Project Architect

STV's Buildings group is seeking a Registered Architect to join its Philadelphia architecture practice as an Architect III. This position will have a particular emphasis on leading and supporting architectural design during Schematic Design and Design Development.

Working under the leadership of the Philadelphia Architecture Discipline Leader, the Architect III will serve as a senior design resource to project teams. The successful candidate will help teams develop strong architectural concepts, conduct meaningful design reviews, prepare clear and persuasive client presentations, and maintain design intent as projects advance.

The Architect III may serve as the Design Lead on selected projects and will support other architects at important design and client-review milestones.

Responsibilities

• Lead or support Schematic Design and Design Development activities on assigned projects.
• Help project teams translate client goals, program requirements, context, budget, and technical considerations into coherent architectural solutions.
• Guide the development and evaluation of design concepts and alternatives.
• Lead project design workshops, pinups, critiques, and milestone reviews.
• Identify and develop relevant precedent studies, case studies, and other design research.
• Provide clear, constructive design guidance to architects and designers.
• Help teams maintain continuity between the approved concept and the developing architectural design.
• Coordinate design intent with engineering disciplines, interior design, technical specialists, and other project participants.
• Review plans, sections, elevations, diagrams, renderings, models, material studies, and other design materials for clarity and consistency.
• Guide the development of client presentations, including presentation narrative, visual hierarchy, graphics, and identification of required decisions.
• Coach and support architects preparing to present design work.
• Participate in client and stakeholder meetings when additional design leadership would benefit the project.
• Present and explain the design direction on projects for which the individual is assigned as Design Lead.
• Support project teams in documenting client comments, design decisions, approvals, and unresolved matters.
• Assist in maintaining design intent as projects transition into technical documentation.
• Contribute successful precedents, presentation examples, design methods, and project lessons to shared practice resources.
• Support proposal development and project interviews when design expertise or presentation leadership is required.
• Mentor architects and emerging professionals in architectural design, critical evaluation, visual communication, and presentation skills.

Minimum Qualifications

• Professional degree in Architecture.
• Active Registered Architect license.
• Minimum of five years of relevant architectural experience.
• Demonstrated experience leading significant portions of Schematic Design and Design Development.
• Experience coordinating multidisciplinary architectural projects.
• Experience leading design discussions and providing guidance to project teams.
• Strong architectural design, graphic communication, and presentation skills.
• Experience preparing and delivering presentations to clients and project stakeholders.
• Working knowledge of building codes, accessibility requirements, materials, building systems, detailing, and construction.
• Proficiency with relevant BIM, drawing, visualization, and presentation tools.
• Strong written, verbal, graphic, and interpersonal communication skills.
• Ability to manage multiple design responsibilities and exercise independent professional judgment.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience serving as Design Lead on small to medium projects or substantial portions of larger projects.
• Experience facilitating design workshops, pinups, critiques, and milestone reviews.
• Strong skills in sketching, diagramming, precedent analysis, visual storytelling, and presentation development.
• Experience mentoring architects and designers.
• Experience with civic, institutional, transportation, infrastructure-support, industrial, laboratory, mixed-use, residential, or adaptive-reuse projects.
• Experience participating in proposals and project interviews.
• NCARB certification, LEED accreditation, or other relevant professional credentials.
• Familiarity with visualization, computational design, automation, artificial intelligence, or other emerging design technologies.

Role within the Philadelphia Practice

The Architect III will work under the direction of the Philadelphia Architecture Discipline Leader and collaborate closely with Project Managers, Project Architects, Architects of Record, engineering disciplines, and national design leadership.

The position is intended to strengthen early-phase design and presentation capabilities within project teams. Overall leadership of the Philadelphia architecture practice remains with the Philadelphia Architecture Discipline Leader.

Compensation Range

$104,402.58 - $119,317.24

STV offers the following benefits • Health insurance, including an option with a Health Savings Account • Dental insurance • Vision insurance • Flexible Spending Accounts (Healthcare, Dependent Care and Transit and Parking where applicable) • Disability insurance • Life Insurance and Accidental Death & Dismemberment • 401(k) Plan • Retirement Counseling • Employee Assistance Program • Paid Time Off • Paid Holidays • Back-Up Dependent Care • Parental Leave • Continuing Education Program • Professional Licensure and Society Memberships

STV is committed to paying all of its employees in a fair, equitable, and transparent manner. The listed pay range is STV’s good-faith salary estimate for this position. Please note that the final salary offered for this position may be outside of this published range based on many factors, including but not limited to geography, education, experience, and/or certifications.

Not sure this role is the perfect match? We encourage you to apply if STV’s work and values resonate with you. We know great candidates don’t always meet every qualification, and research shows women and people of color are less likely to apply unless they do. At STV, we believe strong talent comes from a wide range of backgrounds, and your skills and experience may align with this or another opportunity as we continue to grow.