Job Listing
🔗Preservation Architect + Director

  • Full Time
  • Washington D.C., DC
  • $160,000 - $200,000/- USD / Year
  • April 28, 2026
  • Job Qualifications:

    POSITION OVERVIEW

     

    Office Leadership and Strategy

    •   Serve as Director of the Washington, DC office with responsibility for strategic growth in federal and institutional markets.
    • Act as senior firm representative to federal agencies, review bodies, and institutional clients.
    • Collaborate with firm leadership on long-term positioning within the federal preservation sector.

     

     

    Project Leadership and Technical Oversight

    Lead and oversee historic preservation projects, including:

    • Historic Structure Reports (HSRs)
    • Conditions assessments and compliance documentation
    • Master planning and feasibility studies
    • Restoration, rehabilitation, and adaptive reuse design
    • Construction administration under federal delivery frameworks
    • Serve as Project Manager/Director for complex federal and institutional projects.
    • Address compliance with:
      • Secretary of the Interior’s Standards
      • Federal preservation laws and regulations
      • Agency-specific design and review requirements

     

    Client Management

    • Serve as a primary client point-of-contact.
    • Guide teams and clients through complex reviews, approval, and coordination processes.
    • Understand and navigate contracting environments, delivery methods, and stakeholder structures.
    • Federal, District, and Interagency Approvals
    • Lead and coordinate multi-layered approval processes.
    • Strategically manage overlapping federal and District requirements, particularly within the monumental core.

     

    Business Development for Federal and Public Sectors

    • Maintain and expand relationships with federal agencies, cultural institutions, and public-sector clients.
    • Lead or support federal pursuits, including RFQs, RFPs, interviews, and teaming strategies.
    • Leverage existing agency relationships to identify repeat and on call opportunities.
    • Represent the firm at federal industry days, conferences, and professional forums.

     

    Staff Mentorship and Team Development

    • Mentor staff in preservation project delivery, documentation standards, and agency coordination.
    • Develop internal capacity for federal and institutional work.
    • Support professional development, licensure, and leadership growth within the DC office.
      __________________________________________________________________________________

     

    MUST-HAVES TO APPLY

     

    Demonstrated Professional Experience

    • 10+ years in historic preservation architecture
    • Leading federal historic preservation projects, from studies through construction administration
    • Serving as Senior Project Manager, Contract Director, or Client Manager for federal or institutional clients
    • Managing multi-agency, high-visibility projects in complex regulatory environments
    • Federal & Regulatory Expertise

     

    Experience working with these or similar federal agencies is desired:

    • Smithsonian Institution
    • U.S. Department of State – Bureau of Overseas Buildings Operations (OBO)
    • General Services Administration (GSA)
    • U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE)
    • National Park Service (NPS
    • Architect of the Capitol (AOC)
    • U.S. Navy / Naval Facilities Engineering Systems Command (NAVFAC)

     

    Experience navigating these or similar processes is desired:

    • Section 106 consultation
    • DC Historic Preservation Office (DC HPO)
    • National Capital Planning Commission (NCPC)
    • Commission of Fine Arts (CFA)
    • Agency-specific review boards and committees

     

    Business Development

    • Proven success pursuing and securing federal and public-sector work in the Washington, DC / DMV region.
    • Established relationships with federal owners, contracting entities, and institutional clients.
    • Experience supporting or leading RFQ/RFP responses and interviews.

