Senior Landscape Architect

at  Progressive AE

What is it you want out of your career?
If you’re looking for an opportunity to grow, to be challenged, to work hard and to be part of a growing team, then Progressive AE may be the place for you. We work hard to surround ourselves with professionals who are more than just good at their job. We want engineers, architects, designers and support staff who have a desire to help shape our company. We need colleagues who will help us grow by thinking outside their job description. The work we do here is challenging, and sometimes the hours are long. But we’re committed to serving our clients and providing the best solutions possible.
Progressive AE is a full-service, forward-thinking design firm. With offices in Grand Rapids, Michigan, Detroit, Michigan, and Charlotte, North Carolina, we work on projects around the country that offer a variety and challenge you won’t find at many other firms. And we don’t relegate creativity just to “creatives”—we encourage original thinking in every part of the organization–from support staff to engineering.
Since we’re an employee-owned company, you’ll be able to see the benefits of your hard work. And in return, we’ll invest in you. This includes an in-depth wellness program with fitness classes and health coaching, flexible schedules, continuing education, mentorship, volunteer opportunities and internal leadership positions. In fact, we’ve been named one of the Best & Brightest Places to Work for since 2006, named Business Leader of the Year, received the Community and Educational Partnership Awards, and are the proud winners of the Governor’s Fitness Award.
We are always looking for talented individuals to advance the strategic goals of our firm. If you are a big picture thinker with unique technical skills, we’d like to consider your application.

YOUR QUALIFICATIONS:

• Your Degree: Bachelor’s Degree in Landscape Architecture or equivalent in education and experience required for professional licensure.
• Your Licensure: Licensed Landscape Architect with current license. CLARB registration and ASLA membership preferred. CSI-CDT preferred (or willingness to complete within 1 year)
• Your Knowledge and Experience:
• Minimum 10 years of post-graduate landscape architectural experience.
• Strong knowledge of the landscape architectural design and documentation process, as evidenced through an outstanding portfolio of past work. Strong knowledge of site planning, sustainability and other trends in the design/construction industry.
• Strong ability to produce and develop excellent design concepts and content.
• Strong experience with quality assurance/quality control (QA/QC) processes.
• Strong knowledge of applicable codes and ability to assist in conducting research for requirements that may need to be incorporated into technical documents.
• Strong experience coordinating and integrating work with architects, designers, engineers, construction administrators, consultants, authorities having jurisdiction, and other members of a project team. Ability to oversee and work effectively with project team members evidenced by positive project results and outcomes.
• Strong experience independently prioritizing and managing multiple projects of complex nature while working professionally with internal and external stakeholders. Ability to successfully prioritize work, manage multiple projects, and meet tight deadlines. Ability to drive other less experienced team members to meet the same goals.
• Excellent track record of thriving in a deadline-driven, client service setting with experienced and less experienced staff, as demonstrated through your competencies.
• Your Technical Skills:
• Strong knowledge of SketchUp, Revit/AutoCAD, Civil 3D, Adobe Photoshop, and Adobe InDesign are required. Experience in producing construction documents.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office, including Word, Excel and Outlook required. Experience in Project, SharePoint, and Teams preferred.
  Progressive AE is an equal opportunity, affirmative action employer and is committed to providing equal opportunity to all qualified individuals in its employment practices. Progressive AE strictly prohibits unlawful discrimination against employees and applicants on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, genetic information, national origin, disability, age, qualified veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.
  Applicants with a disability, who require a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application or hiring process, may email hr@progressiveae.com for assistance. Determinations on requests for reasonable accommodations will be made on a case-by-case basis

YOUR ROLE:

As a Senior Landscape Architect, you are a registered landscape architect with an extensive background in generating and translating design concepts into final solutions as part of a multi-disciplinary project team on a wide variety of projects.
You will work with project managers, act as a project manager for landscape architecture and planning projects, and lead other landscape architects to complete plan design and production for landscape architecture and planning projects You provide leadership in the Landscape Architecture and Planning discipline to develop design concepts and create accurate documentation in all phases within the established design principles, project budget, and schedule, and ensure internal quality assurance through quality control measures.

