by OFCCP here.
We can recommend jobs specifically for you! Click here to get started.
Post your job
To find the right architect & project lead for your business, consider trying out a few different recruiting strategies:
- Consider internal talent. One of the most important sources of talent for any company is its existing workforce.
- Ask for referrals. Reach out to friends, family members, and current employees and ask if they know or have worked with architects & project lead they would recommend.
- Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit architects & project lead who meet your education requirements.
- Social media platforms. LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter now have more than 3.5 billion users, and you can use social media to reach potential job candidates.
Post your job online:
- Post your architect & project lead job on Zippia to find and attract quality architect & project lead candidates.
- Use niche websites such as dice, engineering.com, stack overflow, it job pro.
- Post a job on free websites.
Interview candidates
Your first interview with architect & project lead candidates should focus on their interest in the role and background experience. As the hiring process goes on, you can learn more about how they'd fit into the company culture in later rounds of interviews.
It's also good to ask about candidates' unique skills and talents to see if they match your ideal candidate profile. If you think a candidate is good enough for the next step, you can move on to the technical interview.
Sometimes, it's not enough to interview architect & project lead candidates, so you can ask them to do a test project. If you are not a technical person and don't know what a test project should be, you can use these websites:
- TestDome
- CodeSignal
- Testlify
- BarRaiser
- Coderbyte
The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.
Send a job offer and onboard your new architect & project lead
Once you've decided on a perfect architect & project lead candidate, it's time to write an offer letter. In addition to salary, it should include benefits and perks available to the employee. Qualified candidates may be considered for other positions, so make sure your offer is competitive. Candidates may wish to negotiate. Once you've settled on the details, formalize your agreement with a contract.
It's also good etiquette to follow up with applicants who don't get the job by sending them an email letting them know that the position has been filled.
To prepare for the new architect & project lead first day, you should share an onboarding schedule with them that covers their first period on the job. You should also quickly complete any necessary paperwork, such as employee action forms and onboarding documents like I-9, benefits enrollment, and federal and state tax forms. Finally, Human Resources must ensure a new employee file is created for internal record keeping.
Go through the hiring process checklist
- Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
- Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
- Define job responsibilities and requirements
- Establish budget and timeline
- Determine hiring decision makers for the role
- Write job description
- Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
- Promote the job internally
- Process applications through applicant tracking system
- Review resumes and cover letters
- Shortlist candidates for screening
- Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
- Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
- Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
- Conduct background checks on top candidates
- Check references of top candidates
- Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
- Extend offer to top candidate(s)
- Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
- Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
- Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
- Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)
Sign up to download full list

How much does it cost to hire an architect & project lead?

There are different types of costs for hiring architects & project lead. One-time cost per hire for the recruitment process. Ongoing costs include employee salary, training, onboarding, benefits, insurance, and equipment. It is essential to consider all of these costs when evaluating hiring a new architect & project lead employee.

You can expect to pay around $111,895 per year for an architect & project lead, as this is the median yearly salary nationally. This can vary depending on what state or city you're hiring in. If you're hiring for contract work or on a per-project basis, hourly rates for architects & project lead in the US typically range between $39 and $73 an hour.

Find better architects & project lead in less time

Post a job on Zippia and hire the best from over 7 million monthly job seekers.

Hiring architects & project lead FAQs

How much does a good architect & project lead cost?

What are the duties of an architect & project lead?

Should I hire an architect & project lead with no experience?

Search for architect & project lead jobs

Ready to start hiring?

Updated January 21, 2026

Browse computer and mathematical jobs

How to hire an architect & project lead