K-12 Education Design Leader

DLR Group is an integrated design firm with a promise to elevate the human experience through design. This fuels the work we do around the world and inspires our mission to improve the lives of our clients, our communities, and our planet. If this sparks your interest, you’re in the right place.

We have an opening for a Senior Project Designer within our K-12 Education practice in our Orlando studio. We operate within a hybrid work model, supporting flexibility between office time and work from home.

About K-12 Education at DLR Group:

DLR Group is helping shape the future of education through design. Recognized as the No. 1 education architecture firm in Building Design’s 2026 World Architecture 100 report, our firm brings 60 years of experience in educational design to creating places that empower students, support educators, and strengthen communities.

Our K-12 Education practice brings together educators, researchers, planners, architects, engineers, and interior designers to reimagine how learning happens. Through BOLD, our education change management service, we help school districts connect their educational vision with teaching practices and learning environments. This collaboration brings research and firsthand educational experience directly into the design process.

As a leader in our Orlando studio, you will bring this expertise to local school communities while helping shape the growth of our practice across Florida. This is an opportunity to build lasting client relationships, champion design excellence, and help create learning environments that will serve generations of students.

Position Summary As a Senior Project Designer, you will lead the design vision for K-12 Education projects, translating educational goals into inspiring, functional learning environments. You will guide design from early concepts through project completion, collaborating with clients and integrated design teams to deliver thoughtful solutions that reflect each school community’s needs.

Working closely with Project Managers and project teams, you will balance design excellence with project scope, schedules, and budgets. You will lead design conversations, communicate ideas through compelling presentations, and mentor emerging designers while ensuring design intent is maintained throughout every phase.

If you are a collaborative design leader with a strategic mindset and a passion for shaping the future of learning, this might be the position for you. DLR Group is 100% employee owned, offering you the opportunity to have ownership in the firm. We rely on all our employee-owners to apply their financial acumen to grow the firm profitably.

What You Will Do:

Lead the design vision and development of K-12 Education projects, from initial concepts through project completion.

Partner with school district leaders, educators, and stakeholders to translate educational priorities into meaningful design solutions.

Collaborate with Project Managers and integrated design teams to align design goals with project scope, schedules, and budgets.

Develop and present compelling design concepts that communicate the project vision and build client consensus.

Guide the integration of architecture, interiors, engineering, and sustainable design strategies into cohesive learning environments.

Ensure design intent is maintained through documentation and construction in coordination with project teams.

Lead design reviews and support quality assurance processes consistent with firm standards.

Mentor designers and foster a collaborative studio culture centered on creativity, continuous learning, and design excellence.

Support marketing, project pursuits, and business development through design storytelling, interviews, and client…