Licensed candidates are hired as Senior Architect (RA) or Senior Interior Designer (NCIDQ).
Deceder Group is searching for a Senior Architectural Designer // Senior Designer with 9 to 14 years of experience to join a talented, close-knit group of architects and interior designers. You will manage full projects from schematic design through construction administration, serve as the project team’s face of Deceder Group, and act as a resource, sounding board, and mentor for designers at every level.
Both titles describe the same role. Architecture candidates hold the architectural title; interior design candidates hold the design title. The titles Architect and Interior Designer are reserved for team members who hold the license or certification.
About Deceder Group
Deceder Group is a next-generation design firm that balances creativity with dependability. We embrace technology exploration, recognize the value of diverse perspectives, and hold ourselves to a high standard—so you can too.
We provide progressive ideas and unwavering trust rooted in a shared desire to return personalized attention and service to the design process. Our teams are built around individual expertise, work ethic, and culture, bringing a distinct experience and result to each unique project. We believe practical solutions don’t need to come at the expense of experimentation and collaboration. Discover the Deceder difference on your next project.
As an expanding firm, there is plenty of room to grow. We support certifications, continuing education, and networking, and every team member has a voice in the firm’s direction. Project types include:
- Commercial Workspaces (professional services, non-profits and associations, tech and corporate headquarters, government contractors, and law firms)
- Secure Spaces (SCIF design to ICD-705) and GSA / Government projects
- Capital Expenditure (spec suites, roof terraces, conference centers, lounges, and building lobby renovations)
- Building Modernization (building additions, façade renovations, and core element reconfiguration)
- Light Medical, Retail, Restaurants, and Hospitality
What you’ll do
- Define project requirements, create project schedules, and communicate the path to success
- Participate in preliminary project walkthroughs
- Manage full projects from schematic design through construction administration; own budgets, schedules, and client communication
- Help determine staffing, balance deadlines, and monitor team productivity and utilization
- Direct and delegate project work to junior staff; give regular feedback and mentor designers at every level
- Set the design direction for the team on each project and review presentations, renderings, and selections before they go out
- Review and redline the team’s drawing sets and code analyses; deliver substantially complete documents at permit and pricing
- Select consultants, negotiate scope and fee, and manage their information, schedules, review, and quality control
- Oversee construction administration across your jobs, including change orders and difficult contractor conversations
- Identify additional services and raise them with the client
- Communicate with clients daily; maintain and advance relationships into repeat work
- Participate in the Project Delivery process and Quality Management Plan
- Stamp and seal construction documents following firm policy (when licensed)
What you’ll bring
Experience and education
- 9 to 14 years of experience in an architecture or interior design practice, leading projects and people
- Bachelor’s degree in architecture or interior design
- Thorough knowledge of permitting across DC-area jurisdictions, code requirements (IBC, ADA, NFPA), and construction requirements (STC, UL designs)
- An established network in the DC-area AEC community
- Hand sketching for on-the-spot discussions with clients and teams
Technical skills
- Reviews model health and drawing quality before deadlines; resolves corrupt links and broken worksharing
- Advanced Revit for building and envelope work or interiors and FF&E, plus rendering
- Catches budget overruns early in Monograph, assigns staff hours, and forecasts the team’s hours a few weeks ahead
- Firm tools: Revit 2023 or later (every Deceder Group project is done in Revit), AutoCAD Architecture 2024 or later, Enscape, InDesign, Autodesk Construction Cloud, Monograph, and Microsoft Office
- Familiarity with Claude and other AI tools is a plus; Claude is used on approved firm accounts only
Licensure and certifications
- Registered architect (RA) or NCIDQ expected; NCARB preferred
- Architecture path: hold a license within two (2) years of entering the level. The title is Senior Architectural Designer until licensed, then Senior Architect
- Interior design path: hold NCIDQ. The title is Senior Designer until certified, then Senior Interior Designer
- LEED AP or equivalent; maintain continuing education (AIA CEUs or IDCEC)
Business development
- Attend 12 or more industry events a year
- Serve on a committee of your professional group and be a known, active presence in it
- Grow client relationships into repeat and expanded work; lead the technical portions of presentations
- Further the firm’s reputation through networking and award submissions
Communication and leadership
- Prioritizes a full inbox and the team’s channels and responds accordingly
- Initiates difficult conversations with clients and contractors; reviews and coaches the team’s external communication
- Delegates, motivates, and gives constructive feedback; builds client trust through follow-through
- Self-starter who needs little guidance from Directors or Principals
Our values
We look for people who share our five core values: Approachable, Clever, Dependable, Intuitive, and Progressive.
Benefits
- Paid time off with no set annual limit, available from your first day
- Paid company holidays
- Health insurance with a firm contribution toward your premium; dental and vision coverage paid by the firm for employee-only plans
- 401(k) with a company match, starting after six (6) months
- Twelve (12) weeks of paid parental leave at full salary after one year with the firm
- Paid bereavement leave
- Monthly tax-free commuting and parking reimbursement
- Continuing education and certification maintenance paid by the firm; exam fees (ARE, NCIDQ) reimbursed when you pass; a salary increase when you earn a credential such as LEED or WELL
- A current laptop, a work iPhone, and the software you need to do your best work
Deceder Group embraces a hybrid environment, with up to two (2) work-from-home days a week. We believe in the importance of in-person collaboration while balancing the ability to complete other tasks from the location of your choice. Our office is in an exciting and accessible location in the Ballston area of Arlington, complete with snacks, Nespresso, and additional onsite amenities. New team members are expected in the office more often while they get to know the team and our projects.
How to apply
Apply through our LinkedIn job listing, or send your resume and portfolio to Dan Deceder at dan@decedergroup.com.