Lead Level Landscape Architect

With more than 1,600 employees, SWCA Environmental Consultants is a growing, 100% employee-owned firm providing a full spectrum of environmental services. Our aspiration for the future (what we call our North Star) is to make SWCA the best workplace and industry leader in sustainability, bringing sound science and creative solutions to global environmental and social challenges while maintaining a dedication to employee-ownership. We live our core values: we collaborate as #OneSWCA; we are #AlwaysLearning, we #NeverSettle, and we #GivesBack.

SWCA Environmental Consultants is eager to welcome a skilled and passionate Senior Landscape Architect to join our team. This vital position focuses on leading projects that blend environmental restoration with accessible public space design, including habitat restoration, native revegetation, and the creation of passive recreation areas and trails. This role offers a unique opportunity for a licensed landscape architect with a strong ecological background and a commitment to sustainability and environmental stewardship. Engaging in a mix of design, project management, and fieldwork, the Restoration Landscape Architect will contribute to meaningful projects that enhance community engagement with natural environments.

Our growing expertise and opportunities

The recent acquisition of River Design Group-a team more than 30 strong, specializing in ecological restoration-marks a significant expansion. Located in the Pacific Northwest, this addition not only enhances our capabilities but also represents a substantial increase in our ecological restoration team and project work, enriching our service offerings and geographical reach. This highlights our dedication to continue growing this service, offering you professional development opportunities to engage in diverse projects across different areas and advance your skills to help us remain at the forefront of ecological restoration.

A portfolio of work, demonstrating your expertise and achievements in landscape architecture, is strongly preferred.

Under this job requisition, we may hire the following job position:

• Senior Landscape Architect - Typically with up to ten (10) years of relevant experience and expertise.
• Principal Landscape Architect - Typically with up to twelve (12) years of relevant experience and expertise.

Application deadline: Our team will begin reviewing applications immediately, and interviews will be scheduled with qualified candidates on a rolling basis. The application process will remain open until we have received a robust pool of qualified candidates. Once we have identified suitable individuals, we may close the application process without prior notice. We appreciate the time and effort invested by all applicants and will carefully consider each submission.

The ideal candidate:

• Is a SME in planning, design, or related disciplines with specialties in one or more fields.
• Has ultimate ownership of landscape plans, planting plans, and/or restoration designs technical deliverables.
• May stamp plans/designs where required.
• Executes project work through regional or national, multi-layered teams.
• Advises clients and project managers on project strategy.
• Is an active member in technical/industry organizations, with leadership roles at the state or regional level.
• Develops technical standards for sub-region or region.
• May supervise, coach others across the region as technical leaders.
• Actively oversees the preparation and implementation of the safety plan.
• Spearheads the development of written conceptual design plans and construction document packages for habitat restoration and open space design projects, emphasizing native revegetation, passive recreation, and trails.
• Conducts construction observations, prepare punch list field reports, and guide landscape implementation projects to successful completion.
• Utilizes AutoCAD to create construction drawings for site preparation, layout, grading, planting, irrigation, and detailed construction development.
• Works closely with SWCA's team of biologists, restoration ecologists, landscape architects, and engineers to ensure project success.
• Oversees project workflow, budget tracking, financial performance, and coordination with sub-consultants. Draft scopes and costs for proposal efforts and engage in business development opportunities.
• Provides design assistance and lead planning for mitigation, revegetation, and passive recreation projects.

Required:

• B.A. or B.S. in Landscape Architecture, with a strong ecological emphasis.
• Minimum of 10 years of experience in habitat restoration planning and implementation.
• A professional California landscape architecture license is required.
• Exceptional verbal and written communication, proficiency in AutoCAD and Adobe Suite, and ability to work both independently and collaboratively in a team setting.
• Creative problem-solving skills and self-motivation are essential.
• Must possess a valid driver's license for the State of California

Preferred Qualifications

• MLA in Landscape Architecture or a related design field, along with a professional California landscape architecture license.
• Independent capability in the development of new projects or leading business development efforts in collaboration with the Habitat Restoration Practice Director.
• Ability to provide QA/QC technical review based on expertise and project experience. Familiarity with environmental policies, regulations, and restoration design and implementation constraints.
• Experience with GIS software. Knowledge of local ecology, plant communities, hydrology, soils, and species.

Working Conditions and Physical Requirements

• Mix of remote or office-based work with standard office equipment. Occasional project site visits may involve challenging outdoor conditions.
• Job requires working on a computer for extended periods, attending meetings, and conducting fieldwork under various conditions.

SWCA Environmental Consultants is a growing employee-owned firm, providing a full spectrum of environmental services. With offices across the United States, SWCA is one of the largest environmental compliance firms and ranks among Engineering News-Record's Top 200 Environmental Firms.

If you would like to contact SWCA regarding the accessibility of our website or need assistance completing the on-line application process due to a disability, please email accommodations@swca.com or call 480-5811-5378. This contact information is for disability accommodation requests only. All other inquiries will not receive a response.

SWCA is committed to salary equity and salary transparency for all its employees. In alignment with this commitment, SWCA posts good faith pay ranges in all its advertised job postings to promote pay equity and transparency.

An employee in this Half Moon Bay, CA based position as a Senior Landscape Architect can expect a salary of $117,312 - $149,760/Yr and as a Principal Landscape Architect can expect a salary of $132,288 - $168,480/Yr . Actual pay within this range may depend on experience, qualifications, geographic location, client requirements where applicable, and other factors permitted by law. Regular-status employees are also eligible for performance bonuses. Candidates are also encouraged to consider SWCA's Total Rewards package, which includes a competitive Benefits package, forward-thinking workplace flexibility, outstanding corporate culture, award-winning career development, and more.

SWCA is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer and encourages women, minorities, individuals with disabilities, and veterans to apply. At SWCA Environmental Consultants, we celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive work environment. We strongly encourage candidates from all backgrounds, including those with diverse experiences and veterans, to apply. We believe that a diverse and inclusive workforce enhances creativity, innovation, and overall organizational success.

SWCA continues to invest deeply in career development programs, delivering our award-winning Career Landscape support resources to accelerate the growth of our staff. We recognize the valuable skills and experiences our internal team members bring to SWCA's continued success. Qualified internal candidates are encouraged to apply and will be seriously considered for this position. We believe in promoting from within, where possible, providing our existing employees with compelling opportunities to advance their careers.

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