1

Design Development Jobs in Seattle, WA (NOW HIRING)

Senior Design Engineer

Mukilteo, WA · On-site

$120K - $165K/yr

Karman Space & Defense is a leader in the rapid design, development, and production of critical, next-generation system solutions that align with the U.S. Department of War and its allies' core ...

Director-Design

Seattle, WA · On-site

$137 - $245/hr

Under direction of the Project Director, leads and directs the design development and supports delivery of major capital transit projects including light rail, commuter rail, operations and ...

Under direction of the Project Director, leads and directs the design development and supports delivery of major capital transit projects including light rail, commuter rail, operations and ...

Director-Design

Seattle, WA · On-site

$137K - $245K/yr

Under direction of the Project Director, leads and directs the design development and supports delivery of major capital transit projects including light rail, commuter rail, operations and ...

Director-Design

Seattle, WA · On-site

$137K - $245K/yr

Under direction of the Project Director, leads and directs the design development and supports delivery of major capital transit projects including light rail, commuter rail, operations and ...

Under direction of the Project Director, leads and directs the design development and supports delivery of major capital transit projects including light rail, commuter rail, operations and ...

Showing results 21-40

Design Development information

See Seattle, WA salary details

$10

$24

$36

How much do design development jobs pay per hour?

As of Aug 22, 2026, the average hourly pay for design development in Seattle, WA is $24.84, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $19.95 and $27.36 per hour, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What is design development?

Design development is a phase in the architectural and design process where initial concepts are refined into detailed plans and specifications. During this stage, designers work out the specifics of materials, dimensions, systems, and aesthetics, often collaborating with engineers and consultants. The goal is to translate ideas from the schematic design phase into precise documentation that can be used for construction. This stage helps ensure that the project is feasible, meets client needs, and complies with regulations.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive in design development?

To thrive in Design Development, you need a solid background in design principles, project management, and a relevant degree such as architecture, industrial design, or engineering. Familiarity with CAD software, 3D modeling tools, and design documentation systems is typically expected. Strong collaboration, problem-solving, and communication skills help you effectively translate concepts into practical solutions and work within multidisciplinary teams. These skills are crucial for delivering innovative, functional designs that meet client needs and project requirements.

What are some common challenges faced in a design development role and how can they be addressed?

Professionals in Design Development often encounter challenges such as balancing creative vision with practical constraints like budget, timeline, and client requirements. Navigating feedback from multiple stakeholders and ensuring that design intent is maintained throughout the development process can also be demanding. These challenges can be addressed by fostering strong communication within cross-functional teams, maintaining detailed documentation, and using iterative design reviews to ensure alignment. By staying adaptable and solution-oriented, design development specialists can help bridge the gap between concept and execution.

What is the difference between Design Development vs Design Engineer?

AspectDesign DevelopmentDesign Engineer
CredentialsBachelor's degree in design, architecture, or related fieldBachelor's or master's in engineering, design, or related discipline
Work EnvironmentCollaborative teams, design studios, project sitesEngineering offices, manufacturing plants, project sites
Industry UsageArchitecture, product design, industrial designMechanical, civil, electrical engineering projects

Design Development focuses on refining and evolving design concepts, often involving creative and aesthetic decisions. Design Engineers apply engineering principles to develop functional, safe, and manufacturable products or systems. While both roles require technical knowledge, Design Development emphasizes creative design progression, whereas Design Engineers focus on technical feasibility and engineering solutions.

What are the most commonly searched types of Design Development jobs in Seattle, WA?

The most popular types of Design Development jobs in Seattle, WA are:

What are popular job titles related to Design Development jobs in Seattle, WA?

For Design Development jobs in Seattle, WA, the most frequently searched job titles are:

What job categories do people searching Design Development jobs in Seattle, WA look for?

The top searched job categories for Design Development jobs in Seattle, WA are:

Infographic showing various Design Development job openings in Seattle, WA as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 1% As Needed, 82% Full Time, 14% Part Time, and 3% Contract. Highlights an 90% Physical, 3% Hybrid, and 7% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $51,677 per year, or $24.8 per hour.

