Landscape Designer

Landscape Designer

Who We Are:

Topiarius is a landscape design, build, and maintenance company. Since 2003, our mission has been to design, create, and maintain luxurious outdoor sanctuaries because we believe that people deserve to live beautifully outdoors. You can learn more about Topiarius at www.topiarius.com.

The Role:

Topiarius is seeking a Landscape Designer to join our collaborative studio environment. This role is ideal for a detail-oriented designer eager to contribute to sophisticated, high-caliber landscape projects. The successful candidate will demonstrate proficiency in AutoCAD and SketchUp, with proven experience in construction documentation, site inventory and analysis, and estimating. You should be skilled in designing with both plant material and hardscape elements. You'll work closely with our team to help translate design concepts into precise, construction-ready documents while managing multiple projects, meeting deadlines, and maintaining the meticulous attention to detail that is essential to delivering the superior client experience Topiarius is known for.

This position’s success will be measured by:

• Meeting productivity timelines set by the design team.

• Productivity that corresponds to the sales team’s sales goals.

• Consistently demonstrating attention to detail and clear graphic communication.

What You Will Do:

• Take site measurements and photos and analyze the job sites in the field.

• Communicate with clients and allied partners to schedule site visits and acquire support documents.

• Generate design and construction drawings using AutoCAD and 3D modeling software.

• Create presentations in InDesign including annotated plans, renderings, and styling images.

• Create estimates to calculate the cost of materials, labor, and equipment for installation projects.

• Communicate with vendors and contractors to obtain quotes.

• Create production documents for installation projects to include construction drawings and materials lists.

• Research zoning ordinances and generate permit documentation as necessary.

• Help contribute to a culture of innovative and creative thinking.

• Work cooperatively with all Topiarius staff to provide quality, seamless client service.

• Attend and participate in regularly scheduled meetings.

• Attend project launch meetings and provide construction oversight as needed.

• Log design hours and help manage databases for ongoing projects.

Who You Are:

• You identify with our culture. Topiarius employees are expected to perform with honesty, integrity, and optimism. We enjoy our work and find it very satisfying and have a strong work ethic. We enjoy each other’s company and choose to work as a team and not a lone wolf. We take the details seriously; they are what allows us to stand apart from our competition. And follow through is in the fabric of all we do.

• You aim for operational excellence. You are someone that doesn’t just show up to “phone” in the day. You are mature and professionally dressed ready to sell to clients that expect you to exude confidence, knowledge, and style. You arrive with a smile.

• You are curious and ready to problem solve. We are a growing company and how a process worked last year may not be the same this year so figuring out how to optimize the change is exciting and invigorating to you. Yet, at the same time the routine and repetitive nature of creating estimates and construction drawings does not bore you; it is why you like this position.

• You enjoy working with a team. While you have many skills, you understand that others do as well, and you can only benefit from learning from them when necessary.

Required Background:

• Professional work experience in landscape design (2 years at minimum).

• Proficient in Adobe suite, AutoCAD, Sketchup, and Microsoft Office.

• Experience with construction documentation and estimating.

• Experience with planting design.

• Higher education degree or equivalent.

• Solid communication skills - verbal and written.

• Knowledge of residential landscape design and construction.

• Demonstrates exceptional judgment, decision-making, and prioritization skills.

• Personal vehicle and auto insurance, for the purpose of making site visits.

• Ability to work well in an open office setting.

Desirable Background:

• Experience with Aspire estimating software.

• Experience with Bluebeam Revu.

• Experience with planting design in the Chicagoland area.

• Experience with landscape construction on rooftops and in small spaces.

• Experience with Enscape or similar rendering programs.

Expected Activity and Movement:

• Regularly sit at a desk and work with a computer.

• May lift, carry, or otherwise move and position objects weighing up to fifty pounds using appropriate tools.

• Bends, stoops, and crouches on an occasional basis.

• Intermittently moves about to work.

• Occasionally work in locations of height (e.g., roof decks, balconies).

• Occasionally work outdoors in a wide variety of weather conditions.

• Regularly drive personal vehicle throughout Chicagoland. Occasional travel outside of Chicagoland may be required as projects arise.

What We Provide:

Hours and Compensation:
Monday through Friday, 8:30 am – 5 pm.* Minimum 40 hours per week with flexibility for site visits.
$60,000 - $75,000 annual salary (commensurate with experience).

• Start and end time may be adjusted slightly if approved by Design Studio leadership, provided that the daily schedule equals 8 hours of work + 30 minute unpaid lunch break.

Benefits:

• Paid Holidays. Paid Time Off (up to 10 days in first year) and Paid Sick time (up to 40 hours each year).

• Medical and dental insurance plans (PPO/HSA and HMO options).

• Complimentary Life Insurance and Long-Term Disability plans.

• After one year of service with a minimum of 1,000 hours worked, employees are enrolled in Topiarius’ retirement plan. Topiarius will make a Safe Harbor Non-Elective contribution of 3% of compensation deposited the following year into the employee’s pre-tax 401K account.

• Relocation not included.

Other Details:

Topiarius is a non-union shop. Our final candidates may be required to undergo a background check. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, national origin, or other status protected by applicable law. And nothing in this job description restricts the supervisor’s right to assign or reassign duties and responsibilities to this job at any time.

To Apply:

First, we highly suggest you visit Topiarius’ website (www.topiarius.com) to become familiar with our company.

Secondly, if you are interested, please submit your resume and portfolio. We will contact you if we are interested. Please refrain from phone calls.