Senior Level Project Designer Jobs
Senior level project designer jobs place experienced professionals in charge of creative direction, project outcomes, and the cross-functional teams that bring complex work to life. Roles are concentrated across Consulting & Professional Services, Healthcare & Medical Services, and Construction & Real Estate, with 14% remote or hybrid availability, and employers like HDR, Valerio Architects, and Affiliated Engineers hiring at this level now.
Find JobsOverview
Showing 4 of 23+ Senior Level Project Designer jobs









At Affiliated Engineers, Inc. (AEI), we bring together expertise and innovation to solve the most complex challenges. Since 1978, we’ve supported mission-driven organizations in designing systems and environments that advance society and improve lives. Today, with more than 1000 professionals across 23 offices, we help shape the future of healthcare, science and technology, energy, education, and other vital sectors.
From elevating patient care in Mayo Clinic’s world-class hospitals to enabling discovery in high-containment laboratories for U.S. agencies and driving environmental progress with Microsoft’s renowned Thermal Energy Center, our work enriches the human experience, safeguards the environment, and pushes the boundaries of possibility.
AEI consistently earns national recognition from leading industry publications, including Building Design+Construction, Engineering News-Record, and Consulting-Specifying Engineer, with distinctions such as being named the #1 Laboratory Engineering Firm in the nation and receiving multiple Best of the Best Project awards, underscoring the lasting legacy of our work.
At AEI, you’ll join a collaborative community where your expertise fuels innovation, your ideas drive progress, and your work helps shape a brighter future.
As a Mechanical Project Designer in our Charlottesville office, you will help us empower our clients to achieve energy-efficient building solutions, save global environments, and create a better, greener future for all.
Here’s why we need you:
In this role, you will build and maintain relationships with clients and project partners and are responsible for the overall design process on assigned projects within a particular discipline. In this position you will also develop innovative and unique design solutions to align with project, client and project partner needs and leads the team in implementing solutions.
Expertise of our most successful Mechanical Project Designer:
- Associates Degree in HVAC or Architectural Design or equivalent experience required.
- 10+ years of experience in HVAC design.
- Proficiency with Revit and AutoCAD required.
- Understanding of applicable design codes and specification requirements.
- Strong spoken and written communications skills.
- Excellent organization and time management skills.
- Quick technical comprehension and motivation focused on client outcomes.
- Able to effectively prioritize multiple tasks.
- Effective working individually and within team environments.
- A flexible, collaborative environment where your well-being matters—because your best work happens when you’re supported.
- Real opportunities to grow—through mentorship, professional development programs, and exposure to high-impact projects across disciplines.
- To collaborate with inspiring teammates who challenge the status quo, foster innovation, and pave the way for future leaders.
- A benefits package that offers health, dental, vision, and retirement, a performance-based year-end bonus, and thoughtful perks tailored to your needs—whether that's a flexible work environment, wellness resources, or community-focused initiatives, we’ll continue to invest in.
Apply online at https://aeieng.com/about/careers/
If you know someone who would thrive in this role, please share this posting with them directly via email or through your LinkedIn network.
AEI is proud to be an EEO/AA Employer/Vet/Disabled.
See All 23 Senior Level Project Designer Jobs
Find roles that match your experience and apply in just a few clicks.
Find JobsSenior Level Project Designer Job Market
Who's Hiring
- HDR10

- Valerio Architects2

- Affiliated Engineers2

- Colliers Engineering & Design2

- HOK1

Top Industries Hiring
- Consulting & Professional Services16
- Healthcare & Medical Services10
- Construction & Real Estate7
- Media & Entertainment1
- Technology & Software1
Senior Level Project Designer Jobs: Frequently Asked Questions
How do I get a senior level project designer job?
Employers hiring at the senior level look for candidates who have owned full project lifecycles from brief to delivery, not just contributed to them. A strong portfolio demonstrating decision-making, cross-functional leadership, and measurable outcomes carries more weight than credentials alone. Candidates who can speak to how they mentored junior designers or shaped team processes consistently stand out in final-round interviews.
Which companies hire senior level project designers?
Companies hiring senior level project designers right now include HDR, Valerio Architects, and Affiliated Engineers, based on current listings on Migrate Mate as of September 2026. Hiring at this level tends to come from organizations large enough to support dedicated design leadership, including established corporations, growing mid-size firms, and specialized design and engineering consultancies.
Are there remote senior level project designer jobs?
Yes, though availability varies by industry and employer. About 14% of senior level project designer openings are remote or hybrid as of September 2026, reflecting demand for experienced designers who can lead projects and collaborate across distributed teams without requiring daily on-site presence. On-site roles remain common in manufacturing, construction, and sectors where physical product review is part of the work.
What makes a project designer role senior level?
Senior level project designer roles are defined by ownership and scope rather than task completion. At this stage, you are expected to set the design direction for a project, make consequential decisions independently, and be accountable for the quality of the final output. Mentoring junior and mid-level designers, managing stakeholder relationships, and contributing to how the team or practice operates are standard expectations, not optional extras.
Which industries hire the most senior level project designers?
Senior level project designer roles concentrate in Consulting & Professional Services, Healthcare & Medical Services, and Construction & Real Estate, based on current listings on Migrate Mate as of September 2026. These sectors tend to drive hiring at this level because their projects carry high complexity, regulatory requirements, or client-facing stakes that demand experienced design leadership rather than generalist support.