Residential Architect & Permitting Lead

About Revive Real Estate

Revive is a venture-backed proptech company built on the belief that the future starts at home. While most people see renovation as a project, we built it as a path to real wealth for homeowners. By connecting renovation with financing and selling, we create new ways to buy, sell, and unlock value, giving homeowners real control over their biggest asset.

At Revive, ownership is real and impact is visible. We move fast, challenge broken systems, and hold a high bar for clarity and outcomes. If you want to work on problems that matter and see your work translate into real-world change, this is where you will do your best work.

What we offer

• Competitive salary & benefits in a high-growth, VC-backed company
• Real ownership, clear accountability, and the authority to make decisions that matter
• Direct working relationships with Revive’s founders and senior leaders on initiatives that shape how the company grows
• The opportunity to design and build in a company where craft, clarity, and outcomes are valued
• A fast-moving environment where strong work leads to more responsibility and more opportunity
• Flexibility in how and where you work, paired with high expectations for impact
• A culture that values contribution, judgment, and follow-through over titles or tenure
  
  

Revive is an equal opportunity employer. We hire based on contribution, capability, and alignment with how we work.

Why this role exists

Revive operates on high-dollar residential renovation and development projects — many in the $500K–$1M range. The gap between a project being approved and executable versus stalled and costly almost always lives in pre-construction: unclear drawings, missed code requirements, permitting delays, or plans that aren't buildable.

This role owns that gap. You will design, draw, and produce construction-ready plans — and personally manage the permitting and city approval process from submission through final sign-off. This is not a coordination role. You are the architect.

What You Will Do

• Produce architectural drawings and design documentation using AutoCAD (and/or Revit) for residential renovation, remodel, and ADU projects
• Ensure all plans are fully compliant with California Building Code, Title 24, local zoning ordinances, and applicable city standards
• Design and permit ADU projects — attached, detached, JADU — in compliance with current CA ADU law and local city overlays
• Manage the full permitting workflow: application prep, plan check submission, correction responses, resubmittals, and final approval
• Serve as the direct point of contact with city planning and building departments — know the process, know the people, know how to move things
• Coordinate with structural engineers, MEP consultants, and contractors to ensure design intent translates to field execution
• Review existing plans or as-builts on incoming projects and identify code conflicts, constructability gaps, or permitting risks before they become field problems
• Support project scoping and feasibility assessments — flag zoning issues, setback conflicts, or structural concerns early
• Maintain plan quality standards and documentation consistency across the project portfolio
  
  

Who You Are

• You draw. AutoCAD is your daily tool, not something you delegate.
• You know California residential building code — not just the concept of it, but the specifics: CBC, CRC, Title 24, accessibility requirements, fire codes where applicable
• You've submitted permits in multiple CA cities and you know that every city has its own process, preferences, and quirks — and you navigate that without friction
• You understand ADU regulations at the state level and how local cities layer requirements on top
• You read plans critically — you can look at a set and immediately identify what's missing, what won't pass plan check, and what won't build cleanly in the field
• You operate with urgency. Delays cost money. You don't wait to be chased.
• You communicate clearly with GCs, engineers, owner reps, and clients — you translate technical issues into plain language
  
  

Qualifications

• 5 years of experience in residential architecture, design, and permitting in California
• Proficient in AutoCAD (required); Revit or other design tools a plus
• Strong working knowledge of California Building Code, zoning regulations, and local city compliance requirements
• Demonstrated experience designing and permitting ADU projects
• Direct experience submitting and managing plan check processes with CA cities and building departments
• Ability to read and produce full architectural plan sets including site plans, floor plans, elevations, sections, and details
• Experience coordinating with structural engineers, MEP consultants, and general contractors
• Licensed Architect (AIA/CA) preferred — but candidates with equivalent hands-on experience will be considered
• Southern California experience strongly preferred; familiarity with cities in Orange County, LA County, or the Bay Area a plus
  
  

The Pay Range For This Role Is

80,000 - 120,000 USD per year(Irvine, CA)