Associate Landscape Architect

City of Sacramento Sacramento, California, United States

Location: Sacramento, California, United States
Categories: Architecture, Grounds and Landscaping Services
Job Type: Full Time
Posted: Aug 07, 2026

Job Description:

Associate Landscape Architect

Description

THE POSITION

With supervisor approval, incumbents may be eligible for intermittent remote work; however, they must physicallyresidewithin the Sacramento region orhave the ability toregularly report to a City of Sacramento physical worksite with little notice.

The Associate Landscape Architect serves as a key professional within the department by leading the planning, design, and implementation of complex landscape architecture projects that support the City's parks and other public spaces. This position works collaboratively with internal departments, outside agencies, consultants, and the public to ensure projects meet regulatory requirements, design standards, and community needs. In addition to managing projects from concept through construction, the Associate Landscape Architect provides technical guidance and helps ensure high-quality project delivery. By applying sound professional judgment and independent decision-making, this role contributes to the department's mission of creating safe, functional, and sustainable public environments.

IDEAL CANDIDATE STATEMENT

The ideal candidate will be a licensed Landscape Architect with strong technical expertise, sound judgment, and demonstrated experience managing complex landscape architectural projects from planning through construction. They are an effective leader and collaborator who can mentor staff while building productive relationships with City departments, consultants, contractors, regulatory agencies, and community stakeholders. Additionally, the ideal candidate will be skilled in problem-solving, project coordination, and public communication, with a commitment to delivering high-quality, sustainable, and community-focused design solutions. They will be organized, adaptable, and able to manage multiple priorities while ensuring compliance with applicable standards, regulations, and project objectives.

LANDSCAPE ASSISTANT / ASSOCIATE LANDSCAPE ARCHITECT

To perform professional landscape architectural work in planning, designing, technical investigation, and construction of parks, medians, plazas, and other outdoor public spaces.

DISTINGUISHING CHARACTERISTICS

Landscape Assistant

This is the journey level in the professional landscape architectural series not requiring registration. Positions in this class are flexibly staffed and are normally filled by advancement from the lower class of Junior Landscape Assistant. Incumbents in this class perform moderately difficult professional landscape architectural work. A Landscape Assistant is normally considered to be on a training status. As assigned responsibilities and breadth of knowledge increase with experience, and registration is received, an incumbent may reasonably expect to be reassigned to the next higher class of Associate Landscape Architect.

Associate Landscape Architect

This is the full journey level in the landscape architectural series requiring registration. Positions in this class are flexibly staffed and are normally filled by advancement from the lower class of Landscape Assistant, or, when filled from the outside, require prior advanced professional landscape architectural work experience. An Associate Landscape Architect works under general supervision and is expected to complete complex landscape architectural assignments requiring the use of judgment and initiative in developing solutions to problems, interpreting general policies, and determining priorities for work assignments. Work in this class is distinguished from that of the Landscape Assistant by the greater complexity of the assignments received and the greater independence with which an incumbent is expected to operate.
SUPERVISION RECEIVED AND EXERCISED

Direction is provided by a higher level professional landscape architect or a management position. Responsibilities of an Associate Landscape Architect include the direct and indirect supervision of lower level professional landscape architects, technical personnel, and college student trainees and interns. Responsibilities of a Landscape Assistant may include the technical or functional supervision of technical personnel and/or college student trainees or interns.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Supervise and participate in the preparation of detailed and complex site plans, master plans, construction drawings, specifications, and cost estimates for the development of parks, plazas, medians, and other landscape architectural projects.
Supervise and participate in the design of landscape architectural elements including layout, grading, drainage, planting, irrigation, paving, and construction detailing for parks, plazas, medians, and other outdoor public spaces.
Prepare sketches, preliminary drawings, and schematic designs.
Review landscape plans to insure compliance with regulations and requirements.
Inspect in progress field work to insure proper interpretation and compliance with plans and specifications, quality of materials, and workmanship.
Suggest design changes or improvements as necessary.
Conduct studies and prepare reports and recommendations concerning landscape architectural needs and/or concerns of the City; prepare studies in connection with park acquisition and development.
Prepare ecological studies, environmental impact statements, and feasibility reports pertaining to landscape architectural projects.
Confer with other City departments, governmental and community agencies, and contractors involved in the development of landscape architectural projects; coordinate landscaping work with other phases of development projects.
Facilitate public presentations and/or represent the department at various meetings to explain landscape development projects.
Assign routine investigation, design, and drafting tasks to professional subordinates; review completed work; assist in the solution of difficult problems.
Order survey, mapping, and data collection.
Coordinate planning, design, and construction activities with other City departments, divisions, and sections and with outside agencies.
Supervise, train, and evaluate assigned personnel.
Other related duties may also be performed; not all duties listed are necessarily performed by each individual holding this classification.

