Architectural Assistant Jobs in USA with Visa Sponsorship
Architectural Assistant roles in the U.S. qualify as specialty occupations under the H-1B visa, making employer sponsorship a realistic path for candidates with a professional architecture degree. Firms filing Labor Condition Applications must meet prevailing wage requirements, and your portfolio carries real weight in securing an offer that leads to a petition.
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As an Architectural Historian for Civil & Environmental Consultants, Inc. (CEC) in our Pittsburgh, PA office, you will investigate, evaluate, and document historic buildings, structures, and other above-ground cultural resources for a variety of infrastructure, energy, and development projects. You will support clients as they navigate historic preservation requirements, including compliance with Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act. Your work will include conducting historic architectural surveys, researching and documenting historic properties, evaluating resources for eligibility for the National Register of Historic Places, and assessing potential project effects on historic resources. You will apply your knowledge of architectural history, historic preservation, and cultural resource management to support projects from initial planning and field investigations through regulatory review and project completion. You will work closely with clients, government agencies, and CEC’s multidisciplinary teams to support cultural resource projects throughout the northeast, mid-Atlantic, and other regions. As an Assistant Project Manager, you will have opportunities to coordinate project tasks, support project planning and execution, and develop project management skills through hands-on experience, mentorship, and collaboration with experienced cultural resource professionals across the company. You will also have the opportunity to provide meaningful contributions to the continued growth of CEC's Cultural Resources Practice.
At CEC, every team member is personally invested in serving our clients with integrity, delivering results that matter, and growing meaningful careers. As employee-owners, we’re accountable not just for our work, but for creating an environment that supports and challenges one another. Our people are our priority — and that’s what drives us to dig deeper, collaborate smarter, and build lasting relationships inside and outside of our company. Our Pittsburgh office, located in Moon Township, Pennsylvania, is home to a passionate and growing team of professionals.
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES:
- Conduct historic architectural surveys, investigations, and archival research for historic buildings, structures, districts, and other above-ground cultural resources.
- Evaluate historic resources for National Register of Historic Places eligibility and support Section 106 compliance, including assessing Areas of Potential Effects and potential project impacts on historic properties.
- Prepare historic architectural survey reports, historic property evaluations, effects assessments, and other technical documentation supporting project and regulatory requirements.
- Coordinate with clients, State Historic Preservation Offices, regulatory agencies, and multidisciplinary project teams to support successful project delivery.
- Assist with project planning, task management, scheduling, budgeting, and proposal development.
WHAT WE OFFER:
- Sign-on bonus available for eligible candidates
- 100% employee-owned firm with access to ownership opportunities beginning within your first year
- Competitive compensation with multiple income streams, including performance bonuses and employee ownership
- 55% of company profits distributed back to employees through bonuses
- Flexible and hybrid work schedule options
- Diverse portfolio of projects
- Comprehensive benefits beginning on day one, including medical, dental, vision, and life insurance
- 401(k) with company match beginning the first of the month following your start date
- Collaborative environment that supports mentorship, technical development, leadership growth, and career advancement
- Access to on-site amenities including a fitness center, café, recreation areas, and employee events
QUALIFICATIONS
- Master’s degree in Architectural History, Historic Preservation, History, or a closely related field
- Meet the Secretary of the Interior’s Professional Qualification Standards for Architectural History
- Experience conducting historic architectural surveys, evaluating above-ground cultural resources, and preparing technical documentation
- Knowledge of Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act and the National Register of Historic Places evaluation criteria and historic preservation regulations.
- Ability to identify and evaluate common historic architectural styles, building types, construction methods, and potential project effects on historic properties.
- Field experience conducting architectural history or cultural resource investigations preferred.
About us:
We have experts! CEC is consistently ranked as a Top 500 Design Firm and Top 200 Environmental Firm by Engineering News-Record. We are looking for people who enjoy using their education and experience to solve difficult technical problems and work on interesting projects. You can accomplish this while working with a team of professionals who are equally motivated to provide high levels of service to our clients and to teach you along the way.
We have support! We have a variety of Employee Resource Groups, including CEC Community – focused on giving back to the communities in which we work; CEC Ignite – focused on helping professionals early in their careers to develop their pathway; CEC iDEA – focused on inclusion, diversity, equality, and acceptance; and CEC Women – focused on creating internal and external opportunities for women to network and leverage professional experience!
We care about our people! People and Culture are two of the five elements of our strategic plan. When you care about your people, they will want to grow a career with you – that is our goal. CEC offers you a small-firm work environment with large-firm opportunities. Not only will we help you develop professionally, but we will also provide an opportunity to become an owner of the firm and share in its success.
