Senior Landscape Architect - K-12 Schoolyard Greening Program, LAUSD
About The Position
LAUSD needs a Senior Landscape Architect to lead its Landscape Unit, overseeing staff, projects, programs, and technical direction for landscape and greening work on District school sites. The role serves as Landscape Architect of Record on District-designed projects, including preparing, reviewing, coordinating, and certifying plans, specifications, and technical documents. For in-house projects, the Senior Landscape Architect sets design direction; for consultant projects, the role directs and oversees outside landscape architects and design firms and negotiates their scopes, proposals, and task orders. The position plans and directs complex projects involving site planning, greening, irrigation, grading, planting, and hardscape. It includes producing drawings, specifications, construction documents, and design revisions; reviewing project costs, materials, equipment, installation methods, and delivery methods; and visiting sites to assess existing conditions, monitor installation, and resolve design or technical issues. The role also engages principals, teachers, parent groups, nonprofits, and other stakeholders, incorporating appropriate input into projects. It provides technical advice to District management, project teams, and school site staff, and reviews projects for constructability, maintainability, lifecycle, sustainability, accessibility, safety, cost, and District compliance.
Requirements
- At least 10 years of professional landscape architectural design experience on commercial and public agency projects.
- At least 3 years supervising a team of landscape architects and related staff and carrying 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, and InDesign), as well as Word and Excel.
- Knowledge of planting design, materials, and the technical aspects of landscape architecture.
- Experience reviewing construction documents, specifications, and contracts.
- Construction administration experience, 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 its staff, projects, programs, and technical direction.
- Serve as Landscape Architect of Record on District-designed projects; prepare, review, coordinate, and certify 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 changes to existing landscapes.
- 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.
- Coordinate and engage with principals, teachers, parent groups, nonprofits, and other stakeholders.
- Develop cost estimates and evaluate materials, equipment, installation methods, and project delivery methods.
- Conduct site visits and field investigations to assess existing conditions, review installation progress, and resolve design and technical issues.
- Technically review and approve grant documentation for greening and sustainability projects.
- Review designs for constructability, maintainability, lifecycle, sustainability, accessibility, safety, cost, and District compliance.
- Provide technical advice to District management, project teams, and school site staff.
Benefits
- Health, dental, and vision coverage at low cost.
- 401(k).
- Three weeks of paid time off.
- Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP) at no cost to the employee, 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
