Dudek

Ecological Designer/Landscape Architect

Encinitas, Mission Viejo, San Diego, Pasadena, Auburn, CA - Full Time

Who We Are
Dudek is a leading environmental, planning, and engineering firm that help public and private clients plan, design, and build projects that improve communities’ built and natural infrastructure. Founded in 1980, Dudek has grown steadily to more than 800 professionals across the U.S. and received the Top Workplace Award for 2024.

As a 100% employee-owned company, Dudek’s culture rewards smart, productive team members with ownership, professional development, and financial benefits. We seek creative, pragmatic problem-solvers working at the intersection of science, engineering, regulations, and multiple stakeholders’ interest to help clients achieve project goals.
We encourage collaboration, sustainability, and innovation.

At Dudek, we abide by shared values:
Trust:  We trust each other to use good judgment.
Respect:  We act professionally and treat each other fairly.
Teamwork:  We come together, share openly, and apply diverse perspectives.
Fun:  We take our work seriously…not ourselves.
Well-Being:  We care about each other’s health, safety, and total wellness.

Our culture is the foundation of who we are and how we work. We empower our employee-owners to invest in our local communities and themselves through initiatives that make Dudek a great place to work!  Our cultural programs include:
  • DuGreen: Our sustainability initiative, which works to improve our environmental footprint.
  • DuGood: Our philanthropic initiative, which seeks to support the communities in which we live and work through fundraising challenges, office-based giving and opportunity to take a paid volunteer day each year.
  • eDUcate: Our educational outreach program where we aim to foster interest in our work and careers in the environmental and engineering field by participating in educational events in our communities.
  • DuWell: Our wellness initiative, aimed at providing education on wellness, benefit resources, and preventive care.
 
At Dudek, we recognize that different perspectives, inclusivity, trust and belonging build a stronger culture and add value to our firm. Dudek's Employee Resource (ERGs) operate as diversity champions within Dudek and create a safe space for underrepresented employees and their allies to support, collaborate, network, and brainstorm ways to make Dudek’s work community more inclusive. We currently have ERGs for:
  • Women at Dudek
  • Members of the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer (LGBTQ+) community
  • Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) employees
  • Disabled employees (all disabilities, seen / unseen)
Learn more about our culture.

About The Job
We are currently seeking a full-time, self-motivated individual with formal Landscape Architectural training and experience/training in ecological restoration and natural resource design to join our Habitat Restoration team. This position will have ample professional growth opportunities to provide career advancement and expanded responsibilities.

Dudek will consider as-needed employment for a landscape architecture student approaching graduation. An as-needed role will include flexible hours, likely a minimum 4 days per month, which may vary between teaming field assignments and independent office tasks. Dudek assumes and understands that an as-needed candidate will likely need to focus substantial time on their academic studies. If considered, Dudek will prioritize as-needed applicants who may have interest in a full-time role at Dudek following graduation.
Offices considered for this position: Encinitas, Mission Viejo, Liberty Station (San Diego), Pasadena, Auburn

Learn more about the projects you will have the opportunity to shape.

Who You Are
To thrive at Dudek, you should be comfortable with accountability, collaboration, flexibility while being a resourceful and independent thinker. We look for curious, solution-focused people who can adapt quickly to an ever-changing industry. There is no single way to solve a problem, so we encourage innovation.

Duties and Responsibilities (may include some or all of the below): 
  • Assist in the development of written conceptual design plans and construction document packages for ecological restoration and open space design projects including native revegetation, passive recreation and trails.
  • Perform construction observations and prepare punch list field reports for restoration and other landscape implementation projects.
  • Conduct monitoring and reporting for long-term restoration projects, including field data collection and analysis.
  • Prepare written technical reports including site assessments and annual monitoring reports for ecological restoration projects. 
  • Prepare construction drawings for site preparation, layout, grading, planting, irrigation, and construction detail development through the use of AutoCAD and Land F/X software.
  • Provide design assistance and planning for habitat mitigation, revegetation, and passive recreation projects.
  • Conduct preliminary desktop analysis using GIS software.
  • Assist with resource agency permitting, aquatic resource delineations and vegetation mapping.
  • Coordinate with in-house biologists, restoration ecologists, landscape architects, and engineers.
Minimum Requirements
  • BSLA or MLA in Landscape Architecture; or related environmental design fields
  • 0 - 3 years of landscape architecture/ecological design experience
  • Proficiency with operating AutoCAD and MS Office software
  • Habitat restoration or biological field experience or applicable education and training.
  • Strong communication skills with the ability to clearly and concisely communicate complex ideas through written, verbal, and graphical formats.
  • Ability to conduct strenuous field work in hot weather (over 100 F) and in steep terrain conditions. Work may involve assignments in remote locations, overnight stays away from home, and working individually.
  • License to legally operate a motor vehicle in the State of California.
  • Self-motivated individual who is a creative problem solver able to work independently and in a team environment.
* As a federal contractor, successful candidates are required to pass the following pre-employment requirements prior to beginning employment: pre - employment drug test and background check.

Preferred Qualifications
  • Possesses knowledge of local ecology, plant communities, hydrology, and soils; knowledge of and ability to identify native and non-native plant species.
  • Can understand, interpret, and articulate restoration concepts and ecological processes.
  • Fluency in GIS software or Land F/X.
  • Prior experience and knowledge of natural resources, environmental policy, design, land development, fieldwork using GPS, and landscape construction.
  • Ability and desire to obtain a license to practice landscape architecture within 3 years of hiring.
Physical Requirements
Working Conditions:
  • This job operates in a remote or office-based environment and this role routinely uses standard office equipment such as computers, phones, printers, etc.
  • This job requires occasional project site visits-based outdoors which can include excessive noise, uneven walking surfaces, extreme weather, moving vehicles and equipment.
Physical Requirements: The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met in order to successfully perform the essential functions of the job.
  • This job requires working on a computer, sitting or standing for long periods of time in an office or remote office setting.
  • This job requires attending meetings, both in person and virtually as well as speaking on the phone with peers, clients, etc. Speaking, hearing and listening are required.
  • Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and ability to adjust focus.
  • Outdoor activity may involve walking/trekking in uneven terrain over long distances in extreme weather conditions for extended periods of time.
 
Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Proposed Salary Range: $25.00 - $34.00 hourly*
*Final agreed upon compensation will be based on a variety of factors including but not limited to an individual’s related experience, education, certifications, skills, and work location.

Perks of Being a Dudekian
At Dudek we will provide you with a competitive salary in an environment that promotes growth, career development, and a flexible work–life balance. Dudek offers an array of benefits, from medical, dental, and vision coverage, to the discretionary bonuses, based on firmwide, divisional, and individual performance.

We also offer a yearly merit review, an employee stock ownership program, and dog friendly offices! To honor our key value of well-being, Dudek provides a generous vacation package. If you’re tired of an overly bureaucratic decision-making process and want to be part of a work culture that puts its employees first, speak with your recruiter to learn more about the great perks of being a Dudekian.

Dudek is an Equal Opportunity Employer.  Qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national or ethnic origin, age, disability, protected veteran status, or other characteristics protected by applicable law.

Dudek is a U.S.-based employer. All positions are based in the U.S. and require U.S. work authorization.
 
Apply: Ecological Designer/Landscape Architect
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