CEC offers a matching 401(k); profit sharing; a performance bonus; company stock; medical, dental, and vision insurance; short and long-term disability; tuition assistance; professional development; and work-life balance.
CEC is an equal opportunity employer. We do not discriminate in recruiting, hiring or promotion based on race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, protected veteran status or any other basis or characteristic prohibited by applicable federal, state, or local law.
THIRD PARTY RECRUITERS
If CEC has not expressly requested recruiting services or contractually engaged with you for recruiting services on a specific position, any resumes or candidate profiles sent to CEC shall be considered unsolicited. Therefore, any such submissions will be considered property of CEC, with no associated fees due to your firm.
Overview:
As an Architectural Historian for Civil & Environmental Consultants, Inc. (CEC) in our Pittsburgh, PA office, you will investigate, evaluate, and document historic buildings, structures, and other above-ground cultural resources for a variety of infrastructure, energy, and development projects. You will support clients as they navigate historic preservation requirements, including compliance with Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act. Your work will include conducting historic architectural surveys, researching and documenting historic properties, evaluating resources for eligibility for the National Register of Historic Places, and assessing potential project effects on historic resources. You will apply your knowledge of architectural history, historic preservation, and cultural resource management to support projects from initial planning and field investigations through regulatory review and project completion. You will work closely with clients, government agencies, and CEC’s multidisciplinary teams to support cultural resource projects throughout the northeast, mid-Atlantic, and other regions. As an Assistant Project Manager, you will have opportunities to coordinate project tasks, support project planning and execution, and develop project management skills through hands-on experience, mentorship, and collaboration with experienced cultural resource professionals across the company. You will also have the opportunity to provide meaningful contributions to the continued growth of CEC's Cultural Resources Practice.
At CEC, every team member is personally invested in serving our clients with integrity, delivering results that matter, and growing meaningful careers. As employee-owners, we’re accountable not just for our work, but for creating an environment that supports and challenges one another. Our people are our priority — and that’s what drives us to dig deeper, collaborate smarter, and build lasting relationships inside and outside of our company. Our Pittsburgh office, located in Moon Township, Pennsylvania, is home to a passionate and growing team of professionals.
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES:
- Conduct historic architectural surveys, investigations, and archival research for historic buildings, structures, districts, and other above-ground cultural resources.
- Evaluate historic resources for National Register of Historic Places eligibility and support Section 106 compliance, including assessing Areas of Potential Effects and potential project impacts on historic properties.
- Prepare historic architectural survey reports, historic property evaluations, effects assessments, and other technical documentation supporting project and regulatory requirements.
- Coordinate with clients, State Historic Preservation Offices, regulatory agencies, and multidisciplinary project teams to support successful project delivery.
- Assist with project planning, task management, scheduling, budgeting, and proposal development.
WHAT WE OFFER:
- Sign-on bonus available for eligible candidates
- 100% employee-owned firm with access to ownership opportunities beginning within your first year
- Competitive compensation with multiple income streams, including performance bonuses and employee ownership
- 55% of company profits distributed back to employees through bonuses
- Flexible and hybrid work schedule options
- Diverse portfolio of projects
- Comprehensive benefits beginning on day one, including medical, dental, vision, and life insurance
- 401(k) with company match beginning the first of the month following your start date
- Collaborative environment that supports mentorship, technical development, leadership growth, and career advancement
- Access to on-site amenities including a fitness center, café, recreation areas, and employee events
QUALIFICATIONS
- Master’s degree in Architectural History, Historic Preservation, History, or a closely related field
- Meet the Secretary of the Interior’s Professional Qualification Standards for Architectural History
- Experience conducting historic architectural surveys, evaluating above-ground cultural resources, and preparing technical documentation
- Knowledge of Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act and the National Register of Historic Places evaluation criteria and historic preservation regulations.
- Ability to identify and evaluate common historic architectural styles, building types, construction methods, and potential project effects on historic properties.
- Field experience conducting architectural history or cultural resource investigations preferred.
About us:
We have experts! CEC is consistently ranked as a Top 500 Design Firm and Top 200 Environmental Firm by Engineering News-Record. We are looking for people who enjoy using their education and experience to solve difficult technical problems and work on interesting projects. You can accomplish this while working with a team of professionals who are equally motivated to provide high levels of service to our clients and to teach you along the way.
We have support! We have a variety of Employee Resource Groups, including CEC Community – focused on giving back to the communities in which we work; CEC Ignite – focused on helping professionals early in their careers to develop their pathway; CEC iDEA – focused on inclusion, diversity, equality, and acceptance; and CEC Women – focused on creating internal and external opportunities for women to network and leverage professional experience!
