ARCHITECTURAL ASSOCIATE 7926 ONLINE CAMPUS (REVISED 08-08-25)

The City of Los Angeles is hiring an Architectural Associate responsible for architectural work, including preparing designs, plans, and specifications using software like AutoCAD and Revit. Candidates must have a relevant degree or be licensed by the California Architects Board. The salary ranges from $97,551 to $163,887. The position requires some in-person responsibilities and is not remote.
ANNUAL SALARY

$97,551 to $163,887

The salary in the Department of Water and Power is $100,203 to $172,531

NOTES:
• Annual salary is at the start of the pay range. The current salary range is subject to change. Please confirm the starting salary with the hiring department before accepting a job offer.
• Candidates from the eligible list are normally appointed to vacancies in the lower pay grade positions.
• For information regarding reciprocity between the City of Los Angeles departments and LADWP, go to http://per.lacity.org/Reciprocity_CityDepts_and_DWP.pdf.

An Architectural Associate performs routine and moderately difficult professional architectural work in preparing and checking designs, plans, specifications, estimates, and reports; may prepare designs and drawings using AutoCAD, Revit, or similar program applications and prepares physical and digital models; coordinates the preparation of plans and specifications with private and public agencies; administers contracts; and may serve as a lead worker for other employees engaged in this work.
• Graduation from an accredited college or university with a bachelor’s or master’s degree in architecture, architectural engineering, environmental design, or building science; or
• Successful completion of the National Council of Architectural Registration Board (NCARB) Architect Registration Examination (ARE) or
• Licensed by the California Architects Board.

PROCESS NOTES
• Candidates may take the Architectural Associate interview only once every 365 days from the date they were last interviewed. If they have taken the Architectural Associate interview in a campus environment with any City of Los Angeles department or LADWP, a special recruitment event, or during an open filing period in the Personnel Department within the last 12 months, they may not file for this examination at this time.
• Applicants who are within nine months of graduation from an accredited college or university with a bachelor’s or master’s degree in architecture, architectural engineering, environmental design, or building science may apply. However, they cannot be appointed until the full education requirement is met.
• An application and a Supplemental Form must be completed. Applications and Supplemental Forms will be available through the recruiters.
• Some positions may require a valid California driver’s license. Candidates may not be eligible for appointment to these positions if their record within the last 36 months reflects three or more moving violations and/or at-fault accidents, or a conviction of a major moving violation (such as DUI).
• Applicants filing under Requirement #3 must list their architect license number in the Supplemental Form.
• Appointments to the class of Architectural Associate, Code 7926, will be made to temporary training positions in accordance with Section 5.30 of the Rules of the Board of Civil Service Commissioners for a maximum duration of three years. New appointees who do not successfully complete the temporary training period will be terminated from the class.
• Employees with two years of full-time paid City experience as an Architectural Associate I will automatically promote to Architectural Associate II once they have passed:
• Any two of the six divisions of the Architectural Registration Examination leading to a California Architect’s license; or
• Two divisions of any other license examination for architects recognized by the State of California as set forth in Title 16, Division 2, Article 3 of the California Code of Regulations.
• Please note that qualifying education must be from a college or university accredited by a City of Los Angeles recognized agency. A list of approved accrediting agencies can be found at http://per.lacity.org/Accredited%20Institutions%2008-21-08.pdf.
• Candidates completing the exam process will be contacted by the Personnel Department to provide required proof of qualifying degree.
• Make an appointment through the placement office of the school with which you are affiliated as a student or alumni (if allowed by the school) to interview with the City of Los Angeles recruiters should they visit your campus.
• Applications and Supplemental Forms will be available through the recruiters.
• Those individuals who are not currently affiliated as a student or alumni with participating schools may participate in the examination when applications are accepted through the City’s on-line application process. If the examination is not open for filing at the time of your visit, you are encouraged to complete and submit a request to be notified by email by visiting the website at https://www.governmentjobs.com/careers/lacity/classspecs so that you may be advised when applications will be accepted.
• Applications and Supplemental Forms may be periodically accepted at alternative locations when the City participates in special recruitment events, job fairs, or career expos. For those special events, any special application or testing procedures will be explained directly to event participants.

