Senior Landscape Architect (Bienenstock)

About Us

At Bienenstock Natural Playgrounds, our team is a diverse group of natural playground designers, landscape architects, construction experts, trainers, and educators. Our comprehensive and multidisciplinary approach sets us apart in creating innovative outdoor learning environments that connect children with nature. We are dedicated to fostering natural curiosity, creativity, and a sense of adventure through our playgrounds and educational initiatives.

Position Overview

Bienenstock Natural Playgrounds is seeking a Senior Landscape Architect to serve as the firm’s internal technical authority for construction documentation, constructability, and risk mitigation across our Landscape Architecture practice.

This is a non-client-facing, high-impact leadership role focused on elevating the quality, clarity, and constructability of our contract documents across North America. The successful candidate will ensure our design intent is accurately translated into clear, coordinated, and buildable construction documents that align with natural materials, fabrication realities, installation sequencing, and regulatory requirements.

This role is critical to supporting Bienenstock’s integrated delivery model—spanning landscape architecture, manufacturing, and installation—and will directly contribute to reducing RFIs, change orders, field conflicts, and project risk as we scale.

Key Responsibilities

Firmwide QA/QC Leadership

• Serve as the final technical QA/QC reviewer for construction documents prior to issuance (60%, 90%, IFT/IFC).
• Lead structured internal document reviews across multiple project teams.
• Establish and maintain firmwide CD quality benchmarks and review protocols.
• Oversee redline coordination across disciplines (LA, subconsultant coordination with civil, structural, etc., and company fabrication, installation).

Construction Documentation Authority

• Ensure alignment between:
  • Design intent
  • Specifications (CSI Division 32 related divisions, and municipal/ state/provincial standards)
  • Details and sections
  • Site grading and drainage coordination
  • Fabrication drawings and shop drawings
• Review and refine technical details involving:
  • Natural materials (logs, boulders, timber systems)
  • Custom play components
  • Foundations and anchoring systems
  • Freeze-thaw and climate-specific detailing
  • ASTM / CSA compliance
  • ADA/AODA compliance
  • Forest regeneration
  • Stream and Wetland
• Translate contractor means and methods into clear, defensible CD language.

Standards & Technical Systems Development

• Develop and maintain: 
  • Office standard details library
  • Specifications templates
  • QA/QC checklists
  • Risk mitigation review framework
• Lead continuous improvement initiatives based on lessons learned from installation teams and field feedback.
• Partner with Production and Installation teams to ensure documentation reflects real-world constructability and cost control.

Risk Mitigation & Contract Support

• Identify documentation gaps that could result in:
  • RFIs
  • Change orders
  • Scope ambiguity
  • Claims exposure
• Ensure contract documents clearly define scope, tolerances, materials, and installation sequencing.
• Support leadership in defensible documentation strategies for public and private procurement environments.

Cross-Functional Integration

• Act as liaison between:
  • Landscape Architecture
  • Production / Manufacturing
  • Installation teams
  • Accounting and Administration (as related to scope clarity)
• Ensure design documents align with:
  • Manufacturing capabilities
  • Shop drawing standards
  • Field logistics and sequencing realities

Select Design Leadership

• Maintain limited project design responsibility (approximately 15–25%) to stay engaged with evolving design standards.
• Mentor intermediate and junior designers in technical detailing and documentation excellence.
• Provide constructability workshops and internal training.

Qualifications

• Licensed Landscape Architect (LARE licensure)
• 12+ years of professional experience in landscape architecture
• Deep experience in construction documentation and contract administration
• Demonstrated expertise in:
  • Technical detailing
  • Means and methods
  • Site construction sequencing
  • Grading and drainage coordination
  • Public sector documentation standards
• Strong working knowledge of ASTM, CSA, and North American construction standards
• Advanced proficiency in AutoCAD
• Strong specification writing experience (CSI MasterFormat)

Ideal Candidate Profile

The ideal candidate is:

• A technical authority, not a designer seeking client spotlight
• Passionate about documentation precision and constructability
• Comfortable serving as a final internal gatekeeper
• Motivated by reducing risk and elevating firmwide standards
• Systems-oriented and process-driven
• Experienced in multidisciplinary coordination

Experience with natural materials, custom fabrication, or playground construction is highly desirable.

Impact of the Role

This role directly supports Bienenstock’s strategic growth by:

• Reducing rework, change orders, and field risk
• Increasing margin protection through documentation clarity
• Elevating brand credibility through technical excellence
• Standardizing quality as the firm scales toward expanded North American growth

This posting is for a new vacancy. Our hiring process does not involve the use of artificial intelligence to screen, assess, or select applicants.