An architect job description explains what an architect will do at your firm, which experience and license the role requires, and how the new hire fits into your team. For owners, principals, and project managers at architecture, engineering, and construction firms, it is the first step toward a great hire. A specific description attracts candidates whose experience matches your projects, gives your team a shared picture of the role, and becomes the starting point for onboarding later on.
This guide covers what architects do, their main responsibilities, the skills and licensing to ask for, a sample you can copy, and a simple process to hire an architect, whether you are hiring locally or adding a dedicated architect to your team.
Architect Job Description: Quick Answers
- What is an architect job description? A written summary of an architect role that covers the title and level, a short role summary, key responsibilities, required qualifications and license, software skills, and reporting structure.
- What does an architect do? Architects plan and design buildings and other structures. They meet with clients, develop designs and drawings, prepare construction documents, coordinate with engineers, and follow projects through construction.
- What are an architect’s main responsibilities? Programming and schematic design, design development, construction documents, code and zoning research, consultant coordination, permitting, and construction administration.
- What skills and license does an architect need? Strong design, technical, and communication skills, plus software such as Revit and AutoCAD. To use the title “architect” in the United States, a person needs a state license, which typically involves an accredited degree, the Architectural Experience Program (AXP), and the Architect Registration Examination (ARE).
- How do you hire an architect? Define the level and license you need, write a specific description, review portfolios, use a short technical exercise, interview with your team, and plan onboarding before day one.
What Does an Architect Do?
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics describes architects as professionals who plan and design houses, factories, office buildings, and other structures. Typical duties include meeting with clients to set objectives and requirements, giving preliminary estimates of cost and construction time, preparing specifications and scaled drawings, preparing contract documents for contractors, and visiting worksites to confirm that construction follows the plans. The BLS also notes that architects design with computer-aided design and drafting (CADD) and building information modeling (BIM), and that they often collaborate with civil engineers, drafters, interior designers, and landscape architects.
At most AEC firms, an architect’s work follows the phases of design services. The American Institute of Architects outlines these as schematic design, design development, construction documents, bidding or negotiation, and construction phase services. Each phase builds on the last, moving from first concepts to a drawing set that a contractor can price and build.
Deciding which phases your new architect will own is the most useful choice you can make before you start writing. A designer focused on construction documents and a project architect who leads clients from concept to closeout need very different descriptions, even though both work on the same kinds of buildings.
Architect Responsibilities by Project Phase
Organizing duties by phase makes the role easy for candidates to understand. Strong architect responsibilities for a typical design role include:
- Programming and schematic design: Meeting with clients to define goals, space needs, and budget, then developing concept plans, massing studies, and site plans.
- Design development: Refining the design with dimensioned floor plans, sections, elevations, door and window details, and outline material specifications.
- Construction documents: Producing the detailed drawings and specifications that contractors use to price and build the project.
- Code and zoning research: Checking building codes, zoning rules, accessibility requirements, and fire regulations early in design.
- Consultant coordination: Working with structural, civil, and MEP engineers so every discipline’s drawings fit together.
- Permitting: Assembling permit sets and responding to plan review comments.
- Bidding support: Answering contractor questions and helping the owner compare bids.
- Construction administration: Reviewing submittals, responding to RFIs, visiting the site, and reviewing pay applications.
- Team leadership: Guiding designers and drafters and reviewing their drawings.
Start each responsibility with an action verb and list the ones that take the most time first. Architects also work closely with BIM specialists, who manage models and clash detection, and with construction managers during the construction phase. Naming these working relationships helps candidates picture their place on the team.
Skills, Software, and Licensing
Core Skills
The BLS lists six important qualities for architects: analytical skills, communication skills, creativity, organizational skills, technical skills, and visualization skills. In a job description, turn each one into a concrete expectation. “Presents design options clearly to clients and consultants” tells a candidate far more than “strong communication skills,” and “Understands how building systems affect layout” is more useful than “analytical thinker.”
Software
Name the tools your team uses every day. Most firms list Revit and AutoCAD for modeling and drafting. Many also mention SketchUp or Rhino for early design, Enscape, Lumion, or Twinmotion for rendering, Bluebeam Revu for markups and reviews, and Adobe Creative Cloud for presentations. Separate required tools from nice-to-have ones so strong candidates apply with confidence.
Licensing: Architect vs. Architectural Designer
There is no national architecture license in the United States. According to NCARB, each of the 55 US jurisdictions sets its own licensing requirements, which typically combine education, experience, and examination. Most jurisdictions require a degree from a program accredited by the National Architectural Accrediting Board (NAAB). All accept the AXP, and all require the ARE, a six-division exam.
