Preparing for an interview at LPA requires a shift from traditional project management thinking to an integrated design mindset. You should be ready to talk not just about your past projects, but about how you collaborated across different disciplines to achieve superior design and sustainability outcomes.

Integrated Design Leadership – You must demonstrate that you understand how to lead unified teams. Be ready to explain how you bring architects, engineers, and landscape designers to the table early in the process to co-create solutions, rather than managing them as sequential consultants.

Financial & Operational Acumen – LPA expects its Project Managers to be strong business managers. Be prepared to discuss your experience managing project budgets, monitoring staffing plans, writing proposals, and negotiating contracts.

Technical Competency & QA/QC – Depending on your specific discipline (e.g., Architecture, Electrical, Landscape, or Mechanical), you must show deep technical knowledge of building codes, construction systems, and delivery methods. Your ability to lead rigorous quality assurance reviews is critical.

Sustainability Alignment – Sustainable design is at the core of LPA's identity. You should be prepared to discuss your experience with green building standards (such as LEED, WELL, or the AIA 2030 Commitment) and how you integrate performance-driven design into your project workflows.

The interview process at LPA is highly professional, collaborative, and designed to give you a clear understanding of the firm’s unique culture and structure. Candidates consistently report a well-organized process facilitated by an attentive HR team, culminating in a welcoming and comprehensive onsite experience.

The process typically begins with an initial HR screening call to discuss your background, career goals, and alignment with the role's specific discipline. Following this, you will transition to a more technical and collaborative round. This stage generally involves meeting with two or more project architects, studio directors, or discipline leaders. During this discussion, the interviewers will ask detailed questions about your project management experience, showcase the company's integrated structure, and discuss active projects within the studio.

A distinctive feature of the LPA interview process is the emphasis on mutual fit. Successful candidates are frequently invited to tour the office after their formal interview. This tour allows you to experience the highly collaborative, open-office environment firsthand and meet the friendly, multidisciplinary staff you would be working alongside.

The visual timeline above outlines the typical progression from your initial contact with HR to the final decision. Candidates should use this timeline to pace their preparation, ensuring they are ready to pivot from high-level behavioral discussions in the early stages to detailed technical and structural discussions during the onsite interview. The entire process is structured to be transparent and professional, reflecting the firm's internal culture.

To succeed in your interviews, you must understand the specific areas where LPA interviewers focus their evaluation. They are looking for candidates who can seamlessly balance design excellence, technical execution, and business management.

Integrated Design Coordination

This area evaluates your ability to break down traditional industry silos and lead a cohesive, multi-disciplinary design team. At LPA, design is a collaborative science, and your coordination skills are vital to this mission.

Be ready to go over:

• Interdisciplinary Workflows – How you set up collaborative milestones so that engineering, interiors, and landscape contribute to the architectural concept from day one.
• Conflict Resolution – Your methodology for resolving technical disagreements between different design disciplines without compromising project quality.
• BIM & Technology Integration – How you leverage Revit and other collaborative platforms to ensure seamless coordination and minimize coordination clashes.

Example scenarios:

• "Describe a project where an early engineering intervention significantly improved the building's energy performance or reduced structural costs."
• "How do you manage the coordination of complex MEP systems with architectural ceiling heights and interior aesthetics?"

Project Delivery & Construction Administration

This area focuses on your technical capability to guide a project through the final delivery phases and represent the owner's and firm's interests in the field.

Be ready to go over:

• Construction Administration (CA) Processes – Your approach to managing RFIs, submittals, and change orders efficiently to keep construction on track.
• Quality Assurance / Quality Control – How you conduct peer reviews and constructability checks to minimize errors and omissions in the construction documents.
• Contractor Relations – Your strategies for building collaborative, non-adversarial relationships with general contractors and construction managers.
• Advanced concepts – Sustainable material sourcing, managing complex phased construction schedules, and navigating public agency approvals (such as DSA in California).

Example scenarios:

• "Tell me about a critical field issue discovered during Construction Administration and how you coordinated the team to resolve it quickly."
• "What is your process for managing a contractor's request for information (RFI) that impacts the project's design intent?"

Financial & Studio Leadership

LPA looks for Project Managers who can run their projects as successful business enterprises while mentoring younger staff and contributing to a positive studio culture.

Be ready to go over:

• Project Financial Management – Your experience with Earned Value Management (EVM), tracking labor spend against progress, and maintaining profitability.
• Staffing & Resource Allocation – How you project staffing needs and collaborate with studio directors to assign the right talent to your projects.
• Mentorship & Team Development – Your approach to mentoring job captains, designers, and coordinators to help them grow into future leaders.

Example scenarios:

• "How do you handle a situation where a key team member is underperforming or failing to meet project deadlines?"
• "Describe your process for developing a staffing plan and fee proposal for a new, complex project."