Residential Structural Engineer (PE) – Partnership Role (1099)

Intro / Summary
 

Slate Drafting is a residential drafting studio based in Virginia. We produce permit-ready construction drawings for single-family homes, additions, ADUs, decks, and occasional light commercial projects.

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To support both our own projects and outside clients, we operate Slate Structural Desk – a centralized structural service where homeowners, builders, designers, and drafters can send structural questions and design requests. All structural work is routed and coordinated through Slate Drafting.

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We’re looking for a licensed structural engineer (PE) to work with us on a 1099, project-based basis supporting Slate Structural Desk. This is a contract role focused primarily on residential/light-frame work, with potential for light commercial projects where you are comfortable and licensed.

What You’ll Do

You’ll be the structural side of the operation for Slate Drafting projects. Typical work includes:
 

• Design and analysis for:

  • Beams, headers, lintels, girders, and point loads

  • Floor and roof framing members

  • Foundations (slab, crawlspace, footings)

  • Lateral/bracing systems for one- and two-family dwellings

  • Occasional light commercial projects (small office/retail, simple shells or fit-outs) where within your experience and licensure

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• Reviewing architectural drawings (primarily Revit-based) and providing:

  • Markups, redlines, and/or structural sketches

  • Clear notes for detailing and coordination
     

• Acting as Engineer of Record on applicable projects where you are licensed and engaged to stamp the work

• Responding to plan review comments and clarifications from building officials related to your structural design

• Providing clear written recommendations that can be communicated to homeowners, contractors, and reviewers
   

You will not be responsible for:

• Finding clients or managing sales

• Producing full architectural plan sets

• Handling non-structural project coordination
   

How We’ll Work Together

All structural communication is coordinated through the Slate Structural Desk at structural@slatedrafting.com. In practice, that means:

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• Clients, contractors, and building officials email the structural desk for questions and clarifications.

• Those messages are routed to you with relevant drawings and context.

• You respond as if you’re replying to the client or reviewer, but you send your responses back to structural@slatedrafting.com.

• Slate Drafting packages your responses, integrates your design into the drawings, and handles client-facing coordination.
   

The goal is simple:
You focus on engineering decisions. I handle clients, drawings, and most of the noise.

 

Site Visits

 

Most projects can be handled with good measurements, photos, and drawings. By default:

• Slate Drafting will gather site information, dimensions, and photos where needed and package that information for you.

• Many beam checks, additions, and decks will not require you to visit the site personally.

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When a site visit is needed and you are local and willing to attend:

• We’ll scope the visit as a separate, billable task at an agreed hourly rate (plus mileage if applicable).

• Your time on site will be wrapped into the client fee as part of your professional services.

• For remote projects or where a site visit is not practical for you, Slate will handle documentation with the level of detail you require.

What I’m Looking For

Must-haves

• Licensed Professional Engineer (PE) in at least one U.S. state

  • Preference for Virginia licensure or willingness/ability to obtain VA licensure
     

• Experience with light-frame residential structures, such as:

  • One- and two-family dwellings

  • Additions and second-story conversions

  • Decks, porches, and small accessory structures
     

• Comfortable acting as Engineer of Record on residential projects within your licensed jurisdiction(s)

• Ability to provide clear, defensible calculations and documentation suitable for permit review

• Professional communication style in email and markups

• Willingness to work on a project-based, 1099 basis
   

Nice-to-haves
 

• Experience with:

  • International Residential Code (IRC) and related local amendments

  • Virginia jurisdictions and their plan review processes

  • Experience with or interest in light commercial work (small offices, retail spaces, simple shells or tenant fit-outs), within your licensed jurisdictions

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• Familiarity with:

  • Revit or coordinating with Revit-based drawings

  • Common residential framing material suppliers and products (LVLs, PSLs, hangers, etc.)
     

• Interest in a long-term partnership rather than one-off gigs
   

Compensation & Structure

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This is a 1099 contract role. Slate Structural Desk is owned and operated by Slate Drafting. Slate Drafting invests in and handles:

• Marketing, website, and outreach to find new clients

• Initial intake, qualification, and scoping

• Proposals, pricing, billing, and collections

• Coordination, drawing updates, and most day-to-day client communication

• Quick calcs (beams, headers, small items)

  • Simple, flat fees per item or small bundle

  • You receive the majority of the fee for these targeted tasks

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Your role is to provide structural design and professional judgment. Each project’s fee is shared between Slate Drafting and you to reflect both the engineering work and the business infrastructure that brings the work in and gets it delivered.

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• Component packages (additions, decks, foundations, lateral checks)

  • Scoped and priced per project

  • Fees are split between Slate Drafting and you based on effort and responsibility, typically close to 50/50
     

• Full structural design + stamp for entire homes

  • You act as Engineer of Record

  • You receive a larger share of the structural portion of the fee, reflecting your responsibility and liability
     

Exact percentages and numbers will be discussed and agreed on up front so expectations are clear for both sides.

The intent is that:

• You are paid fairly for your engineering work and responsibility.

• You don’t have to deal with marketing, sales calls, or managing homeowners.

• As Slate grows, you have the opportunity to grow your structural workload with it.

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Time Commitment & Flexibility

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• This role is designed to start part-time and project-based, with flexibility to grow as work volume grows.

• As demand grows, there may also be opportunities to take on light commercial projects through Slate Structural Desk where your experience and licensure align.

• Work can be performed remotely, provided:

  • You are licensed in the jurisdictions where you act as EOR, and

  • You are available for reasonable response times to support active permits and plan reviews.
     

How to Apply / Start the Conversation

If this sounds like a good fit, please send the following information via the form below (or by email):
 

• Name

• Email

• Phone (optional)

• State(s) where you are licensed as a PE and corresponding license number(s)

• Brief summary of your residential structural experience (a few sentences is fine)

• Whether you are currently able to act as Engineer of Record on Virginia projects

• Optional:

  • A sample residential project (description or anonymized sheet)

  • Any preferred software or tools you use for calcs

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You can submit an email directly to:
 
hello@slatedrafting.com
Subject: “Structural Engineer Partnership – [Your Name]”
I’ll review submissions and reach out to schedule a short call if it looks like a potential fit.

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