Licensing also shapes your title. NCARB notes that once someone earns a license, they can officially call themselves an architect. For a role that does not require a license, a title such as Architectural Designer is the right fit. For a role that includes signing and sealing drawings, ask for a license in the states where your firm practices, and say so clearly in the qualifications.
Choosing the Right Title and Level
Architecture firms use a range of titles. Picking the one that matches the work helps the right people find your posting:
- Architectural Designer or Junior Designer: Supports design and production, often while working toward a license.
- Job Captain or Production Lead: Leads drawing sets and coordinates the team’s documents.
- Project Architect: A licensed architect who leads the technical side of projects and coordinates consultants.
- Senior Architect or Project Manager: Leads projects from start to finish and manages clients, schedules, and budgets.
- Principal or Studio Director: Sets design direction and leads business development.
Pair the title with a clear experience range, such as three to five years or eight or more years, and mention the project types and sizes the person will handle. A residential studio, a healthcare practice, and a design-build contractor might all hire a “Project Architect,” yet each role looks different, so a sentence about your typical projects goes a long way.
Architect Job Description Template
Copy this architect job description template and replace the bracketed text with your firm’s details.
Job title: [Architectural Designer / Project Architect / Senior Architect]
Location and schedule: [City, State / Remote], full-time, [working hours and time zone]
About us: [Firm name] is a [architecture / multidisciplinary / design-build] firm serving [client types] across [region]. We design [project types], and our team is growing.
Role summary: We are looking for an architect to lead [project types] from schematic design through construction administration. You will work with our principals, designers, and consultants to deliver well-coordinated, buildable drawing sets.
Responsibilities:
- Meet with clients to define project goals, program, and budget
- Develop schematic design and design development drawings
- Produce construction documents and specifications in Revit
- Research building codes, zoning, and accessibility requirements
- Coordinate with structural, civil, and MEP consultants
- Prepare permit sets and respond to plan review comments
- Review submittals, answer RFIs, and visit sites during construction
- Mentor designers and review their drawings
Qualifications:
- Degree in architecture [from a NAAB-accredited program]
- [X]+ years of experience in [project types]
- Licensed architect in [state] [required / preferred], or actively working toward licensure
- Proficiency in Revit and AutoCAD; experience with [SketchUp / Enscape / Bluebeam Revu]
- Working knowledge of building codes and construction methods
- Strong communication and presentation skills
What we offer: [Salary range], [benefits], [ARE support and continuing education], [growth path].
How to apply: [Application instructions; please include a portfolio].
How to Hire an Architect: A Simple Process
With your description ready, a clear process makes it easier to hire an architect who fits your firm:
- Define the role first: Decide which phases the person will own and whether a license is required.
- Share the posting widely: Use your website, your professional network, and architecture associations.
- Review portfolios: Look for projects similar to yours and ask candidates to explain their own role on each.
- Use a short exercise: A redline or detailing exercise shows technical skill and attention to detail.
- Interview with the team: Include the project manager the architect will work with and a peer.
- Plan onboarding: Prepare your CAD and Revit standards, templates, and first project before day one.
If you are writing descriptions for other roles, our civil engineer job description guide follows the same approach. Many studios also pair their architects with a virtual assistant for architects, who handles email, proposals, and billing so the design team can spend more time designing.
Hiring a Dedicated Architect Through Remotation
Remotation helps US architecture, engineering, and construction firms add dedicated, full-time architectural professionals who work only for your firm. Share your architect job description with us, and we recruit and shortlist candidates whose experience matches your project types, software, and drawing standards. You interview the shortlist and choose who joins. Your architect works during your US business hours, follows your processes, and becomes part of your team like an in-house hire.
We handle recruitment, HR, and payroll, so your principals and project architects stay focused on design and delivery. With offices in Houston, USA, and Karachi, Pakistan, we help firms grow their design capacity as their project pipeline grows.
Learn more about how to hire a dedicated architect and our other dedicated AEC professionals, or book a 15-minute intro call.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is an architect job description?
An architect job description is a document that defines an architect role at your firm. It covers the title and level, a role summary, responsibilities, qualifications and licensing, software, and who the architect reports to.
What does an architect do day to day?
Architects meet with clients, develop designs, produce drawings and specifications, research codes, coordinate with engineers, and support projects during construction by reviewing submittals and answering RFIs.
What qualifications does an architect need?
Most licensed architects hold a NAAB-accredited degree, have completed the AXP, and have passed the ARE. Firms also look for Revit and AutoCAD skills, code knowledge, and a strong portfolio.
What is the difference between an architect and an architectural designer?
An architect is licensed by at least one US state and can sign and seal drawings. An architectural designer does similar design and production work without a license, often while working toward one.
How do I hire an architect for my firm?
Define the level and license you need, write a specific architect job description, review portfolios, use a short technical exercise, interview with your team, and prepare onboarding before the start date.