QUALIFICATIONS

Landscape Assistant

Knowledge of:

Principles, techniques, and methods of landscape architectural design, construction, installation, and maintenance.
Plant materials appropriate to various landscape architectural projects.
Laws, regulations, and requirements applicable to developing, contracting, constructing, and maintaining landscape architectural projects.
Principles of report writing.
Principles of supervision and training.

Ability to:

Prepare detailed landscape architectural drawings including conceptual site plans, profiles, sketches, color renderings, and
Prepare technical construction specifications, quantity take offs, and cost estimates.
Review projects to ensure compliance with regulations and requirements.
Prepare detailed written reports.
Make effective oral presentations.
Learn to operate computer programs used in landscape architectural work.
Work effectively with administrative officials, contractors, employees, and others contacted in the course of work.
Assign and review routine design and drafting projects completed by technical staff.

Principles of planning, organizing, and administering major landscape architectural projects.
Principles of employee performance evaluation, grievance and disciplinary procedures.
Budget analysis, preparation, and administration.

Ability to:

Establish long range division goals and project schedules; prepare project progress reports.
Coordinate landscape projects with other City departments, governmental and community agencies, and contractors.
Serve as departmental representative on various professional committees and during meetings; interpret departmental policies and regulations.
Coordinate the architectural consultant selection process; review and evaluate the work of consultants.
Assist in developing, preparing, and monitoring the division budget.
Plan, prioritize, assign, review, and evaluate the work of subordinate professional and technical staff.

EXPERIENCE AND EDUCATION

Any combination of education and experience that would provide the required knowledge and abilities is qualifying. A typical way to obtain the knowledge and abilities would be:

Experience
Three years of experience performing professional landscape architectural work.

Certificate:
Possession of a certificate of registration as a Landscape Architect in the State of California.

PROOF OF CERTIFICATION

Proof of the required certificate and/or license should be submitted with your application and will be required at the time of appointment . Unofficial documents and/or copies are acceptable.

SPECIAL QUALIFICATIONS (Both classifications)
Driver License:
Possession of a valid California Class C Driver License at the time of appointment. Loss of the Class C License is cause for discipline. Individuals who do not meet this requirement due to physical disability will be reviewed on a case by case basis.

PROBATIONARY PERIOD

Employees must successfully complete twelve (12) months of probation at a satisfactory performance level prior to gaining permanent status.

THE SELECTION PROCEDURE

Please note, the City of Sacramento's preferred method of communication with applicants is via e-mail. As such, please ensure you verify the e-mail address on your application, and check your e-mail frequently, including your spam and junk folders. All e-mail notifications can also be accessed through the governmentjobs.com applicant inbox.

1. Application: (Pass/Fail) - All applicants must complete and submit online a City of Sacramento employment application by the final filing deadline ;

Employment applications must be submitted online; paper applications will not be accepted.
Employment applications will be considered incomplete and will be disqualified:
- If applicants do not list current and/or past job-related experience in the duties area of the "Work Experience" section. Note: Qualifying experience is based on full-time experience (40 hours per week). Qualifying experience is calculated to the full-time equivalent (pro-rated if less than 40 hours/week).
- If "see resume" is noted in the "Work Experience" section; a resume will not substitute for the information required in the "Work Experience" section.

