Senior Landscape Architect - K-12 Schoolyard Greening Program, LAUSD
About The Position
LAUSD needs a Senior Landscape Architect to lead its Landscape Unit. This role involves managing staff, projects, and programs focused on planning, designing, and building landscape and greening work on District school sites. The Senior Landscape Architect will also serve as the Landscape Architect of Record on projects designed in-house, setting the design direction and ensuring adherence to District standards. This position requires extensive coordination with external consultants, community stakeholders (principals, teachers, parent groups, nonprofits), and internal teams to deliver impactful schoolyard projects. Responsibilities include site visits, resolving design and installation issues, and providing technical advice.
Requirements
- 10+ years of professional landscape architectural design experience on commercial and public agency projects.
- 3+ years supervising a team of landscape architects and related staff, managing projects from inception to completion.
- Bachelor's degree in landscape architecture.
- Licensed landscape architect, able to serve as Landscape Architect of Record and certify plans and specifications.
- Extensive experience with AutoCAD and Adobe Suite (Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign).
- Proficiency in Word and Excel.
- Knowledge of planting design, materials, and the technical aspects of landscape architecture.
- Experience with review of construction documents, specifications, and contracts.
- Experience with construction administration, including coordination with civil, electrical, and structural engineers.
- Strong design skills, organization, self-motivation, and written and verbal communication skills.
Nice To Haves
- Experience with school or university projects.
- Experience with Revit, Rhino, and Lumion.
Responsibilities
- Lead the Landscape Unit, including staff, projects, programs, and technical direction.
- Serve as Landscape Architect of Record on District-designed projects, preparing, reviewing, coordinating, and certifying plans, specifications, and technical documents.
- Plan and direct complex projects involving site planning, greening, irrigation, grading, planting, and hardscape.
- Prepare drawings, specifications, construction documents, and design revisions for new landscapes and modifications to existing ones.
- Provide technical direction and oversight to consultant landscape architects and other design professionals.
- Develop, review, negotiate, and approve design service proposals, scopes of work, and task orders.
- Engage with principals, teachers, parent groups, nonprofits, and other stakeholders.
- Develop cost estimates, evaluate materials and equipment, and determine installation and project delivery methods.
- Conduct site visits and field investigations to assess conditions, review installation progress, and resolve issues.
- Provide technical review and approval of grant documentation for greening and sustainability projects.
- Conduct design reviews for constructability, maintainability, lifecycle, sustainability, accessibility, safety, cost, and District compliance.
- Offer technical advice to District management, project teams, and school site staff.
Benefits
- Health, dental, and vision insurance at low cost.
- 401k.
- Three weeks of PTO.
- Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP) at no cost, with a 3% Safe Harbor contribution vested on day one.
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What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Career Level
Senior
