Landscape Architect

University of British Columbia•Vancouver, BC

1d•CA$8,554 - CA$13,341

About The Position

The Landscape Architect serves as a critical connector between Campus Planning and Design and the Facilities department, ensuring that long‑term stewardship, operational viability, and lifecycle performance are embedded in how the University’s public realm is planned, delivered, and sustained. The role safeguards the University’s investment in landscape and urban forestry assets by translating planning intent, policies, and design aspirations into outcomes that can be effectively maintained, renewed, and supported over time. Working largely independently under strategic direction from the Director of Municipal Services within Facilities department, the position spans multiple projects and initiatives simultaneously. The focus of the role is not limited to permit application review, but rather on ensuring continuity and alignment between planning, capital development, and operations, with constant attention to how current decisions affect future maintenance obligations, resource demands, risk exposure, and asset performance.

Requirements

Undergraduate degree in a relevant discipline.
Registration or eligibility for registration, with the British Columbia Society of Landscape Architects.
Minimum of six years of related experience, or the equivalent combination of education and experience.
Willingness to respect diverse perspectives, including perspectives in conflict with one’s own.
Demonstrates a commitment to enhancing one’s own awareness, knowledge, and skills related to equity, diversity, and inclusion.
Strong communication skills are required to liaise, interpret requirements, and support the job needs of a broad range of staff (Managers, Planners, Academic staff, Directors, technical staff, and skilled staff).
Ability to clearly articulate and navigate complex issues between diverse staff and project teams.
Collaborative problem solving and proven analytical skills in the areas of biodiversity, ecosystems and maintenance management.

Nice To Haves

Experience in urban design, urban forestry, project management and landscape architecture.
Experience with campus landscape architecture, CPTED and sustainable landscape practices and municipal assets is desirable.
Ability to lead change by creating a vision and taking appropriate action to ensure acceptance and support.
Ability to effectively facilitate groups to achieve appropriate outcome.
Ability to conduct needs analyses, plan, organize, manage, monitor, complete, and evaluate projects within allocated time and resources.
Ability to develop and monitor budgets.
Ability to work effectively independently and in a team environment.
Demonstrated capacities in design; integrated planning & design processes; cost estimating; report writing; public presentations; overseeing consultants; and the use of relevant software (i.e. AutoCAD, Photoshop, MS Office, Adobe Illustrator, Asset Management software, and GIS).
Ability to prioritize and work effectively under pressure to meet deadlines.
Ability to develop and implement preventative maintenance programs and strategic business plans.
ISA Certified arborist is preferred (Membership)

Responsibilities

Shaping preventive maintenance programs, public realm maintenance planning, and capital renewal strategies for municipal landscape and urban forestry assets.
Supporting infrastructure and asset inventories, condition assessments, and lifecycle cost analyses that inform long‑range maintenance and renewal planning.
Balancing environmental performance, operational realities, financial sustainability, and community expectations.
Ensuring that tree protection, species selection, soil systems, irrigation, access, and risk considerations are embedded in planning and development decisions.
Serving as the principal liaison between operations, planning, and policy as they relate to the public realm and external infrastructure.
Representing maintenance and operational interests in planning and development discussions and interpreting planning concepts, policies, and design intent for operational teams.
Ensuring that maintenance feasibility, access requirements, lifecycle costs, and service delivery expectations are clearly identified and addressed early in the project lifecycle.
Aligning policy, planning objectives, and capital delivery with operational capacity.
Communicating unique site features, landscape systems, and associated maintenance requirements effectively to internal and external stakeholders.
Coordinating training, demonstrations, and operational handover, ensuring that maintenance plans, documentation, and asset information are complete, accurate, and clearly understood by operations.
Contributing to the development of preventive maintenance and capital renewal plans, overseeing the design development and implementation of renewal projects, and preparing work schedules, cost estimates, reports, and recommendations.
Leading and facilitating discussions with partners, consultants, and stakeholders to fully understand project design intent while balancing long‑term maintenance obligations, operational risk, and cost considerations.
Monitoring and reporting on deficiencies observed during construction and at turnover to operations.
Ensuring that appropriate maintenance strategies and documentation are in place and formally accepted prior to operational handover.
Preparing or overseeing the preparation of graphical layouts, conceptual designs, construction drawings, specifications, plans, renderings, and supporting graphics related to specific landscape and external infrastructure issues or projects.
Leading and/or contributing to the development and implementation of university policies, plans, and guidelines related to urban forestry, campus biodiversity, sustainability, and the public realm.
Supporting the evolution of technical standards and specifications through an operations‑informed, stewardship‑focused lens.
Representing Municipal Services on committees (Streets and Landscape review and Development review and other external infrastructure Committees) and development review processes.
Supporting students and faculty on research and projects associated with Campus as a Living Lab and SEEDS program.
Acting on behalf of the Director or Municipal Managers of Municipal Services.
Performing other related duties as required.