ArcHire (the “Platform”, “we”, “us”, “our”) operates the website at archire.net (the “Site”) and provides jobs to the architecture and interior-design community. The platform enables students and early-career architects and interior designers to create profiles and showcase portfolio work, and enables studios, consultancies and employers to post opportunities and discover candidates.

This Privacy Policy explains what personal data ArcHire collects, how that data is used, with whom it is shared, and the choices and rights available to Site users (including students and employer representatives). It applies to personal data collected through the Site, through related email communications and support interactions.

Please read this policy carefully. If you have questions or need help exercising your privacy rights, contact us at support@archire.net.

1. Who is responsible for your personal data?

Data controller: ArcHire — an initiative by FOAID.
If required for legal or administrative purposes, contact: support@archire.com.

2. Scope and acceptance

By using the Site or registering an account, you accept the practices described in this Privacy Policy and consent to the collection, use, disclosure and retention of your personal data as described. If you do not agree, please do not register or use the Site.

3. Information we collect

We collect information necessary to provide the Platform, improve services, and communicate with users. This includes:

A. Information you provide directly

Students / Candidates

  • Account details: name, email address, phone number, password (hashed).
  • Profile data: education, institute, graduation year, internships, work experience, location, portfolio pages (images/PDFs), project descriptions, software & skill tags, CV/ résumé (optional).
  • Application data: job applications, cover letters, interview availability.
  • Communications: messages with employers, responses to support requests, feedback.
  • Profile visibility preferences (discoverable / private).

Employers / Companies

  • Company profile: organisation name, industry, office locations, company description, logo, website link.
  • Contact persons: name, business email, phone number, job title.
  • Job postings: job title, description, job requirements, salary ranges (if provided), role labels and location.
  • Billing details: invoicing contact, billing address (we do not store full card numbers; payment processing handled by third-party payment processors).
  • Employer communications and demo requests.

B. Automatically collected information

  • Technical data: IP address, device type, browser type and version, operating system, device identifiers, screen resolution.
  • Usage data: pages visited, clicks, search queries, time spent on pages, job viewing and application events.
  • Cookies and similar technologies (see Cookies section).

C. Third-party sources

  • Social logins: where permitted, basic profile information if you sign in via Google, LinkedIn or similar.
  • Public sources: publicly available professional information (e.g., company websites) for enrichment and verification.
  • Analytics and advertising partners.

4. How we use personal data (purposes and lawful basis)

We use personal data to operate and provide the Platform, for product improvement, security, and to comply with legal obligations. Broad purposes include:

  • Provision of services: create and administer accounts, host profiles and portfolios, display job listings, process applications, deliver notifications and alerts. (Lawful basis: performance of contract; consent where applicable.)
  • Matching & discovery: enable employers to discover candidates based on skills, location, and project samples; enable students to find and apply to roles. (Lawful basis: legitimate interests; consent where required.)
  • Communications: respond to inquiries, send transactional messages (application confirmations), product updates, and administrative notices. (Lawful basis: performance of contract; legitimate interests.)
  • Payments & billing: process employer subscriptions, invoices, and refunds with third-party payment processors. (Lawful basis: performance of contract; legal obligation.)
  • Security & fraud prevention: detect and prevent abuse, protect user accounts, and ensure platform integrity. (Lawful basis: legitimate interests; legal compliance.)
  • Analytics & improvement: measure usage, improve Site features, and test new functionality. (Lawful basis: legitimate interests.)
  • Legal compliance: respond to lawful requests from authorities, comply with tax, employment or other statutory requirements. (Lawful basis: legal obligation.)
  • Marketing (optional): with consent, send marketing communications about ArcHire services, events or partner offers. Users may opt out at any time. (Lawful basis: consent.)

5. How we share personal data

ArcHire shares personal data only as described below and as necessary to provide the service.

  • Employers & recruiters: candidate profile and portfolio data will be made available to employers when a candidate applies to a role or when a candidate sets their profile to be discoverable. Employers may download or save candidate information for recruitment purposes.
  • Service providers: third-party providers that perform services on our behalf (hosting, data backup, analytics, email delivery, payments, support tools) will receive only the personal data needed to perform their function and are contractually restricted from using it for other purposes.
  • Partners: with explicit consent or where you choose to opt into partner programs (e.g., portfolio reviews), data may be shared with selected partners.
  • Legal & safety: ArcHire may disclose personal data if required by law, to protect the rights or safety of others, to investigate fraud, or to respond to lawful requests by public authorities.
  • Business transfers: in the event of a corporate transaction (sale, merger, bankruptcy), personal data may be transferred as part of the transaction; we will require the recipient to respect this Privacy Policy.
  • Aggregated / anonymised data: we may publish or share aggregated or anonymised usage information that does not reasonably identify any individual.

Employer obligations: employers and hiring organisations may receive candidate data and are responsible for complying with applicable laws and for their use of candidate information. ArcHire is not responsible for employers’ hiring decisions or for their processing of candidate data beyond the Platform.

