Director, Forensic Architecture

HKA is a global leader in risk mitigation, dispute resolution, and expert witness services. We tackle complex challenges with our multi-disciplinary expertise.

As trusted consultants and advisors, we deliver solutions in uncertain and disputed situations, ensuring the best outcomes for clients worldwide. Our experts have testified globally on major cases spanning across a wide range of industries and sectors.

As part of the HKA team you can expect:

• A strong collaborative culture with a mutual pursuit of your success alongside the success of our teams.

• The opportunity to solve problems creatively, contribute to our innovative direction, and be valued as an individual

• The ability to leverage HKA’s strong network and presence in various industries and reputation for exceptional expert witnesses to accelerate career development and connections.

The Opportunity

HKA is seeking an experienced Director, Forensic Architecture to lead complex forensic engineering client projects. You'll provide consulting and testimony on complex construction and architectural disputes across the United States. You also will lead forensic investigations, develop and defend independent expert opinions, and work directly with attorneys and clients throughout litigation, arbitration, and trial.

Responsibilities

• Serve as an architectural expert witness in litigation, arbitration, and other dispute proceedings.

• Lead forensic investigations involving construction defects, architectural design, building envelope failures, water intrusion, code compliance, and standard-of-care issues.

• Analyze project documents, site conditions, testing, and other evidence to determine causation, extent, and responsibility.

• Develop independent expert opinions and prepare clear, defensible expert reports, rebuttals, and exhibits.

• Provide and defend expert testimony in depositions, arbitration, and trial, including under cross-examination.

• Work directly with attorneys, clients, and other experts on technical case issues, dispute strategy, and opposing expert opinions.

• Conduct and direct site inspections, evidence collection, testing, and other technical investigations.

• Evaluate repair and remediation approaches where relevant to the dispute.

• Build client relationships and contribute to the continued growth of HKA’s forensic architecture practice.

Qualifications and Experience

• Bachelor’s or master’s degree in Architecture.

• Active U.S. Registered Architect (RA) license.

• Significant experience in forensic architecture, construction disputes, and litigation consulting, including leading investigations and developing independent expert opinions.

• Expert witness experience, including live testimony in at least one court trial within the past four years. Deposition testimony, expert reports, trial preparation, or designation as an expert without trial testimony do not satisfy this requirement.

• Experience investigating construction defects, building envelope failures, water intrusion, code compliance, and architectural standard-of-care matters.

• Experience working directly with attorneys and clients on complex litigation and dispute matters.

• Experience developing client relationships and contributing to business development.

Compensation

HKA offers an annual salary range of $190,000 to $225,000, along with a competitive benefits package designed to support your health, financial well-being, and work-life balance. Benefits include medical, dental, and vision coverage, a 401(k) plan with company match, 20 days of paid time off plus additional company holidays and wellness time, performance and other bonus opportunities, and access to robust training, professional development, and career advancement programs across our global organization.

At HKA we recognize that our people are critical to our ongoing success. Our priority is to provide an inclusive and collaborative culture aimed at providing the best opportunities for our people to thrive and develop in their chosen career path.

Our Global Recruitment team is committed to providing an authentic candidate experience for all those who take the time to apply to HKA. We are committed to providing an efficient and insightful recruitment process giving candidates a true reflection of life at HKA.

Fairness and Equality at HKA:

HKA works hard to provide a welcoming environment for all of our employees. We are committed as a business on the continued improvement of our fairness and equality strategy. Please visit our website for further information or feel free to ask our recruitment team for further information.

All HKA employment decisions shall be made in accordance with controlling laws and based on merit.

Stay Alert: Protect Yourself from Phishing Scams

Please be aware that HKA only publishes official job postings on our website (Join Us | HKA) and on verified job boards. We will never ask for sensitive personal information during the job application process. If you have any doubts, we recommend you visit our website to verify job listings before applying. If you would like more confirmation, please feel free to email us at enquiries@hka.com to check the authenticity of a job posting.