ESA is seeking a licensed Landscape Architect with 5+ years of related work experience and an academic background in landscape architecture to join our team in Northern California. This opportunity places a high value on collaboration, delivery, and the desire to learn and grow.  This is a salaried, full-time exempt role.  Preference given to candidates who are able to work a hybrid schedule (at least 2 days a week) from a northern CA ESA office locations including: Sacramento, Oakland, and/or San Francisco, CA.  Qualified candidates with the ability to work hybrid from our Petaluma and/or San Jose office will be considered. This role will involve some travel and field work as needed for in-person team collaborations and site visits as-needed. 

Please note, a writing sample may be requested as a stage in the interview process.

Who You Are

You are a self-directed person who is organized and comfortable leading multiple projects and task deliverables concurrently. You are an articulate, engaged and effective team member who has at least 5 years of experience planning and designing habitat restoration, parks and open space, public access, and other types of public infrastructure projects in a professional setting. You have proven success managing projects and coordinating with consultant teams, clients, and public agencies. You use AutoCAD/Civil3D, Adobe Creative Suite, modeling software and other design software to effectively prepare a range of design products including concept plans, perspective renderings, graphic presentations, and bid-ready construction packages.

You are able to work effectively in multi-disciplinary teams to integrate data and analyses to plan and design native habitat restoration/enhancement, natural open space, recreation and public access improvements. Specific experience with renderings and visualizations, planning and design of large-scale public projects, working with engineers and biologists, and climate change adaptation approaches are desirable.

You hold a bachelor’s or master’s degree in Landscape Architecture or a related field and are willing and able to get licensed in California within two years.

You are comfortable producing design plans, specifications and cost estimates, and translating these deliverables to construction administration tasks.  You have an interest in and familiarity with native plants and ecosystems, and are looking for an opportunity to apply, share and expand your knowledge base and skills. You are familiar with and competent in the development of project reporting, ‘basis of design’ documents and construction cost estimating. You are adept and comfortable contributing to and participating in client meetings and public outreach efforts including presentations to community groups, regulatory agencies and multi-disciplinary team settings.

You are able to work in a hybrid fashion from our Oakland, San Francisco, or Sacramento office.

You are comfortable working in diverse environments, including remote, rural, and urban areas. This position involves outdoor physical activities under different weather conditions, moving across uneven and possibly steep terrains, and carrying loads of at least 50 pounds over extended distances. Additionally, your role may require proximity to heavy machinery. You hold a valid driver's license and are experienced in operating 4WD vehicles off-road.

Note when applying: Preference given to candidates who provide a cover letter stating your interest. Please note, a writing sample may be requested as a stage in the interview process.

What You Will Do for ESA

As part of ESA’s Landscape Architecture team, you will support multi-disciplinary project teams focused on habitat restoration, sea level rise adaptation and recreational/public access projects, including producing plans, reports, and design documents. You will develop design concepts, impact calculations, planting plans, grading plans, irrigation designs and technical reports. You will support the development of construction drawings, specifications, cost estimates, and provide construction-phase support through field observation, RFI responses, punch lists, submittal review and response, and coordination with contractors and clients. You will serve as a technical specialist in restoration of California native plant communities, including planting, establishment, monitoring and maintenance methods.

You will support marketing efforts and contribute to the development of scopes, fee estimates, and other narrative components of task orders and proposals, and participate in project presentations and proposal interviews. You may participate in and/or lead client and community engagement meetings; integrate and translate science and field-based analyses; coordinate staff assignments and workloads for one or more landscape architects/designers; and/or review project accounting and prepare invoices.

What’s Special About ESA

Joining ESA means becoming part of a close-knit team of environmental professionals who contribute to outstanding projects, improve environmental stewardship, and advance a more sustainable and resilient future for our communities and wild places. We nurture a collaborative work environment that is supported by individual commitments to the team and shared success.

At ESA, we provide benefits such as medical, dental, and vision insurance (paid at 70% for you AND your family), annual allocations of company shares through our ESOP, a 401(k) plan with company match, and paid vacation, sick leave, and holidays, to name a few.

We also provide specific programs whether you want to further your technical expertise, sharpen your business acumen, or help lead the next generation of employee-owners. We want to support you in reaching your career goals through tuition reimbursement, professional development bonuses, and attendance at conferences.

What’s Special About Our Landscape Architecture Team 

Our Landscape Architecture team works side by side with our multi-disciplinary team of biologists, civil and water resources engineers, and permitting specialists to resolve complex and often conflicting objectives, thoughtfully balancing public access and natural resource protection. Much of our work is located in environmentally sensitive settings. As a highly integrated team, we value creative thinking, teamwork, and multi-disciplinary and cross-disciplinary engagement and integration.  

We are a supportive, integrated group that values collaboration, diverse perspectives, and the shared mission of advancing resilient, nature-based design.

Go to this link to read more about our landscape architecture work: https://esassoc.com/services/landscape-architecture/