Description
About KDI
KDI (Kounkuey Design Initiative) is a mission-aligned, interdisciplinary design and
community development studio crafting resilient public spaces in partnership with
under-resourced communities. From neighborhood parks to citywide plans, our projects
reflect deep community engagement, technical excellence, and design integrity.
At KDI, we’re more than just a design practice; we’re a community partner. Rooted in
equity and resilience, our mission is to co-create thriving public spaces with
under-resourced communities, transforming neighborhoods through design, planning,
and advocacy. We’re seeking a technically skilled and collaborative Technical
Landscape Director to help us deliver on that mission, ensuring constructability, quality,
and mentorship across our growing portfolio.
As the seniormost Landscape Architect at KDI, you will guide projects from design
development through construction administration, balancing technical excellence with
community vision. You’ll mentor the next generation of landscape architects, strengthen
KDI’s technical standards, and lead projects that bring sustainable infrastructure and
vibrant public spaces to life in communities that need them most.
What You’ll Do
- Lead projects from Design Development through Construction Administration and
Post-Occupancy. - Translate community input into buildable, resilient, and beautiful public spaces.
- Oversee construction documentation, details, specifications, and QA/QC.
- Navigate permitting, coordinate with multidisciplinary teams, and manage tight
budgets and schedules. - Mentor junior staff, including guiding them towards landscape architectural
licensure. - Integrate sustainable systems like stormwater, resilient planting, grading, and
irrigation into designs. - Conduct site observations and address construction challenges.
- Contribute to internal technical knowledge-sharing and documentation standards.
- Communicate design solutions clearly to partners, agencies, and community
members.
What We’re Looking For
- Bachelor’s or Master’s Degree in Landscape Architecture, or additional
commensurate years of industry experience. - 12-15 years of professional experience in landscape architecture.
- Licensed Landscape Architect in California - or reciprocity within 6 months.
- Strong technical skills in detailing, grading, irrigation design, stormwater
management, and materials. - Experience in construction administration (RFIs, submittals, site observations).
- Proficiency in AutoCAD, Adobe Creative Suite, Rhino (plus Grasshopper, Revit,
ArcGIS, etc. a plus). - Experience with public realm or infrastructure projects, especially those with
permitting and agency coordination. - Demonstrated mentorship capability and strong communication skills.
- Passion for community-centered and environmentally resilient design and
alignment with our mission of partnering with under-resourced communities to
advance equity and activate the unrealized potential in their neighborhoods and
cities.
In-Office Requirements
At KDI, we embrace a collaborative in-office culture, and this role is based in our Los
Angeles office and is office four days per week, with every other Friday off and the
alternating Friday as a remote work day. Your in-office time will include key project
milestones, site visits, community engagement sessions, and team work sessions.
Additional travel may be required for conferences, project meetings, and site
observations.
Role Structure
We recognize that great candidates may be looking for different ways to engage. While
our preference is to make this a full-time, in-office role, we are also open to considering
strong applicants interested in a part-time or contract-to-hire arrangement. In all cases,
the role will be based in our Los Angeles office, as collaboration and in-person
connection are essential to our work. If you’re excited about the mission and the work
but need flexibility in how you join, we encourage you to apply and we’d love to explore
the fit together.
Compensation
At KDI, we are committed to creating a workplace where every team member feels
valued, respected, and fairly compensated. Our compensation philosophy reflects our
core values of equity, transparency, and sustainability. We strive to offer competitive
compensation packages that recognize performance, honor individual contributions, and
support long-term career growth.
In the spirit of transparency, we are sharing the base salary range for this position. Final
salary will be determined based on factors such as experience, licensure, technical
expertise, and ability to mentor others.
- For full-time W2 US-based applicants only: $118,000 – $125,000
KDI is an equal opportunity employer committed to building a diverse team. All
applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color,
ancestry, national origin, religion, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical
conditions), sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, age, marital status,
veteran status, disability, medical condition, genetic information, or any other protected
characteristic under applicable law. We also consider qualified applicants with criminal
histories, consistent with legal requirements. If you require medical or religious
accommodation during the application process, please let us know.
Please submit your resume, portfolio, and a short cover letter outlining your experience
and passion for advancing equity through design.