We care about our people! People and Culture are two of the five elements of our strategic plan. When you care about your people, they will want to grow a career with you – that is our goal. CEC offers you a small-firm work environment with large-firm opportunities. Not only will we help you develop professionally, but we will also provide an opportunity to become an owner of the firm and share in its success.
CEC offers a matching 401(k); profit sharing; a performance bonus; company stock; medical, dental, and vision insurance; short and long-term disability; tuition assistance; professional development; and work-life balance.
CEC is an equal opportunity employer. We do not discriminate in recruiting, hiring or promotion based on race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, protected veteran status or any other basis or characteristic prohibited by applicable federal, state, or local law.
THIRD PARTY RECRUITERS
If CEC has not expressly requested recruiting services or contractually engaged with you for recruiting services on a specific position, any resumes or candidate profiles sent to CEC shall be considered unsolicited. Therefore, any such submissions will be considered property of CEC, with no associated fees due to your firm.
See all Architectural Assistant Jobs
Sign up for free to unlock all listings, filter by visa type, and get alerts for new Architectural Assistant roles.
Get Access To All JobsTips for Finding Visa Sponsorship as an Architectural Assistant
Align your degree to specialty occupation standards
USCIS requires a directly related bachelor's degree for H-1B approval. A degree in architecture or architectural technology strengthens your petition. If your credential is from outside the U.S., get a formal equivalency evaluation before applying.
Target firms with active LCA filing histories
Use Migrate Mate to find architectural employers with verified Labor Condition Application sponsorship history, filtered by city and role type, so you're focusing your applications on firms that have actually sponsored before.
Benchmark your prevailing wage tier early
Run your target metro area and job title through the OFLC Wage Search before salary negotiations. Architectural assistants often fall under wage Level I or II, and knowing your tier helps you assess whether an offer will clear DOL's LCA certification requirements.
Document licensure progress for your petition
Many architectural assistant roles require ARE exam progress or state internship hours. Include your NCARB IDP transcripts or exam status in your petition package to demonstrate you meet the specialty occupation standard beyond the degree alone.
Clarify sponsorship intent before the offer stage
Smaller architecture practices sometimes don't realize an H-1B requires filing Form I-129 and paying government fees before your start date. Raising the timeline and cost structure early avoids offers that fall apart after you've accepted.
Prepare your portfolio to support the LCA job description
The LCA must describe duties that require a specialized degree. Walk your employer through how your project work, software skills, like Revit or AutoCAD, and design responsibilities map to that definition when they're drafting the job description.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does an architectural assistant role qualify as a specialty occupation for H-1B purposes?
Yes, in most cases. USCIS evaluates whether the position normally requires at least a bachelor's degree in a directly related field. Architecture and architectural technology degrees satisfy this for roles involving design work, technical drawings, and project coordination. Generic administrative duties added to the job description can weaken the case, so the employer's LCA job description should stay focused on professional architectural tasks.
Which visas can cover an architectural assistant working in the U.S.?
The H-1B is the primary work visa for architectural assistants, covering specialty occupation roles for up to three years, extendable to six. Australian nationals can use the E-3 visa, which has a separate annual cap and no lottery. Chilean and Singaporean nationals may qualify for H-1B1 visa. Canadian and Mexican nationals holding architecture degrees may qualify under TN visa status, as architecture is a listed USMCA profession.
How do I find architectural firms that have sponsored visas before?
Migrate Mate lists U.S. employers with verified sponsorship history, searchable by role and location, so you can focus on firms that have already navigated the H-1B or E-3 visa process for architecture positions. This saves significant time compared to cold-applying to firms that have never filed an LCA.
Does my architecture degree from outside the U.S. count for H-1B sponsorship?
Foreign degrees are accepted, but USCIS requires evidence the credential is equivalent to a U.S. bachelor's degree in architecture. A credential evaluation from a recognized organization like NACES is typically included in the I-129 petition. Three-year architecture degrees from countries like Australia are generally accepted as equivalent, but the evaluation report makes the case explicitly and reduces the risk of a Request for Evidence.
What happens to my visa status if I switch firms before my H-1B is approved?
If you're already in H-1B status with another employer, portability rules under AC21 allow you to start with a new employer once the new I-129 petition is filed, without waiting for approval. If you're not yet in H-1B status and the sponsoring firm withdraws before USCIS approves your petition, the petition is typically abandoned and you'd need a new employer to refile.
What is the prevailing wage requirement for sponsored Architectural Assistant jobs?
U.S. employers sponsoring a visa must pay at least the prevailing wage, which is what workers in the same role, area, and experience level typically earn. The Department of Labor sets this rate to make sure companies aren't hiring foreign workers simply because they'd accept lower pay than a U.S. worker. It varies by job title, location, and experience. You can look up current prevailing wage rates for any occupation and location using the OFLC Wage Search page.