Project Manager / Project Architect

About Us

Big Tent Design Studio is a small, growing architecture practice based in Washington, DC. Our projects span residential, educational, retail, commercial, and institutional work, and many share a common thread: building community—creating spaces that foster connection, inclusion, and a sense of belonging.

We care about thoughtful design, pragmatic solutions, and making good architecture accessible across a wide range of project types, scales, and constraints.

The Opportunity

We’re looking for an experienced Project Architect / Project Manager who is ready to take meaningful ownership of projects while working closely with the firm principal.

This is a hands-on role in a small practice. You will help lead multiple projects from design through permitting and construction, taking significant responsibility for coordination, documentation, schedules, consultant management, and follow-through.

At the same time, we are intentionally building the studio’s design approach, standards, and systems. This is therefore a highly collaborative role—not one where projects are simply handed off and managed independently.

We are looking for someone who can take initiative, anticipate what needs to happen next, and make thoughtful recommendations, while also recognizing when a design, technical, or project decision benefits from discussion and collaboration.

As the studio grows, we expect the role to grow with it, with increasing opportunities for independent project leadership, client management, and responsibility within the practice.

What You Will Do

Help lead projects from concept through construction administration, working closely with the principal on design direction and major project decisionsTake primary responsibility for project coordination, documentation, schedules, deliverables, and follow-throughServe as a key client contact alongside the principal, helping lead meetings, track decisions and action items, and keep projects movingPlan and manage consultant coordination across structural, MEP, civil, and other disciplinesDevelop and QC coordinated Revit drawing sets—producing work directly as well as reviewing the work of othersResearch and resolve zoning, building code, accessibility, and permitting issuesOrganize and coordinate permit submissions and responses to agency review commentsParticipate in site visits and construction administrationCoordinate and mentor junior staff and interns as project teams requireHelp establish and improve office standards, templates, checklists, workflows, and quality-control proceduresHow We Work

We value clear expectations, direct feedback, thoughtful design, and steady progress over heroics.

The right person:

Moves comfortably between design thinking, technical production, coordination, and project management as project needs shiftCan turn broad project goals into an organized sequence of tasks, responsibilities, and deadlinesPrioritizes effectively—understanding what is urgent, what is blocking others, and what can waitBrings a solutions-oriented mindset: surfaces decisions, offers options, and makes recommendationsKnows what they can resolve independently, what requires coordination, and when a larger design or technical decision should be discussedUnderstands how buildings are assembled and uses that knowledge to develop and review drawingsCommunicates proactively about progress, assumptions, decisions, and potential problemsDocuments decisions clearly so clients, consultants, and the project team stay alignedMaintains a high standard for coordination, accuracy, organization, and graphic qualityUses sketches, markups, and diagrams as everyday tools for thinking through and communicating ideasIs interested in helping shape the systems and standards of a growing practice rather than simply inheriting an established way of workingRequirements

Approximately 6–9 years of experience in architectural practiceDemonstrated responsibility for project coordination, schedules, consultants, documentation, permitting, and client communicationExperience taking substantial responsibility for at least one project through multiple phases of design, permitting, or constructionArchitectural licensure strongly preferred; candidates actively completing the ARE with strong project leadership experience will also be consideredAdvanced Revit skills, including the ability to plan, produce, coordinate, and QC complete drawing setsExperience taking projects through permitting; familiarity with DC, Maryland, or Virginia jurisdictions is strongly preferredStrong written, verbal, and graphic communication skillsProficiency with Adobe Creative Suite, including InDesign, Illustrator, and PhotoshopAble to work onsite in Washington, DCCandidates with somewhat more or less experience may be considered where their project responsibilities, technical experience, and overall fit are particularly strong.

What We Offer

Full-time employment with healthcare coverage and paid time offMeaningful project responsibility from day oneDirect collaboration with the principal on design, project strategy, and firm directionA varied project mix across residential, educational, commercial, retail, and institutional workPay: $90,000.00 - $100,000.00 per year

Benefits:

Flexible scheduleHealth insuranceLife insurancePaid time offApplication Question(s):

Are you currently living in the DC, MD, VA region?Do you hold a professional architecture degree (B.Arch or M.Arch)?How many years have you used Revit to develop and coordinate complete architectural drawing sets (not just markups/redlines)?How many years of professional experience do you have working in an architecture firm?Have you managed project schedules, consultant deliverables, and client communication on an architecture project?License/Certification:

Architect's License in DC / MD / VA (Preferred)Work Location: In person