WHAT YOU WILL DO:

Leadership

• Contribute to project goal setting.
• Lead effective meetings and work with other team members to make their projects successful. Teach proper meeting etiquette and leading skills and help team members develop their own styles.
• Actively participate in setting project goals. Teach the team importance of setting goals and help them create their own.
• Own landscape architecture and planning project scope, schedule, and budget, and mentor others in schedule and budget creation.
• Establish project delivery teams, coordinating in-house and consultant services. Create and edit contract for consultant services.
• Ensure the team achieves project schedules and budgets.
• Model positive behaviors, values, mutual respect, collaboration, and ethical standards of the practice. Teach and mentor others regarding behaviors.

Management

• Lead project start up (project number, budget, schedule, team meetings, etc.)
• Manage multiple projects in a timely and accurate manner.
• Lead project teams, assign duties to other team members, and monitor overall project progress.
• Complete projects within developed project scope and available resources.
• Understand and execute project plans.
• Review designs and complete field observations to diagnose problems.
• Monitor project and alert the project team members when changes occur in the scope or schedule.
• Review documents for compliance with Progressive AE and authorities having jurisdiction (AHJ) standards.
• Prepare project history information and close projects.

Staff Development

• Mentor and support the work of less experienced staff.
• Provide technical support to other team members as required.

Project Quality

• Organize and oversee team members in all phases of the design process including predesign, schematic design, design development, construction documentation, bidding and construction administration.
• Maintain multiple project assignments and work with multiple landscape architects and project engineers.
• Assist with landscape architecture and planning proposals including estimates of time required to complete a project.
• Lead the development of design, graphic presentations, and 3D renderings. Use design software/technology, including Civil 3D, AutoCAD 3D, SketchUp, Adobe Photoshop, Adobe InDesign and other emerging technologies for presentation and production purposes.
• Utilize hand sketching techniques to communicate design concepts.
• Organize, participate in and lead design charrettes.
• Prepare documentation for all phases of the design process. Estimate the time required to complete each phase of a project, bring design thinking to the process of producing contract documents, and produce preliminary concepts and full design phase deliverables including drawings, specifications, cost estimates, quantity take-offs, technical reports, narratives, and permit applications.
• Perform site analysis including assessment of existing conditions, and conduct preliminary studies of the site, including contours, soil, ecology, buildings, and road.
• Prepare construction permitting documents and public agency approvals.
• Provide technical design support to project team members.
• Participate in the development of project specifications and their coordination with the drawings.
• Support communication and coordination with all disciplines, consultants, vendors, and contractors to ensure adherence to the contract documents and provide support as necessary.
• Conduct field observations to monitor progress of construction. Assist others with field observation services for conformance with plans and specifications and preparation of reports as a follow up.
• Execute changes to the construction documents.
• Attend municipal meetings when necessary. Consult with regulatory agencies when necessary.
• Act as an ambassador for company-wide values and ethical standards of practice.
• Lead team meetings and activities including ‘Lessons Learned’ sessions.
• Work to update scope of contract when a change in scope in work arises.

Financial

• Prepare proposals. Provide input on anticipated complexity and hours needed to complete work in order to help general proposals for new work.
• Develop strategies for overseeing and producing contract documents that are efficient and consistent with the scope of work, schedule and fee allotted to complete the work.
• Prepare project invoices.
• Plan, monitor, and control technical costs and scheduled performance and mentor others.
• Own the project profit goals and assist the team in budgeting and time management.
• Review, monitor, and update project financial reports in a timely manner, managing report formats and information.

Commitment to Client Service

• Serve the client’s best interest and maintain positive relationships. Understand what it takes to make projects successful.
• Maintain a close relationship with the client throughout the project.
• Foster a commitment to external and internal client service.
• Engage with client representatives regarding area of expertise.
• Develop and maintain a positive relationship of trust with Client Leadership regarding their area of expertise.
• Mentor less experienced staff to display comfort and confidence with client representatives regarding area of expertise.
• Embrace the iterative nature of the design process and execute work in a timely manner.

Business Development/Marketing

• Actively lead new business development and participate in cross team marketing and selling. Follow up on leads and lead interviews.
• Take the lead early in proposals and contract negotiations to establish scope of work, schedule, and budget.