6. Cookies and tracking technologies

We and our service providers use cookies and similar technologies to provide the Site, personalise content, analyze usage, and deliver advertising. Types include:

  • Essential cookies: required for basic site functions (login, security).
  • Performance & analytics cookies: collect anonymous usage data to improve the Site (Google Analytics, etc.).
  • Functional cookies: remember user preferences (language, display).
  • Advertising cookies: used to deliver relevant ads and measure campaign performance.

Users may manage cookie preferences via their browser settings and, where available, our cookie consent tool on the Site. Disabling certain cookies may impact Site functionality.

7. Third-party services, embeds & links

The Site may include links to third-party sites and services (e.g., social media, payment providers). These third parties operate under their own privacy policies. ArcHire is not responsible for their data practices. Review third-party privacy policies before sharing personal data with them.

8. International transfers

ArcHire may store and process personal data in India and in other countries where our service providers operate. By using the Site, you consent to the transfer of your data to countries that may have different data protection laws. Where applicable, ArcHire takes steps to ensure adequate safeguards (data processing agreements and standard contractual clauses) for international transfers.

9. Data retention

We retain personal data only as long as necessary for the purposes described in this policy, subject to legal or regulatory obligations. Typical retention practices:

  • Account & profile data: retained while account is active; if you delete your account, profile data will be removed or anonymised within a reasonable period (typically up to 90 days), except where retention is necessary for legal compliance or safety.
  • Applications & employer records: retained for recruiting and compliance purposes (typically up to 3 years) unless you request deletion and no legal obligation prevents removal.
  • Transactional records (billing): retained for accounting and tax compliance (typically up to 7 years).
  • Support tickets & communications: retained as needed for service improvement and legal compliance (typical retention period: up to 3 years).

If you request deletion, ArcHire will act subject to any legal obligations, legitimate interests, and technical constraints. Some anonymised or aggregated data may be retained indefinitely for analytics.

10. Security measures

ArcHire uses administrative, technical and physical safeguards to protect personal data, including industry-standard encryption in transit (HTTPS/TLS), access controls, network security, and periodic security reviews. Access to personal data is limited to authorised personnel and processors with a business need.

Important: No system can be guaranteed 100% secure. If a security incident affecting personal data occurs, ArcHire will take reasonable steps to contain and remediate the incident and will notify affected users and regulators as required by applicable law.

11. Minors

The Site is intended for users aged 16 and above. ArchHire does not knowingly collect personal data from children under 16. If ArcHire becomes aware that a child under 16 has provided personal data, we will take steps to delete such data. If you believe a child under 16 has provided us with personal data, contact privacy@archire.com.

12. Your rights and choices

Subject to local law, you may have the following rights with respect to your personal data:

  • Access: request a copy of personal data held about you.
  • Correction: request correction of inaccurate or incomplete personal data.
  • Deletion: request deletion of personal data (subject to legal limitations).
  • Portability: request a machine-readable copy of certain personal data.
  • Restriction / object: request restriction of processing or object to certain processing activities (including direct marketing).
  • Withdraw consent: where processing is based on consent, withdraw consent at any time (withdrawal does not affect processing prior to withdrawal).
  • Lodge a complaint: with your local data protection authority if you believe your rights have been violated.

To exercise rights, contact privacy@archire.com providing sufficient details to identify you and the request. We will respond in accordance with applicable laws. ArcHire may request information to verify identity before fulfilling requests.

13. Account settings, discoverability & opt-outs

  • Profile discoverability: users can control whether their profile is discoverable by employers via account settings. If discoverable, employers may view profile fields and portfolio pages.
  • Communication preferences: you may opt out of marketing emails via the unsubscribe link in any marketing email or via account settings. Transactional emails (application updates, security notices) cannot be unsubscribed from if they are necessary to provide the service.
  • Cookies & tracking: manage via cookie consent settings on the Site or through your browser.

14. Employer data & responsibilities

Employers posting jobs or accessing candidate data are responsible for the data they provide (company details, job postings, contact information) and for complying with applicable laws in their use of candidate data. Employers must not share candidate personal data outside permitted purposes and are encouraged to follow fair recruiting practices. ArcHire is a facilitator and is not responsible for employers’ hiring decisions.

15. Payments & financial data

ArcHire may accept payments from employers for subscriptions or placement services. We do not store full payment card numbers on our systems; payment card information is processed by authorized third-party payment processors. We may retain transaction identifiers, billing contacts and invoice records for accounting and fraud-prevention purposes.

16. Changes to this Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy to reflect changes to our practices, legal requirements or Platform features. Material changes will be posted on the Site with an updated effective date. Where required by law, we will notify affected users.

17. Contact & complaints

For privacy inquiries, data access requests or complaints, contact:

Email: support@archire.net
Postal: FOAID / ArcHire (postal address available on request)

If you are located in a jurisdiction with a data protection authority, you may also lodge a complaint with that authority after contacting ArcHire.

18. Legal disclaimers

This Privacy Policy is intended to inform users of ArcHire’s data practices. It does not form a contract and does not create any third-party beneficiary rights. The Platform’s Terms of Service govern use of the Site and may contain additional provisions related to privacy and user conduct.