Contract Custom Home Designer Jobs (NOW HIRING)

Blue Star
Washington, DC | Full-Time | Onsite

Blue Star is seeking an experienced and technically strong Lead Designer to support our high-end residential remodeling and custom home projects from early concept through construction-ready documentation.

This is not a traditional interior design role. We are looking for someone who understands residential construction, design documentation, space planning, building details, permit requirements, and the preconstruction process. The right person will play a key role in transforming client ideas, field conditions, and construction realities into clear, buildable design solutions.

The ideal candidate has experience working within high-end residential remodeling or custom home construction environments and understands how design integrates directly with production, estimating, permitting, and project execution.

In this role, you will work closely with ownership, project managers, superintendents, architects, engineers, trade partners, and clients to move projects from concept into construction.

Responsibilities Include:

• Develop residential design concepts, layouts, plans, elevations, and detailed construction drawings
• Translate client goals and existing site conditions into practical and buildable design solutions
• Support preconstruction through design development, scope clarification, selections coordination, and documentation
• Prepare permit drawings and design packages for pricing, permitting, client review, and construction
• Coordinate with architects, engineers, consultants, vendors, and trade partners
• Assist with site verification, field measurements, and existing-condition documentation
• Help identify constructability issues before projects move into production
• Collaborate directly with project managers, superintendents, and field teams throughout the project lifecycle
• Maintain organized project files, specifications, drawings, and design notes
• Help ensure the final design aligns with budget, schedule, client expectations, and buildability

The ideal candidate has a strong technical design background and understands how high-end residential projects are actually built.

Qualifications:

• 3-5 years of experience in residential design, architecture, drafting, design-build, remodeling, or custom home construction
• Strong understanding of construction drawings, detailing, specifications, and residential building systems
• Ability to create clear, accurate, and buildable design documents
• Working knowledge of permitting processes, code basics, and residential construction methods
• Experience with field measuring and existing-condition documentation
• Strong communication and collaboration skills with clients, consultants, project managers, superintendents, and trade partners
• Ability to balance design intent with budget, schedule, and construction realities
• Highly organized with strong attention to detail and a practical, solutions-focused mindset

• Proficiency in AutoCAD(rquired)

Experience with any of the following is highly preferred:

• Revit
• Chief Architect
• SketchUp
• 2020 Design
• Design-build project delivery
• Selections coordination
• Permit drawing preparation
• Google Workspace and Microsoft skills
• JobTread, Buildertrend, CoConstruct, or similar construction management software
• High-end residential remodeling or custom home construction experience

• Licensed Residential Architect (preferred but not required)

Blue Star operates in a Mac-based environment and currently utilizes Google Workspace for collaboration and communication. The company is transitioning toward Microsoft-based systems, so candidates should be comfortable working across both platforms.

You are technical, organized, collaborative, and solutions-oriented. You care about great design, but you also care about whether the design can actually be built well.

You are comfortable working with both clients and construction teams and understand that successful residential projects require strong communication, clean documentation, practical problem-solving, and teamwork across design and production.

• Salary range: $85,000 - $95,000, depending on experience and qualifications
• 2 weeks PTO, increasing with tenure
• 14 paid holidays
• 50% company-paid health insurance for employees
• 401(k) with company match after one year
• Opportunity to work on high-end residential remodeling and custom home projects
• Collaborative and team-oriented environment
• Long-term growth opportunity within an established design-build company

Please submit your resume along with a brief note about your residential design, drafting, architecture, or design-build experience.

Portfolio samples or examples of previous residential design work are strongly encouraged.