Studio Lead - PLA

Studio Lead – Pla

LJA is offering an exciting opportunity that will allow you to reach your full career potential. The structure of our organization is designed to amplify your capabilities while gaining the benefits of being an employee-owner. What truly sets this opportunity apart is the chance to collaborate every day with dedicated, skilled, and supportive leaders. Whether you are in the office, in the field, or behind the scenes, working at LJA gives you the chance to grow through hands-on experience and exposure to a broad range of clients and services.

At LJA, our employee-owners take pride in their work and their workplace. We're guided by leaders who foster a culture of respect, collaboration and a shared vision of success. Our difference is evident in the experiences and opportunities we provide:

• Employee-owned. Client-focused
• Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP)
• Consistently ranked as a Top Workplace
• Internal recruitment team, in-house training, and a marketing department specific to our industry
• We celebrate flexibility, allowing every team and office to lead with their proven approach
• Our culture champions continuous learning and personal growth
• We believe success comes through constant evolution and communication
• We are passionate about having fun and making money, all while creating impact

As a Studio Lead – PLA at LJA Land Development, you will lead the architectural execution of multidisciplinary projects that integrate built form, landscape, and experience across a range of environments. This role supports projects such as parks, amenity centers, civic and recreational facilities, mixed-use developments, outdoor hospitality settings, boutique lodging, Trailheads, community gathering spaces, and downtown plazas. The ideal candidate brings strong design thinking, technical expertise, project leadership, and the ability to organize production across multiple projects simultaneously.

A typical day might include:

• Translating conceptual vision into buildable, code-compliant design solutions across a variety of project types.
• Leading architectural project development from concept through construction documentation and construction administration.
• Collaborating closely with civil engineering, landscape architecture, and planning teams to ensure integrated project delivery.
• Coordinating and managing multiple projects across varying scales, including parks, amenity centers, and experience-driven environments.
• Serving as the primary architectural point of contact for clients, consultants, and internal teams.
• Managing project budgets, schedules, production efforts, and team coordination to support successful project delivery.
• Communicating proactively and consistently to support high-quality outcomes and long-term client relationships.

Required education/license/certifications:

• Bachelor's or Master's degree in Architecture from an accredited program.
• Licensed Architect required.
• Ability to maintain working knowledge of applicable building codes, construction methods, materials, and detailing appropriate to each project type.

Required qualifications:

• Experience leading architectural project development from concept through construction documentation and administration.
• Strong project management skills with the ability to organize production across multiple projects simultaneously.
• Ability to translate conceptual design ideas into buildable, code-compliant solutions.
• Experience coordinating with multidisciplinary teams, including civil engineering, landscape architecture, and planning.
• Strong communication skills with the ability to serve as the primary architectural contact for clients, consultants, and internal teams.
• Organized, adaptable, collaborative, and comfortable contributing across design, documentation, coordination, and client engagement.
• Working knowledge of construction methods, materials, and detailing.

Ideally, you should also have:

• Experience with parks, amenity centers, civic and recreational facilities, mixed-use developments, outdoor hospitality, boutique lodging, Trailheads, community gathering spaces, or downtown plaza/public space projects.
• A design-forward mindset with the ability to help shape…