Olson Kundig is a design practice founded on the ideas that buildings can serve as a bridge between nature, culture and people, and that inspiring surroundings have a positive effect on people’s lives. The firm’s work can be found across the globe, with projects as wide-ranging as huts to high rises, homes—often for art collectors—to academic, cultural and civic projects, museums and exhibition design, places of worship, creative production, urban design, and interior design.
Currently, we are seeking a Senior Landscape Architect / Planner in our Seattle office who can help contribute to the overall excellence of work coming from Olson Kundig.

POSITION DESCRIPTION:

The Senior Landscape Architect / Planner oversees the planning and development of projects, ensuring they adhere to zoning regulations, land use policies, and other relevant codes. Senior planners often collaborate and lead conversations (in subject matter expertise) with architects, engineers, developers, and local government officials to create comprehensive plans for the built environment. They will also be responsible for managing project teams, delegating & conducting research, analyzing data, and presenting proposals to clients or stakeholders. To succeed in this role, you should have a combination of technical expertise, leadership skills, communication abilities, and a commitment to sustainable and equitable urban planning. This role will collaborate with internal teams to deliver exceptional results within specified deadlines.

Communication, Presentation Skills, and Reporting

• Takes on aspects of external project communications and the preparation of presentations with the support of junior team members, with subconsultants/clients.
• Leads concept and technical presentations for project meetings and reports.
• Work closely with the directors and partners on advancing agenda on the future of cities, including urban design and planning trends, sustainability, resiliency, mobility, ecology, infrastructure, etc.
• Present design proposals, progress updates, and project deliverables to clients in a clear and compelling manner.
• Work with business development team on urban planning and design RFQs and proposals

Education/Skills/Experience:

• APA accredited degree in Urban Planning, or a professional degree in Architecture, Landscape Architecture, or closely related field.
• 10+ years of related professional experience or similar role with equivalent work experience.
• Experience in design-lead and project-management roles
• Experienced with the intersection of urban social issues such as communities-at-risk, public health, access to open space and green infrastructure system thinking.
• Proficient in design software, including AutoCAD, Revit, Enscape, ArcGIS, Rhino 3D, Adobe Creative Cloud
• Advanced proficiency in Digital File Organization, MS Word, Outlook, PowerPoint, Teams, Web Browser, MS Excel, Bluebeam
• Advanced understanding & thinking of ecosystem functions and threats, across geographies from coastal and estuarine environments to high country and the wildland/urban interface.
• Advanced knowledge in Planning and landscape architectural concepts.
• Highly experienced with zoning and development codes.
• Ability to integrate physical, social, economic, and sustainability factors into responsible designs for our clients.
• Able to work through initial stages of business development and marketing, from proposals to contracts and project initiation to completion.
• Able to guide conversations at a variety of project scales from planning to smaller city planning/urban projects

Planning and Coordination:

• Provides professional planning consultation in the planning, design, and coordination of projects.
• Coordinates and leads conversations with multiple consultants at once including mobility, civil, infrastructural, financial, and zoning.
• Collaborates with other planners, architects, and landscape architects to create integrated, sustainable, and equitable solutions for complex land planning problems.
• Contributes to a wide range of project types and scales for higher education campuses, research and development districts, urban districts and neighborhoods, transit-oriented developments, hospitality, and mixed-use, residential, and commercial developments.
• Leads research, analysis, and stakeholder outreach for master planning and community-based land planning projects.
• Provides detailed recommendations to varied needs for private, public, institutional, and nonprofit clients.
• Experience working on public realm projects, including both horizontal (street, landscape, and public space design), and vertical (architecture, massing, and façade articulation) and being able to bridge multiple disciplines at the same time.
• Experience in mentoring & QA/QC work for junior staff, with technical planning documents including urban design guidelines and detailed site plans, sections, axonometric and diagrams.

Project Management:

• Manage multiple projects concurrently, from initial concept through design development, construction documentation, and implementation.
• Develop project schedules, budgets, and resource plans, ensuring projects are completed on time and within budget.
• Coordinate with project stakeholders, including clients, architects, engineers, contractors, and regulatory agencies, to achieve project goals.
• Work closely with multidisciplinary teams, including architects, engineers, planners, and environmental consultants, to integrate planning and landscape design with overall project goals.

Technical Expertise and Leadership:

• Analyzes natural and man-made factors affecting site development suitability for a wide range of project typologies.
• Serves as a subject matter expert on specialized systems.
• Develops and represents lead technical viewpoint on projects.
• Leads conversations with the Partner and/or Principal on appropriate technical solutions, products, and project delivery.
• Lead subject matter expertise and QA/QC design documentation and client material.
• Provides mentorship and guidance in all phases of projects (regardless of scale & typology) to junior team members.
• Participates and/or leads firm-wide activities to promote culture and professional advancement (Crit, OKU, Lunch & Learn’s
• Cultivate strong client relationships through effective communication, responsiveness, and understanding of client needs and preferences.

Communication, Presentation Skills, and Reporting

• Takes on aspects of external project communications and the preparation of presentations with the support of junior team members, with subconsultants/clients.
• Leads concept and technical presentations for project meetings and reports.
• Work closely with the directors and partners on advancing agenda on the future of cities, including urban design and planning trends, sustainability, resiliency, mobility, ecology, infrastructure, etc.
• Present design proposals, progress updates, and project deliverables to clients in a clear and compelling manner.
• Work with business development team on urban planning and design RFQs and proposals.

Education/Skills/Experience:

• APA accredited degree in Urban Planning, or a professional degree in Architecture, Landscape Architecture, or closely related field.
• 10+ years of related professional experience or similar role with equivalent work experience.
• Experience in design-lead and project-management roles
• Experienced with the intersection of urban social issues such as communities-at-risk, public health, access to open space and green infrastructure system thinking.
• Proficient in design software, including AutoCAD, Revit, Enscape, ArcGIS, Rhino 3D, Adobe Creative Cloud
• Advanced proficiency in Digital File Organization, MS Word, Outlook, PowerPoint, Teams, Web Browser, MS Excel, Bluebeam
• Advanced understanding & thinking of ecosystem functions and threats, across geographies from coastal and estuarine environments to high country and the wildland/urban interface.
• Advanced knowledge in Planning and landscape architectural concepts.
• Highly experienced with zoning and development codes.
• Ability to integrate physical, social, economic, and sustainability factors into responsible designs for our clients.
• Able to work through initial stages of business development and marketing, from proposals to contracts and project initiation to completion.
• Able to guide conversations at a variety of project scales from planning to smaller city planning/urban projects.

Nice to Have:

• AICP certified
• Actively engaged and heavily involved with professional organizations such as APA, AIA, ASLA, and/or ULI.
• Advanced knowledge of systems thinking.
• Has experience in working on projects related to sea level rise planning, community engagement, equitable access to parks and open space.
• Interest in sustainability, resiliency, infrastructure, real estate, and/or higher education
• Interest in emerging technologies such as generative/computer-aided design, AI, AR/VR, and interactive data visualization tools
• Familiarity with large-scale sustainability rating systems such as EcoDistricts, LEED-ND, and/or Living Community Challenge