Behavioral Health Design Leader

Denver, Colorado, United States; Los Angeles, California, United States; Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States; New York, New York, United States; Riverside, California, United States; Sacramento, California, United States; San Diego, California, United States; San Francisco, California, United States; Seattle, Washington, United States; Sonoma, California, United States; Washington, D.C.Posted 16 days ago

Role Overview

DLR Group is hiring a mid-level Behavioral Health Design Leader. This is a full-time hybrid role, based in Denver, Colorado, United States; Los Angeles, California, United States; Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States; New York, New York, United States; Riverside, California, United States; Sacramento, California, United States; San Diego, California, United States; San Francisco, California, United States; Seattle, Washington, United States; Sonoma, California, United States; Washington, D.C.. posted 2 weeks ago. Full responsibilities, required qualifications, and the apply link are listed in the description below.

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Job description

DLR Group is an integrated design firm with a promise to elevate the human experience through design. This fuels the work we do around the world and inspires our mission to improve the lives of our clients, our communities, and our planet. If this sparks your interest, you’re in the right place.

Position Summary

We are seeking an experienced Behavioral Health Design Leader to join DLR Group's Justice + Civic national practice. In this role, you will lead the planning and design of facilities that promote healing, equity, and transformation through behavioral health-focused design solutions. DLR Group operates within a hybrid work model, supporting flexibility between office time and work from home. DLR Group has a network of 30+ studios across the United States. For this role, we encourage exceptional applicants across the ecosystem.

About Justice + Civic at DLR Group

As a nationally recognized expert in Justice + Civic facility planning and design, DLR Group serves municipal, county, state, and federal public-sector clients to deliver civic, public safety, and justice design solutions that achieve excellence in operations, sustainable design, resilience planning, space planning, building assessment, cost of ownership analysis, and project management. Behavioral health facility planning and design is a growing specialty in our portfolio. As stewards of the built environment, DLR Group's Justice + Civic practice elevates behavioral, environmental, and social betterment, resulting in healing, equity, and transformation for the individual and community.

What You Will Do:

Collaboratively work with integrated teams of architects, engineers and specialty consultants
Lead preliminary planning and design for behavioral health facilities within community, justice and civic environments
Create functional layouts integrating therapeutic design principles, de-escalation strategies, and security requirements
Develop evidence-based design solutions to support mental health treatment, recovery and reintegration
Design adult crisis, sobering, substance use and residential treatment centers
Ensure designs promote client and staff safety while maintaining a therapeutic environment
Apply sustainable design practices and WELL building standards to behavioral health spaces
Collaborate with multidisciplinary teams to integrate specialized security and safety features
Integrate trauma informed design strategies
Design spaces that balance clinical requirements with trauma-informed care principles
Conduct facility assessments and develop programming recommendations
Create detailed space planning documentation and design guidelines
Lead stakeholder engagement sessions and facilitate design workshops
Provide technical expertise on behavioral health design standards and best practices
Support cost estimation and phasing strategies for behavioral health implementations
Develop post-occupancy evaluation criteria for behavioral health spaces
Mentor team members on behavioral health design principles
Contribute to research initiatives and thought leadership in justice behavioral health design

Required Qualifications:

Bachelor's degree in architecture, planning, interior design, or related field
5+ years of experience in behavioral health facility planning or related healthcare design
Strong understanding of mental health treatment modalities and substance use programs
Knowledgeable of Behavioral Health funding initiatives at state and local levels
Knowledge of trauma-informed design principles and evidence-based practice
Understanding of clinical workflows and operational requirements
Understanding of telehealth and technology supported treatment systems
Knowledge of behavioral healthcare design standards and building regulations
Experience with public sector projects and stakeholder engagement
Strong analytical and problem-solving capabilities
Excellent written, verbal, and graphic communication skills

Preferred Qualifications:

Master's degree in psychology, behavioral science, architecture, planning, or related field
Professional certification in healthcare planning or behavioral health
Experience in behavioral health facility planning,
AICP or other relevant certification
Proficiency in Revit, AutoCAD, MS Office Suite, and Adobe Creative Suite
Background in therapeutic environment design or clinical operations
Familiarity with Behavioral Health system operations and procedures
Experience with secure facility design and planning
Knowledge of correctional healthcare standards and guidelines
Understanding of behavioral health economics and facility operations
Research experience in behavioral health environments
Publication history in relevant professional journals
Experience with grant writing and funding applications
Crisis prevention intervention (CPI) certification
Mental Health First Aid certification
Professional affiliation with behavioral health organizations

Our comprehensive Benefits at DLR Group include medical, dental, vision, disability, wellness programs, flex spending, paid holidays, and paid time off. We also offer a 401(k) plan, employee stock ownership, and bonus opportunities. Compensation considerations are based on location, experience, and skills. The suggested pay range for this position is:

Pay Range

$140,000—$170,000 USD

DLR Group is an integrated design firm delivering architecture, engineering, interiors, planning, and building optimization for new builds, renovations, and adaptive reuse projects.

We are 100% employee-owned: every employee is literally invested in our clients’ success. At the core of our firm are interdisciplinary teams engaged in every step of project lifecycles. Our teams champion true collaboration, open information sharing, shared risk and reward, value-based decision making, and proficient use of technology to deliver exceptional design. We are pursuing the goals of the 2030 Challenge, the ME2040, and the SE2050, and are an initial signatory of the China Accord and the AIA 2030 Commitment.

Through our values – commitment, creativity, environmental stewardship, fun, integrity, ownership, sharing, teamwork – we elevate the human experience through design, together.

DLR Group follows a four-day in-office work model, with employees having the flexibility to work somewhere other than the office on Fridays.

We are proud to be an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action/M/F/Veteran/Disabled employer.

About DLR Group

DLR Group

dlrgroup.com

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Frequently Asked Questions

How do I apply for the Behavioral Health Design Leader position at DLR Group?

Use the Apply button above to submit your application directly to DLR Group. Most applications take less than 5 minutes if your resume and contact details are ready, and you'll be routed to the employer's official application system to finish.

Is the Behavioral Health Design Leader role at DLR Group remote or in-office?

This is a hybrid role based in Denver, Colorado, United States; Los Angeles, California, United States; Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States; New York, New York, United States; Riverside, California, United States; Sacramento, California, United States; San Diego, California, United States; San Francisco, California, United States; Seattle, Washington, United States; Sonoma, California, United States; Washington, D.C.. Expect a mix of in-office and remote days, with the specific cadence set by the hiring manager.

What does a Behavioral Health Design Leader at DLR Group earn?

DLR Group has not disclosed a salary range in this posting. Many employers share specifics later in the interview process; you can also ask during a recruiter screen if compensation transparency is important to you.

When was the Behavioral Health Design Leader role at DLR Group posted?

This role was posted on July 6, 2026 (16 days ago). It's still listed as actively hiring; we re-confirm openings against the source system multiple times per day and remove closed roles.