Landscape Designer

JOB DESCRIPTION

What We’re Looking For:

Help shape thoughtful, buildable landscapes where communities, natural systems, and infrastructure meet.

Michael Baker International is seeking a motivated Landscape Designer to join our collaborative Landscape Architecture team in Santa Ana, California . This position will support transportation, public works, and federal infrastructure and facility projects through site analysis, conceptual design, planting and irrigation design, technical production, and construction documentation.

You will work directly with landscape architects and collaborate with our in-house civil, traffic, structural, and stormwater engineers. This role offers exposure to multiple phases of project delivery, from early studies and design concepts through construction documents and construction-phase support.

The ideal candidate combines creative design thinking with technical accuracy, communicates effectively, takes ownership of assigned work, and is eager to grow within a collaborative multidisciplinary environment.

A Hybrid working arrangement is available.

What You’ll Do:

• Prepare landscape architecture construction documents using AutoCAD for federal and public works projects and MicroStation for Caltrans projects.
• Compile and analyze site information, including land use, site context, soils, vegetation, drainage, utilities, and existing structures.
• Develop landscape concepts, planting and irrigation plans, grading concepts, technical details, illustrative plans, diagrams, renderings, exhibits, and presentation materials.
• Assist with preparing technical specifications, quantity calculations, and construction cost estimates.
• Coordinate design and production activities with civil, traffic, structural, stormwater, and other technical disciplines.
• Communicate professionally with clients, agencies, subconsultants, and internal project teams.
• Participate in project meetings, site visits, agency coordination, and construction-phase services.
• Complete assigned tasks on schedule, within budget, and in accordance with project quality requirements.
• Perform careful self-checks and support ongoing quality assurance and quality control throughout project delivery.
• Balance design quality with constructability, maintainability, schedule, and budget.
• Communicate progress proactively, ask thoughtful questions, and follow assignments through completion.
• Build technical knowledge while contributing positively to a collaborative team environment.

What You Need to Succeed:

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Landscape Architecture from an accredited program.
• Approximately 3-5 years of professional landscape architecture experience . Strong entry-level candidates with relevant internship experience and a compelling portfolio may also be considered.
• Proficiency in AutoCAD .
• Working knowledge of SketchUp, Bluebeam, Microsoft Office, and Adobe Creative Suite .
• Understanding of planting design, irrigation design, grading and drainage fundamentals, construction documents, and technical detailing.
• Ability to collaborate effectively with interdisciplinary teams and respond constructively to redlines and design direction.
• Strong written, verbal, graphic, and visual communication skills with careful attention to detail.
• Ability to organize assignments, manage workload across multiple projects, and meet project deadlines.
• Portfolio or work samples demonstrating both design/presentation graphics and construction-document or technical-detailing capabilities are required.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience or demonstrated interest in transportation, public works, federal facilities, civic landscapes, or other complex multidisciplinary projects.
• Experience with MicroStation , particularly on Caltrans projects. Candidates without MicroStation experience should be willing to learn.
• Experience with additional 3D modeling, visualization, or graphic design tools.
• Demonstrated ability to produce clear, coordinated, and accurate work with increasing independence.

Compensation

The approximate compensation range for this position is $102,400.00 - $161,280.00 per year . This compensation range is a good faith estimate for the position at the time of posting. Actual compensation is dependent upon factors such as education, qualifications, experience, skillset, and physical work location.

Why Choose Us:

• Medical, dental, and vision insurance
• 401(k) Retirement Plan
• Health Savings Account (HSA)
• Flexible Spending Account (FSA)
• Life, AD&D, short-term, and long-term disability
• Professional and personal development
• Generous paid time off
• Commuter and wellness benefits

ABOUT US

Michael Baker International, a leading provider of engineering and consulting services, including design, planning, architectural, environmental, construction and program management, has been solving some of the world’s most complex infrastructure challenges for more than 85 years with a legacy of expertise, experience, innovation and integrity.

Based in Pittsburgh and with over 100 offices nationwide, we partner with clients on everything from roads, bridges, tunnels, mass transit, and airports, to water treatment plants, arctic oil pipelines, environmental restoration and specialized overseas construction. We serve as a trusted adviser to the communities we serve, making them safer, more accessible, more sustainable and more prosperous.

We provide visionary leadership in facilitating transformational change for our clients. Our work delivers differentiating innovations and dedicated experts who challenge the status quo and share a world of diverse experience and an impassioned entrepreneurial spirit. We deliver quality of life.

We Make a Difference.

Michael Baker International is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer. Michael Baker International provides equal employment opportunity for all persons, in all facets of employment. Michael Baker International maintains a drug-free workplace and performs pre-employment substance abuse testing and background checks.

We encourage all qualified applicants to apply for any open position for which they feel they are qualified and all will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, creed, age, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, citizenship status, marital status, familial status, pregnancy or childbirth, genetic information, disability, protected veteran status, status with regard to public assistance, or membership or activity in a local human rights commission, or any other legally protected status.

EEO is the Law. Applicants to and employees of Michael Baker International are protected under Federal law from discrimination.

*It is unlawful in Massachusetts to require or administer a lie detector test as a condition of employment or continued employment. An employer who violates this law shall be subject to criminal penalties and civil liability.*There is no current application deadline. Michael Baker will continue to accept applications on an ongoing basis until the position is filled or no longer needed.