Senior Project Technical Lead

Leads the technical execution and governance of multiple projects and/or client programs and upholds the firm’s technical and documentation standards. Provides advanced expertise in constructability, code compliance, detailing, and QA/QC, and serves as a senior technical mentor, reviewer, and people leader for Project Technical Leads (PTLs) and technical staff. Partners with Project Managers (PMs), Studio Directors, and Principals to ensure deliverables are accurate, coordinated, buildable, and aligned with contractual scope, schedule, and fee.

Related AIA Position Description: Coordinates all technical project efforts to ensure effective execution and prepare strategic plans. Estimates scope of work and overseas less experienced Project Tech Leads. Handles the most complex projects of the largest magnitude. Responsible for coordination of all technical project efforts, to ensure the most efficient and cost-effective execution of assigned projects. Prepares strategic plans for project success. Provides oversight and monitoring of work of less experienced technical leads. Acts in a team leader capacity in the absence of the Principal Architect.

Compensation Alignment: Baseline compensation for this position will be aligned to the salaries listed for the Senior Project Manager position defined by the AIA Compensation Report for the California Region. Baseline salary ranges will be updated in alignment with the publication of this report. Final compensation for each employee will be determined based on skillset alignment with the position as described below as determined by the Studio Directors and Principal Architects. This is an exempt position as defined by the state of California.

Supervision Hierarchy: Master Tech Lead → Technical Director → Managing Partners

Position Responsibilities:

• Serve as the firm’s technical authority across multiple projects, partnering with PMs/PAs to drive technical quality and consistency.
• Provide functional management and mentorship to Project Technical Leads (PTLs), including coaching, goal setting, workload support, and performance feedback; develop junior PTLs into independent technical leaders.
• Partner with PMs and Operations to keep staffing plans, burn, and technical workload forecasts realistic; identify upcoming constraints and resource needs early and escalate when relevant.
• Lead technical kickoffs and phase planning; ensure design intent is translated into coordinated deliverables through SD, DD, CD, approvals (including where applicable DSA/CDE), Bid, and CA.
• Establish and enforce program and project-specific documentation standards, BIM setup, detailing conventions, as well as technical best practices.
• Own phase-gate QA/QC reviews of drawing sets and specifications; identify coordination gaps, code issues, technical risks, and constructability concerns early and drive closure.
• Ensure design intent is incorporated into detailed documentation and properly executed through all phases (SD, DD, CD, CA).
• Mentor and teach junior staff through redlines, desk critiques, training sessions, and standards development; help grow technical capability firmwide.
• Lead QA/QC reviews of drawing sets and specifications; identify coordination gaps, technical risks, and constructability concerns early.
• Establish and enforce project-specific documentation standards, detailing conventions, and technical best practices.
• Develop and review complex architectural details and assemblies (e.g., envelope, waterproofing, accessibility, and life-safety interfaces).
• Provide advanced code interpretation and compliance leadership (CBC, ADA, and where applicable DSA/CDE and related education standards); guide teams through plan check and agency reviews.
• Lead technical response strategy for agency comments and field conditions; support or author responses to plan check/DSA comments, RFIs, submittals, and shop drawings as appropriate.
• Oversee the technical aspects of construction administration for high-risk items; conduct or attend site visits/observations as needed to verify field conditions, support issue resolution, and inform documentation improvements.
• Support construction administration by reviewing RFIs, submittals, and shop drawings; provide technically sound recommendations and redlines.
• Oversee and support the completeness and coordination of specifications in collaboration with the design team and/or spec consultant.
• Coordinate technical integration of consultant work (structural, civil, MEP, fire protection, etc.) and resolve design/coordination conflicts.
• Lead technical process improvement initiatives, including updates to templates, standards, details libraries, and QA/QC checklists; facilitate lessons-learned reviews and implement corrective actions across teams.
• Champion technical training and knowledge sharing through redlines, desk critiques, and targeted training sessions; build repeatable technical onboarding for PTLs and project teams.
• Support proposals and project pursuits by defining technical approach, staffing strategy, QA/QC plan, and preliminary scope assumptions; assist with fee and schedule planning for technical tasks.
• Escalate material technical risks, quality concerns, or scope/standard-of-care issues to Studio Directors/Principals with clear options, impacts, and recommendations.
• Support plan check and agency review responses; provide technical input to address comments efficiently and accurately.
• Contribute to the development and maintenance of office technical resources (details library, QA/QC checklists, and Revit/documentation standards).
• Thorough review and annotation of drawings and specifications for projects related, but not limited to, new school campuses, campus modernizations, new construction projects, and land use / site development work.
• Assist the team reviewing client deliverables utilizing Bluebeam, Adobe Creative Suite, Microsoft Office Suite & Outlook, Sketch-Up, Revit, and AutoCAD.

Position Qualifications:

• Ten or more years of professional experience, including advanced technical leadership and/or senior documentation responsibility.
• Demonstrated people leadership: mentoring PTLs and technical staff, providing clear feedback, and supporting career development.
• Licensure by the California Architects Board preferred but not required.
• Degree from a NAAB-Accredited Architecture Programs is preferred but not required.
• Proficient knowledge of Architectural detailing and construction standards.
• Expert-level knowledge of architectural detailing, constructability, and coordination; able to resolve complex technical issues efficiently and calmly.
• Deep working knowledge of applicable codes and approval processes (including CBC, ADA, and where applicable DSA/CDE and education-related requirements).
• Proven QA/QC and process-improvement leadership (templates, standards, checklists, and BIM workflows) with measurable reduction in rework.
• Proficient with Revit or related production/coordination tools (e.g., AutoCAD, Bluebeam, and Microsoft Office Suite & Outlook); able to guide teams in efficient delivery workflows.
• Strong communication and organization: clear redlines and technical narratives; able to prioritize across deadlines and collaborate with PMs, principals, consultants, contractors, and reviewing agencies.
• Organized with strong attention to detail, follow-through, and the ability to prioritize across multiple concurrent projects.

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