APPLICATION DEADLINE

For administrative purposes, filing may close periodically and reopen the following day. This examination may be closed without prior notice at any time after a sufficient number of applications have been received.
Examination Weight: Interview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 100%

The examination will consist entirely of an evaluation of professional and personal qualifications by interview. In the interview, emphasis may be placed on the candidate's experience, training, and professional development as they have provided the knowledge of: construction, structural engineering, and design concepts and fundamentals; electrical, mechanical, and engineering design; standard drafting techniques used in modeling software; graphic design techniques; applicable colors, textures, and building materials used for interior and exterior building or facility design; zoning, plumbing, fire, and electrical codes relating to construction; Green Building Code and Uniform Building Code and Cal/OSHA regulations; State and Federal regulatory requirements concerning the handicapped; and the ability to: use modeling software, such as Revit and BIM; make field inspections of construction in progress and recognize deviations from plans and specifications; assist with the coordination and integration of information from various disciplines involved in a project; communicate orally before groups and one-on-one for the purpose of conducting meetings, providing information, explaining policies and procedures, and persuading others to adopt a specific opinion or course of action, including groups with differing or adverse views; motivate and effectively utilize the knowledge, skills, and abilities of assisting personnel sufficient to maintain project schedule; interact tactfully and effectively with assisting personnel, contractors, the public, and public officials; comprehend and follow oral instructions; and other necessary skills, knowledge and abilities.

Candidates should bring to the interview a portfolio of their architectural work and identify a maximum of six work samples for discussion with, and evaluation by, the interview panel members. The interviewers will not assign a separate score to the samples; however, the interviewers will consider the quality of the samples in their overall evaluations of the candidate's qualifications. Candidates should expect the interviewers to discuss the samples with them during their interviews. All samples will be returned to the candidates after the conclusion of their interviews.

NOTES:
• This examination is based on a validation study.
• As a covered entity under the Fair Employment and Housing Act and Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act, the City of Los Angeles does not discriminate on the basis of disability and upon request, will provide reasonable accommodations to ensure equal access to its programs, services, and activities. To request a disability accommodation, you must contact the Examining Section at the Personnel Department within 2 working days at 213-473-9163 to ensure time is given for proper arrangements to be made. The Disability Accommodation Form can be obtained at http://per.lacity.org/exams/verify_disability.pdf.
• Candidates may be offered a conditional job offer on the day of the interview. If this offer is accepted by the candidate, the candidate's name will be provided only to the department that extended the job offer for hiring purposes.
• Your name may be removed from the open competitive list after twelve months.
• Your rank on the employment list may change as the scores of candidates from other administrations of this examination are merged onto one list.
• At the time of the interview, you must present a valid, State or Federal issued photo identification card.
• Applications are accepted subject to review to ensure that minimum qualifications are met. Candidates may be disqualified at any time if it is determined that they do not possess the minimum qualifications stated on this bulletin.
• A final average score of 70% is required to be placed on the eligible list.
• In accordance with Civil Service Rule 4.24, review periods may be combined. Candidates in the examination process may file protests as provided in 4.20, 4.22 and 4.23 as applicable and within the required time frame; however, the Personnel Department may respond to and resolve protests prior to the establishment of the eligible list.
Notice:

If you receive and accept an offer of employment to a regular position with the City of Los Angeles, your employee benefit coverage (including health and dental coverage as well as life insurance) will commence approximately six weeks after your original regular appointment. Not all positions in the City receive benefit coverage; you should inquire regarding the availability of employee benefits prior to accepting a position. All City employees are required to be Disaster Service Workers.
THIS EXAMINATION IS TO BE GIVEN ONLY
ON AN OPEN COMPETITIVE BASIS

The City of Los Angeles does not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, national origin, sex, age, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, disability, creed, color, ancestry, medical condition (cancer), or Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome.

AN EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER

For additional information and FAQs regarding the City's hiring process, please go to: https://per.lacity.org/faqs/employment-testing-process.html