---
title: 'Project Design Specialist at XLA'
canonical: 'https://feeny.ai/job/project-design-specialist-xla-arlington-26sr4r5gd3gy'
type: 'job'
last_seen: '2026-09-07'
---

# Project Design Specialist at XLA

- **Company:** XLA
- **Location:** Arlington, VA
- **Posted:** 2026-07-02
- **Last confirmed live:** 2026-09-07
- **Apply:** https://job-boards.greenhouse.io/xla/jobs/5290542008

## Job description

XLA is currently seeking a Project Manager to support our DEA client onsite in Arlington, VA.  Candidates must be local to the Arlington area, as this position is onsite in a federal office setting 5 days/week.

Candidates must be eligible for a U.S. Secret Security Clearance to be considered.

Salary: $120,000

Requirements:

- Serves as the facility project manager for centrally managed activities, performing the full range of program/project management functions.
- Oversees project budgets and reviewing funding proposals to meet the requirements for new facilities and/or renovation or expansion of existing facilities.
- Evaluates and resolves problems or issues with widespread impact on the organization's large procurements, some of which have new or unusual requirements.
- Serves as the facilities services to the Domestic Field offices on various repairs and upgrades to the existing office location.
- Travels on market surveys with the GSA, government Security Officer and the local government office representatives to survey office sites for future office relocations.
- Travels to various field offices for inspection of new construction and renovations of ongoing projects.
- Prepares space utilization and layout design plans using the Computer Aided Design (CAD) to develop and prepare detailed drawings and specifications for telecommunications, furniture, electrical and other equipment.
- Reviews facilities design criteria, guidelines, and procedures to assure optimal effectiveness in meeting specialized organization needs.
- Prepares space layouts and basic building plans from landlords awarded leases and reviews closely for deviations from requirements.
- Discusses plans with lessors, contractors, GSA representatives,  government headquarters entities and Domestic Field management.
- Develops project milestones and reviews cost estimates and project schedules.
- Determines technical project requirements and design specifications and concepts.
- Applies the rules and regulations governing the acquisition, construction and/or alterations of leased or owned spaced.
- Analyzes proposals considering numerous factors related to ability to meet requirements, utility access, cost, employee conveniences, etc.
- Acquires space based on the development of program requirements, preparing design, reviewing technical drawings, specifications and cost estimates, and working with occupancy agreements and tenant improvements.
- Conducts pre-construction meetings to assure complete understanding of space designs and technical specifications.
- Advises all parties of requirements and modifications (exterior and interior) in more detail, such as specifications for technical operations, security, acoustics, wall specifications and coverings, color coordination, etc.
- Oversees construction and renovations, assuring all requirements and expectations are met.
- Discusses plans with lessors, general contractors, architects, and management.
- Considers the General Services Administration’s (GSA) offers of buildings and sites proposed for buildings built to specifications.
- Prepares furniture packages and procure funding to outfit the space and manages the delivery and installation schedules.
- Develops life cycle office relocation/renovation schedules and attendant funding plans and proposals to assure facilities meet specialized requirements with maximum cost effectiveness.

## EEO Statement

XLA is committed to the full inclusion of all qualified individuals and is an equal opportunity employer committed to supporting equality and integrity in the workplace, professional development and education, and an entrepreneurial atmosphere.

We encourage qualified individuals with disabilities to apply. If a reasonable accommodation is needed to participate in the job application or interview process or to perform essential job functions, please contact our HR team by phone at 703-584-8317 or via email at humanresources@xla.com. For persons who are deaf, hard of hearing, deafblind, or deaf-disabled, XLA will provide an American Sign Language (ASL) interpreter where needed as a reasonable accommodation for the hiring processes.

We are proud to be an EEO/VETERAN EMPLOYER.

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to their protected veteran or disabled status and will not be discriminated against for self-identifying with either category

## About XLA

## Company Overview
- **One-liner**: XLA is an award-winning government services provider offering program lifecycle management, engineering & technical solutions, and international program support to federal agencies.
- **Entity Type**: Private
- **Headquarters**: Vienna, Virginia, USA
- **Founded**: 1994
- **Founders**: Not publicly available

## Core Business
- Primary industry: Business Consulting and Services, Government Contracting
- Target customers: U.S. federal government agencies (national homeland, international, civilian, and defense sectors)
- Mission or purpose statement: To provide continuous support to agencies facing declining budgets and rising demand for services, delivering high-quality, agile, and cost-effective solutions to meet multi-faceted challenges.

## Products & Services
For each major offering:
- **Program Lifecycle Management**: Full lifecycle support for government programs, including project management, contract requirements, and performance management.
- **Engineering & Technical Solutions**: IT modernization, cybersecurity, and operational efficiency services.
- **International Program Support**: Advisory and support services for international development and diplomatic missions.

## Market Standing
- **Valuation/Market Cap**: Not disclosed
- **Key Metric**: Annual Revenue of approximately $1.4M (latest data), with 256 total employees
- **Notable Investors/Partners**: One recorded convertible note in 2012; key client partners include USAID, U.S. Department of State, and other federal agencies
- **Growth Signals**: Workforce grew 11.0% YoY; active job postings increased 44.4% year-over-year and 333.3% month-over-month; LinkedIn following grew 22.5% annually.

## Competitive Advantages
- **Deep federal expertise**: Over 25 years of experience serving national homeland, international, civilian, and defense sectors.
- **Award-winning track record**: Recognized as a reliable government services provider with strong past performance.
- **Broad talent network**: Strong alumni pipeline from major government contractors (Booz Allen Hamilton, CACI, Deloitte) and government agencies (USAID, State Department).
- **Comprehensive service offering**: Covers program management, IT/cybersecurity, and international support under one roof.

## Strategic Focus
- Current priorities include expanding federal portfolio through prime contracts (e.g., National Archives program), driving growth initiatives, and strengthening corporate infrastructure and cybersecurity capabilities.
- Focus on scaling operations and capturing new business in a dynamic federal market under new leadership.

## Why Work Here
- **Culture**: Employer rating of 3.6/5.0 (95 reviews), with strong work-life balance (4.2) and fair compensation (3.8). Culture scores 3.5, career development 3.2.
- **Work policy**: Mix of in-office (Vienna, Arlington, Washington DC, etc.) and remote roles (some positions in Zambia). Most roles are on-site.
- **Perks & benefits**: Offers 401(k), disability insurance, life insurance, dental, health, and FSA benefits. Provides free snacks and drinks, job training, conferences, and tuition assistance. Offers diversity-based Employee Resource Groups.
- **Career development**: Career-growth focused training, professional education reimbursement, SMART goal mentoring, employee mobility program (independent contributor and management tracks), and corporate partnerships for training.
- **Notable departures**: President and CEO Gary Slack left in April 2026; current leadership includes COO Bret Mitchell and President James Vant (former President of eTelligent Group and senior leader at Octo/IBM, Gartner, PwC).

## Sources
1. [xla.com](https://xla.com)
2. [xla.com/careers](https://xla.com/careers)
3. [LinkedIn - XLA](https://www.linkedin.com/company/xla)
4. [Built In - XLA](https://builtin.com/company/xla)
5. [xla.com - Leadership](https://xla.com/xla-leadership)

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