How to hire a project architect

How to hire a project architect, step by step

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

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

What does a project architect do?

Post a project architect job for free, promote it for a fee

Post free

1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you start hiring a project architect, 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?

   Yes

   No

   A project architect's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, project architects from different industries or fields will have radically different experiences and will bring different viewpoints to the role. You also need to consider the candidate's previous level of experience to make sure they'll be comfortable with the job's level of seniority.

   This list shows salaries for various types of project architects.

   Type of Project Architect	Description	Hourly rate
   Project Architect	Architects plan and design houses, factories, office buildings, and other structures.	$25-52
   Job Captain	A Job Captain is responsible for overseeing the drafting process of a project and completing outstanding items or tasks that remain to be accomplished. They take direction from the Project Manager, the Project Architect, and/or the Architect of Record.	$24-46
   Architectural Consultant	An architectural consultant is a professional who owns or works for an independent architecture or multidisciplinary design firm to develop innovative building design solutions. The essential skills that an architectural consultant should possess to accomplish his/her or her responsibilities include good creative ability and strong organizational, technical, and visualization skills... Show more	$19-62

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Revit
   • Autocad
   • Sketch
   • SketchUp
   • Healthcare
   • Building Codes
   • BIM
   • Project Management
   • Design Development
   • Design Intent
   • Project Design
   • Schematic Design
   • Architectural Design
   • CAD

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Manage the distribution of and collection of RFQ from and to contractors and sub-contractors.
   • Manage design team (s) & consultants of various projects throughout NYC & Washington DC.
   • Advise clients on means to achieve actionable goals through sustainable design practices per USGBC leer standards.
   • Lead teams in developing use cases, models, systems, and interfaces leveraging J2EE technology.
   • Lead the rebranding of all visual communications, including a new website design and print collateral standards.
   • Coordinate with leer consultants to achieve project certifications.

   More project architect duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your project architect job description is one of the best ways to attract top talent. A project architect can vary based on:

   • Location. For example, project architects' average salary in kentucky is 38% less than in alaska.
   • Seniority. Entry-level project architects 52% less than senior-level project architects.
   • Certifications. A project architect 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 a project architect's salary.

   Average project architect salary

   $76,812yearly

   $36.93 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level project architect salary

   $53,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 5, 2025

   Average project architect salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	California	$96,618	$46
   2	Massachusetts	$92,299	$44
   3	Nevada	$92,127	$44
   4	District of Columbia	$88,649	$43
   5	Ohio	$86,971	$42
   6	Washington	$85,193	$41
   7	New York	$82,391	$40
   8	Minnesota	$79,078	$38
   9	Pennsylvania	$78,769	$38
   10	Virginia	$77,829	$37
   11	Illinois	$75,839	$36
   12	Oregon	$75,317	$36
   13	Georgia	$74,361	$36
   14	North Carolina	$74,013	$36
   15	Arizona	$73,890	$36
   16	Texas	$72,947	$35
   17	Maryland	$72,945	$35
   18	Tennessee	$72,873	$35
   19	Colorado	$72,279	$35
   20	Wisconsin	$71,735	$34

   Average project architect salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Western Alliance Bank	$134,201	$64.52	3
   2	Parsons	$130,930	$62.95	18
   3	Amazon	$128,308	$61.69	308
   4	Fast Enterprises	$121,950	$58.63	1
   5	Lifetime	$117,489	$56.49
   6	Tesla	$116,479	$56.00	6
   7	Intertek	$113,284	$54.46	2
   8	AmeriHome Mortgage Company, LLC	$111,120	$53.42
   9	Intel	$108,779	$52.30	29
   10	Thermo Fisher Scientific	$106,274	$51.09	11
   11	Jacobs Engineering Group	$104,588	$50.28
   12	Asurion	$103,067	$49.55
   13	Toll Brothers	$102,507	$49.28	2
   14	The Judge Group	$101,361	$48.73	2
   15	STV Group	$100,053	$48.10	27
   16	San Antonio Water System	$98,475	$47.34
   17	Get Fresh Produce	$98,027	$47.13
   18	CyberCoders	$97,147	$46.71	4
   19	The Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory	$96,748	$46.51
   20	Bbg	$92,344	$44.40

