National Mission Critical Design Leader

Join to apply for the National Mission Critical Design Leader role at DLR Group
.

DLR Group is an integrated design firm that elevates the human experience through design, striving to improve the lives of clients, communities, and the planet.

We are seeking a Mission Critical Design Leader to shape the future of resilient, high‑performance environments that power the world’s most data‑driven industries. This role offers the opportunity to influence design culture, elevate technical excellence, and advance our mission of delivering integrated, human‑centered, operationally critical facilities. Our hybrid work model supports flexibility between in‑office and work‑from‑home time, and the position is open to exceptional applicants nationwide.

As a Mission Critical Design Leader, you will manage all aspects of project document development and coordinate with project team members to maintain quality within established schedules for large, complex mission‑critical facilities—including hyperscale data centers, emergency operations centers, industrial environments, and advanced manufacturing projects.

Working within our integrated design team, you will partner directly with Market Sector leadership to ensure the project's financial health, design quality and documentation, risk mitigation, team collaboration, and seamless communication. You will also lead cross‑functional design disciplines in developing innovative, technically rigorous solutions.

• Champion design quality and innovation across mission‑critical project types, setting vision from concept through completion
• Elevate human‑centered, resilient, and high‑performance design principles tailored to secure and technology‑driven environments
• Engage in internal and external thought leadership to advance design excellence in the mission‑critical market

• Inspire and mentor multidisciplinary design teams, fostering curiosity, creativity, accountability, and technical confidence
• Support and develop emerging design leaders across studios and regions
• Model collaboration and knowledge‑sharing to strengthen practice‑wide design culture

• Lead integrated design teams to deliver coordinated, high‑performance solutions
• Balance design excellence with mission‑critical performance requirements, including redundancy, resiliency, security, and uptime
• Drive quality assurance, documentation excellence, and adherence to DLR Group standards

• Cultivate strong relationships with sophisticated clients and technical stakeholders
• Translate complex operational, security, and reliability expectations into thoughtful, scalable solutions
• Confidently communicate design strategy, vision, and technical rationale in both client‑facing and internal settings

• Partner with Market Sector leadership to support practice growth, innovation, and strategic pursuits
• Work closely with Project Managers to align design intent with scope, schedule, and performance goals
• Strengthen and reinforce DLR Group’s integrated design culture through shared accountability and transparent communication

• 10+ years of experience as a Project Architect or Project Engineer on Data Center, Industrial, Warehouse Distribution, and Office projects, with 5+ years on 10+ MW Data Center buildings
• Bachelor’s degree in architecture, engineering, or a related field
• Proficiency in REVIT and CAD computer modeling and rendering software
• The ability to travel occasionally to support project tasks
• Licensed Architect or Engineer
• Eligible to work in the United States without a work visa or residency sponsorship
• Must submit current portfolio/work samples in PDF format

We are proud to be an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action/M/F/Veteran/Disabled employer.