Proof of education such as, but not limited to, university/college transcripts and degrees should be submitted online with your application. Proof of education will be required at time of appointment.
Proof of certification and/or license should be submitted online with your application. Proof of certification and/or license will be required at time of appointment.
Position/job titles will not be considered in determining eligibility for meeting the minimum qualifications for this position.
If you’re requesting Veteran’s credit, a copy of your DD214 must be submitted online with your application or emailed to the Employment Office by the final filing deadline . Information regarding he use of Veteran’s credit can be found in the Civil Service Board rules under rule 4.9C.
Applicants are responsible for attaching a copy of their DD214 to each position for which they apply.

2. Training and Experience Exam : (Weighted 100%) - The questions located at the end of the application are the Training and Experience (T&E) Exam. Responses to the T&E questions will be rated and scored. This exam will evaluate the relevance, level, and progression of a candidate's education, training and experience. The exam score will determine your ranking on the eligible list for this job. When completing the T&E questions, please note:

Responses to the T&E questions must be submitted online; paper questionnaires will not be accepted.
A resume will not substitute for the information required in the T&E questions.

3. Eligibility : Candidates who pass the Training and Experience Test will be placed on the eligible list. The hiring department may contact candidates for interview at any time during the life of the one-year list. Candidate’s eligibility expires one year from the date of notification of a passing score for the Associate Landscape Architect examination.

4. Screening Committee: (Pass/Fail)- All candidates that pass the examination and are in one of the top three ranks will have their application forwarded to the hiring department for review. The hiring department will select the most competitive applications for further consideration. Human Resources will only evaluate employment applications for the minimum qualifications, as stated on the job announcement, for applications selected by the hiring department.

5. Conditional Hire: Upon receipt of a conditional offer, the selected candidate must complete and pass LiveScan/fingerprinting. If applicable, candidates may also need to pass a pre-employment medical exam, controlled substance and/or alcohol test, and possess any required licensure or certification prior to receiving a start date from the Department. Failure to meet these prerequisites will be grounds for withdrawal of your conditional offer of employment.

QUESTIONS:
For questions concerning this job announcement and the application process:

Please visit https://www.governmentjobs.com/Home/ApplicationGuide for a comprehensive, step-by-step guide to the application process.
For technical support between 6 AM - 5 PM PT, contact Live Applicant Support at (855) 524-5627.
Visit the City of Sacramento Human Resources Department website at https://www.cityofsacramento.gov/HR / employment ;
Send an email to [email protected] ; or
Call the Human Resources Department at (916) 808-5726

Bilingual Pay
Did you know that the City offers bilingual pay? That's right, most labor agreements offer the option of providing employees with bilingual pay if the department deems it to be operationally necessary.

Pension Reform Act
The City of Sacramento is covered by the California Public Employees' Retirement System, and as such, must adhere to the California Public Employee's Pension Reform Act (PEPRA) of 2013. Please note that the provisions within this act may affect or impact an applicant's eligibility and/or selection for open vacancies at the City of Sacramento.

Equal Opportunity Employer
The City of Sacramento is an equal opportunity employer to all, regardless of age, ancestry, color, disability (mental and physical), exercising the right to family care and medical leave, gender, gender expression, gender identity, genetic information, marital status, medical condition, military or veteran status, national origin, political affiliation, race, religious creed, sex (includes pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding and related medical conditions), and sexual orientation.

Additional Information
Civil Service Rules: https://www.cityofsacramento.gov/content/dam/portal/hr/documentlibrary/CivilServiceBoardRules62012.pdf

Union Contracts: https://www.cityofsacramento.gov/HR/labor-agreements.html

Salary Schedule: https://www.cityofsacramento.gov/content/dam/portal/hr/documentlibrary/SalarySchedule.pdf

Closing Date/Time: 8/27/2026 11:59 PM Pacific

Salary:

$94,908.63 - $133,545.98 Annually

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Associate Landscape Architect