4. Writing a project architect job description

   A project architect 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 a project architect job description:

   Project architect job description example

   1 Plans, organizes, and directs the design activities for the School Upgrade Program and critical repair projects. Functions as the lead design professional in the Design Department providing quality review, implementation of policy and procedures and interface and coordinates with the Division of State Architects (DSA)
   
   2 Manages, develops, and coordinates the Districts design process for the Facilities Planning and Development Division to ensure that plans are within functional program, budgetary, environmental and legal requirements
   
   3 Manages multiple projects through interaction with Architects, consultants, and District personnel from project conception, through draft to final review, approval, and handoff to Project Execution
   
   4 Oversees the building design process to ensure compliance with LAUSDs standards and guidelines for the District by working with design professionals and various District administrators to ensure that new and modernized structures meet both educational and building standards requirements
   
   5 Establishes and follows a process to identify and select the architectural firm best suited for each project based on the firms qualifications and ability to meet performance standards
   
   6 Provides Architects with clear and consistent direction with regard to goals and objectives, standards, site, schedule, and budget for each project
   
   7 Establishes and follows an effective and efficient design review process to ensure that the design meets the overall goals and objectives for the project, provides maximum value for dollars budgeted, and are appropriate and enduring to meet the functional needs of the District, the local community, and the environment
   8 Ensures that decisions are made in a timely manner 9 Ensures that all steps within the project are documented and that the documentation meets legal requirements 10 Reviews design changes submitted to ensure project remains within budget 11 Recommends architectural firm assignment from an established list of pre-qualified architectural firms 12 Participates in community relations and outreach programs to create understanding and acceptance of District building projects design within the community 13 Coordinates with a host of professional staff who support the design function for the District 14 Develops continuing education opportunities, i.e., seminars and workshops, to learn and share-up-to-date information on working with architects and contractors 15 Coordinates project activities with other District organizational branches and departments such as the Office of the Environmental Health and Safety, A/E Design Services, Maintenance and Operations, School Occupancy Transitional Unit, Asbestos Technical Unit and Local Districts 16 Performs other duties as assigned Requirements Required Experience:
   Minimum 10 years full time paid professional experience managing the facilities design, or the planning and coordination of capital projects that includes the overall design, contract administration, cost estimating, and scheduling activities 5 years of this experience must be with the design, planning and construction of educational facilities or similar public agencies Required Education:
   Graduation from a recognized college or university with a bachelors degree in Architecture or Engineering Preferred Licenses and Certificates: A valid Certificate of Registration as an Architect by the California State Architectural Board or Professional Engineer by the State Board for Professional Engineers and Land Surveyors

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   There are various strategies that you can use to find the right project architect for your business:

   • Consider promoting from within or recruiting from your existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals from friends, family members, and current employees.
   • Attend job fairs at local colleges to find candidates who meet your education requirements.
   • Use social media platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter to reach potential job candidates.

   To find project architect candidates, you can consider the following options:

   • Post your job opening on Zippia or other job search websites.
   • Use niche websites that focus on engineering and technology jobs, such as aaonetwork, aia , ala , an jobs, archareer .
   • Post your job on free job posting websites.

6. Interview candidates

   During your first interview to recruit project architects, engage with candidates to learn about their interest in the role and experience in the field. During the following interview, you'll be able to go into more detail about the company, the position, and the responsibilities.

   You should also ask about candidates' unique skills and talents to see if they match the ideal candidate profile you developed earlier. Candidates good enough for the next step can complete the technical interview.

   The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

7. Send a job offer and onboard your new project architect

   Once you've decided on a perfect project architect 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.

   Once that's done, you can draft an onboarding schedule for the new project architect. Human Resources should complete Employee Action Forms and ensure that onboarding paperwork is completed, including I-9s, benefits enrollment, federal and state tax forms, etc. They should also ensure that new employee files are created for internal recordkeeping.

8. 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

   Sign up

How much does it cost to hire a project architect?