     

    Licensure and Credentials

    • Professional degree in Architecture
    • Licensed Architect (District of Columbia desired; multi-jurisdictional preferred)
    • Meet or exceed Secretary of the Interior’s Professional Qualification Standards

     

     

    ADDITIONAL SKILLS THAT WILL HELP YOU STAND OUT

     

    • Ability to collaborate and communicate effectively with team members, clients, and contractors.
    • Passion for humane and sustainable design
    • Meticulous attention to detail and organizational skills
    • Ability to work on concurrent deadlines in a fast-paced environment without compromising quality.
    • Proficiency in AutoCAD and/​or REVIT, and Microsoft Office Suite
    • Strong technical expertise related to design and construction.
    • Knowledge of preservation techniques and policies
    • Knowledge of historic construction techniques and styles
    • Knowledge of material repair and restoration techniques
    • Creative teaching and mentoring abilities and experience
      __________________________________________________________________________________

    Position Type/Expected Hours of Work:

    • Consideration will be given to remote or hybrid fulfillment of the duties of this position.
    • This is a full-time exempt position (average: 2,080 hours per year) in accordance with employment laws within the District of Columbia.
    • Work hours and days generally are Monday through Friday.
    • Evening or weekend work to participate in meetings may be required periodically.
    • Travel expenditures are covered or reimbursed through ICA policy.
    • As noted previously, ICA has a generous benefits package for all employees.
    • Future ownership potential within the firm will be considered for the successful candidate.

     

    Recruiting Compensation Range:

    Base salary is commensurate with education/experience and knowledge/skills/abilities with an additional benefits package; a range of $160,000 to $200,000 is anticipated. An annual review process, tied to compensation, will be performed.

     

    Affirmative Action:

    InSite Consulting Architects is an Equal Employment Opportunity/​Affirmative Action Employer. ICA provides equal employment opportunities (EEO) to all employees and applicants for employment, without regard to race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, genetic information, marital status, amnesty, or status as a covered veteran in accordance with applicable federal, state, and local laws.

     

    Other:

    Short-listed candidates must be willing to undergo a background check including legal, educational, employment records, etc. This position description does not cover or contain a comprehensive list of activities, duties, or responsibilities required of the employee for this position. Duties, responsibilities, and activities may change at any time, with or without notice.

    __________________________________________________________________________________

    InSite Consulting Architects has engaged an organizational management consultancy, The Three Aspens, Ltd., to assist with this leadership search. Inquiries, nominations, and applications should be directed (confidentially) to Helene Combs Dreiling, FAIA via e-mail at helene@theplumstudio.com. No phone calls, please. All candidates will be notified via e-mail as to the status of their application.

  • How to Apply:

    To be considered, applicants must submit a customized letter of interest and resume or curriculum vitae (detailing measurable success in the key qualifications for the position) to Ms. Dreiling at helene@theplumstudio.com by 5:00 pm EDT on March 31, 2026.

  • Application Email: helene@theplumstudio.com

InSite Consulting Architects

Founded in 2000, InSite Consulting Architects (ICA) is a growing, dynamic, and creative architecture firm headquartered in Madison, WI, with offices in Washington, DC, Chicago, IL, and St. Louis, MO. This award-winning firm specializes in work within the existing built environment, focusing on adaptive reuse, historic preservation, and forensic analysis of buildings that include interior renovations and new construction projects. ICA also has expertise in building design, enclosure technologies, institutional facilities management, and construction/contract management. Team members collaborate from project inception through design development and construction completion.

POSITION DESCRIPTION:

InSite Consulting Architects seeks a Preservation Architect + Director to lead and grow the firm’s Washington, DC office, serving as both a technical authority in large-scale historic preservation and a strategic business development leader with deep federal-sector experience. This individual will manage and oversee complex federal, state, District, institutional, and cultural preservation projects—from studies and planning through construction administration—while navigating multi-agency federal approval processes and expanding the firm’s presence among federal owners, cultural institutions, and public-sector clients in the Washington, DC region.

The Preservation Architect + Director role requires a professional who brings demonstrated success working with federal and local governmental agencies as well as other institutional clients and is equally adept at project leadership, regulatory navigation, client development, and staff mentorship.

Benefits

All NCPE interns received an hourly stipend, the rate is listed at each position description. Additionally, interns receive paid time off (PTO), paid Federal holidays if working full-time, and access to NCPE's Employee Assistance Program (EAP) for career and personal counseling, coaching, and referrals. Project sites may also offer a housing allowance and/or commuting stipend; this information is also listed in the description or offered during the interview.