Sustainable Design Advisor

Perkins & Will

Bainbridge Island, WA

Full-time

Posted 8 days ago


Job description

With a preliminary direction from a licensed architect, assist in predesign and all design phases of small-scale to large-scale corporate/commercial, manufacturing facilities, educational facilities including new construction, renovations, tenant improvement, and energy efficiency retrofits; analyze client needs and utilize independent thinking to develop programmatic approaches and design concepts in and/or manage all phases of architectural design for a wide range of projects including domestic / international commercial projects, retail, hospitality, education, transportation/aviation, and institutional projects, including new construction, renovation, tenant improvement, parking garage, and demolition/site preparation; prepare presentations and workshops, develop programmed space spreadsheets, narrative summaries, room data sheets, adjacency diagrams, graphic content, and prepare final Developed Project Program document; develop site analysis studies requiring site photography, code research, base drawings, and diagrams; prepare and incorporate weather data analysis to identify passive design potential based on the local climate and building use to minimize building energy needs and maximize the energy savings; research building codes and regulations, collect data, and write reports and presentations to incorporate research and data that drives the architectural designs; translate clients' functional and spatial requirements for structures into feasible design solutions, incorporating custom detailing, structural engineering principles and building systems into architectural designs; develop site design studies requiring site plans, site sections, 3D digital massing and physical site modeling; develop concept studies and documentation requiring 3D digital massing, floor plans, space plans, building elevations, sections, and perspectives; provide material and product research and analysis appropriate for projects requirements and client’s satisfaction; develop exterior envelope design requiring enlarged plans, elevations, sections, details and axonometric drawings; conceptualize with Mechanical, Electrical and Plumbing consultants to create efficient building strategies; incorporate LBC (Living Building) sustainable design principles and strategies into projects, participate in LBC documentation and commissioning process; assist in advocating sustainable, regenerative, and energy efficient strategies through drawings and written documentation; work in conjunction with sustainable and regenerative design leadership in the continued improvement and development of high-performance design to maintain and improve the quality and consistency of sustainable design deliverables; provide ongoing development and support for all sustainable design platforms and work closely with design and delivery leadership to guide the transition from traditional sustainable design process and standalone environmental analysis practices into integrated design and analysis processes in collaborative work environments; assist in preparing building energy modeling simulations to evaluate daily sun exposure, analyze heat loads, and maximize energy savings using Open Studio, Grasshopper and similar parametric modellings; analyze sketches, photographs, notes, and other input material to determine best approaches for completion of drawings to solve technical issues of design in relation to sites; assist in preparation of client and public presentations, workshops and meetings, using 2D/3D CAD and building information modeling programs, including Revit, AutoCAD, Rhino, Grasshopper, Maxwell, and SketchUp, analysis and computer skills to develop 3D building computer models; provide BIM organization for documentation; organize, file and distribute documents utilizing BIM360, Navisworks and other construction coordination software; make corrections as indicated by Project Architect and Design Director to in-progress sets of design development and construction documents; assisting in creating drawings and 3D digital models to do quantity take-offs for cost estimates of the projects; visualization of the design concept using 3D rendering software like Lumion, Twinmotion, and Enscape and sketching tools like Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator; perform necessary modifications of drawings and specifications as construction projects progress and changes in dimensions, materials, and other aspects of design arise from client, agency or public input; coordinate conceptual design drawings with mechanical, electrical, plumbing, fire protection (MEP/FP), civil, structural, lighting, A/V, telecom, graphics, interiors and landscape consultants to incorporate building systems into architectural designs to produce construction documentation and secure client and regulatory approval; develop documents for all design phases, Schematic Design, Design Documentation, Construction Documentation including documenting architectural plans, elevations, and details in imperial or metric standards for jurisdictional agency corrections using 2D/3D modeling using Autodesk AutoCAD, Rhinoceros, Grasshopper, Autodesk Revit and related BIM, 2D and 3D Modeling software.

Job Requirements:

Bachelor of Architecture (5 year) or foreign equivalent plus internship or experience to include assisting in predesign and all design phases of small-scale to large-scale residential and educational facilities including new construction, renovations, tenant improvement, and retrofits; analyzing client needs, develop programmatic approaches and BIM coordination for commercial projects, and transportation/aviation projects; preparing presentations and workshops, developing programmed space spreadsheets, content, and preparing final Developed Project Program document; developing site analysis studies requiring site photography, code research, base drawings, and diagrams; researching building codes and regulations, collecting data, and writing reports and presentations to incorporate research and data that drives the architectural designs; translating clients' functional and spatial requirements for structures into feasible design solutions, incorporating custom detailing, structural engineering principles and building systems into architectural designs; developing site design studies requiring site plans, site sections, 3D digital massing and physical site modeling; developing concept studies and documentation requiring 3D digital massing, floor plans, space plans, building elevations, sections, and perspectives; providing material and product research and analysis appropriate for projects requirements and client’s satisfaction; developing exterior envelope design requiring enlarged plans, elevations, sections, details and axonometric drawings; conceptualizing with Mechanical, Electrical and Plumbing consultants to create efficient building strategies; assisting in advocating sustainable, regenerative, and energy efficient strategies through drawings; analyzing sketches, photographs, notes, and other input material to determine best approaches for completion of drawings to solve technical issues of design in relation to sites; assisting in preparation of client presentations, workshops and meetings, using 2D/3D CAD and building information modeling programs, including Revit, AutoCAD, Rhino, Grasshopper, and SketchUp, analysis and computer skills to develop 3D building computer models; providing BIM organization for documentation, organizing, filing and distributing documents utilizing BIM360; making corrections as indicated by Project Architect and Design Director to in-progress sets of design development and construction documents; assisting in creating drawings and 3D digital models to do quantity take-offs for cost estimates of the projects; visualization of the design concept using 3D rendering software like Lumion, Enscape, and sketching tools like Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator; performing necessary modifications of drawings and specifications as construction projects progress and changes in dimensions, materials, and other aspects of design arise from client input; coordinating conceptual design drawings with consultants to incorporate building systems into architectural designs to produce construction documentation and secure client and regulatory approval; developing documents for all design phases, Schematic Design, Design Documentation, Construction Documentation including documenting architectural plans, elevations, and details in imperial or metric standards for jurisdictional agency corrections using 2D/3D modeling using Autodesk AutoCAD and related BIM, 2D and 3D Modeling software.

Salary Range

We foster a culture that is diverse and inclusive and strive for pay practices that are fair, and competitive and reflect our commitment to pay equity. Our compensation decisions include but are not limited to a candidate’s qualifications including skill sets, education, experience and training, licensure and certifications credentials if applicable, and business-related factors. This practice extends to all employees, including performance considerations for merit increases, job promotions, and transfer opportunities. We additionally review our pay practices, conduct pay equity audits and ensure our managers are trained in our pay practices on an annual basis. At the time of posting this job advertisement, the annual pay salary range for this position is between $71,843 to $91,000, commensurate with qualifications.