Associate Principal Landscape Architect - PLA

Title: Associate Principal, Landscape Architecture

Division: Planning & Landscape Architecture

Summary:  The Associate Principal works with a diverse range of clients and team members to create vibrant places for the following market sectors and project types, including but not limited to master planned communities, streetscapes, rooftop gardens, corporate campus, higher education, public parks, and green infrastructure. The Associate Principal is committed to design excellence, leading a team of landscape designers to develop innovative, creative, and integrated design solutions at all phases of work, from pursuit to conceptual design through to successful project implementation.            

Management Responsibilities

• Develop innovative and effective design solutions with a high level of skill and creativity in landscape architecture.
• Mentor and develop junior design staff. Challenge, inspire and motivate others to join in the constant pursuit of design excellence. Maintain and improve employee morale by meeting regularly with staff members and establishing an open line of communication.
• Manage Project Managers and staff to ensure quality of work is consistent with LJA quality standards, as well as meeting all applicable deadlines and budgets.
• Evolve a collaborative and inclusive design process and culture that emphasizes design exploration, iterative problem-solving and sustainable design.
• Collaborate with architects, engineers, and other allied site disciplines on commercial and large-scale design projects.
• Lead landscape architecture design within projects of varying scales, guiding concepts, and ideas from pursuit through concept development to construction documentation and construction administration.
• Develop budgets and project proposals, review invoices and other functions related to managing projects.
• Establish and retain a leading-edge knowledge of sustainable site concepts.

Business Development Responsibilities

• Support Principals and Directors in the development of strong client relationships; engage in business development and marketing efforts to win work. Place value on repeat clients.
• Establish and maintain positive relationships with City and County jurisdictions.
• Assist with marketing and public relations efforts.

Analytical skills:

Define problems, collect, and establish facts, and draw valid conclusions. Interpret an extensive variety of technical instructions in mathematical or diagrammatic form and deal with abstract and concrete variables. Distinguish between relevant and irrelevant information to make logical decisions. Provide solutions to project problems. 

Language Ability:

Ability to read and comprehend instructions, correspondence, memos, and jurisdictional regulations and codes. Ability to write correspondence, applications, memos, and technical documents. Ability to effectively report project status information to leadership, Project Managers, clients, teaming partners, and other employees of the organization. Ability to respond to inquiries from management, employees, and clients. Ability to speak effectively before groups of clients or employees and present information.

Required Education and Certifications:

• Undergraduate Degree in Landscape Architecture.
• Licensed Landscape Architect

Required Experience:

• A minimum of 10 years of progressively responsible experience in landscape architecture from conceptual plans to detailed plans, but must also have diverse interests, intellectual curiosity, and an interest in producing a range of innovative and creative products to meet client needs.
• Proficiency in AutoCAD, Adobe Creative Suite, Bluebeam and Microsoft Office Suite required. Knowledge of 3D applications and workflows.