Eligible NCPE interns who successfully complete their internships may count their position towards earning a Public Land Corps (PLC) Non-Competitive Hiring Authority certificate. To be eligible to earn a PLC certificate, an intern must be 30 years old or younger (or 35 if a veteran). Once earned, the PLC hiring authority certificate may be used to apply for eligible Federal temporary, term, or permanent positions. Successful completion of a NCPE internship does not guarantee Federal employment. Contact manager@preservenet.org for more details.

Eligibility

To be eligible, applicants must be
*at least 18 years old;
*no older than 30 years of age (or 35 years if a Veteran) when beginning the internship; applicants who are 31 or older (or 36 or older if a Veteran) are not eligible;
*currently enrolled in a degree-seeking academic program at the college level (or recently graduated within the past 12 months)
*be a U.S. Citizen or permanent resident.

Interns are not allowed to work more than 1200 hours total in the program; previous interns must stay within this overall limit. The length of an internship can vary from 10 to 30 weeks if full-time (40 hours per week) or longer if on a part-time schedule. If selected, the exact starting date will be determined by you and the NPS supervisor. The stipend rate is $17.00 per hour unless otherwise listed.

The successful candidate is responsible for finding and paying for travel to and housing at the internship location; some exceptions apply. The supervising office may be able to assist in locating housing but it is ultimately up to the individual accepting the internship to find accommodation.

The National Council requires all interns working in-person at Federal facilities and/or with Federal employees receive the Covid-19 vaccination. Please be advised that you may also be required to wear a mask, depending on the protocols adopted by your work site. Also be aware that, due to Government-wide security requirements, a background check will be required if you are selected for a position. This will include providing information about recent housing and employment history. The position supervisor will have more information about these requirements and procedures at the time of hiring. You may direct any questions to NCPE's Internship Program Director, Julee Johnson, at manager@preservenet.org.

Please note that interns are not NCPE or NPS employees. Stipends are academic awards and taxes are not withheld, nor are social security contributions made on your behalf. These funds may be taxable, however, so consult a tax preparation professional if you have questions.

How to Apply

You may review NCPE's internship opportunities anytime without registering. Use the search function to find listings by location, keyword, or area of interest/category. Once you identify one or more positions of interest, there is a 3-step application process.

Step 1: Click on the Apply for Job button, then select Universal Application. Click on Register to create a User Account, which requires a username and email. A link will be sent to you from manager@preservenet.org to create a password. We suggest that you add this email to your safe senders list so you don't miss receiving this important link. You will be instructed to Log In to Preservenet using your username or email and password, which will take you back to the Universal Application.

Step 2: The Universal Application is required to apply for all NCPE internships. You fill out this form only once. In addition to contact information, educational status, work history, and experience, it requires two attachments: (1) the 2 most recent years of academic transcripts. These may be unofficial transcripts if official versions are unavailable. A PDF is preferred, labeled Your Your Last Name_Your First Name_Transcript. (2) a resume or CV (curriculum vitae). Please limit to a maximum of 4 pages; 2 pages are preferred. A PDF is preferred but jpg, png, doc, or docx file types are accepted. Label Your Last Name_Your First Name_Resume. This form may be saved as a draft and completed later. Use the link provided to return to the form.

Step 3: Once you submit the Universal Application, you may browse and apply for NCPE internships using the link provided. Complete the application process by clicking on the Apply for job button found at each internship listing and upload the required Essay. Use the essay to explain why you are applying for an internship, including how your interest areas will benefit the National Park Service (NPS) and how the internship will further your studies and career goals. Be as specific as possible; there is a 400-word maximum length. Submit the essay to finish the application for that position. You may apply for a maximum of 6 internships during an application round; there is no limit at other times of the year. DO NOT SKIP THIS STEP!



Logging in with a Registered User Account and completing the Universal Application is required to apply for NCPE Internships. Please visit the Universal Application page to register for an account and complete the form. After logging in and completing the form, refreshing this listing will display the Job Application to apply online.