Careers at Virginia Tech

The Community Design Assistance Center (CDAC), an outreach center in the College of Architecture, Arts, and Design is seeking a landscape designer to prepare conceptual landscape designs from late fall 2025 – spring 2026 for 30-35 hours per week.

Job Description:

Reporting to the Director and Project Manager and in collaboration with CDAC’s full-time Landscape Designer, the primary role of the landscape designer is to work as a member of a project team alongside The Landscape Designer and possibly student employees to create conceptual landscape designs for communities. This position creates conceptual landscape designs of varying scales supplemented by perspectives, cross-sections, 3D modeling and walk-throughs, planting plans and plant palettes, and helps prepare for community workshops and presentations. Other primary responsibilities of the position include involvement in the community participation process with communities, giving presentations at community meetings, and preparing project reports. 

A successful candidate will be team-oriented with the ability to work independently; be able to prioritize and manage multiple projects and deadlines; have strong interpersonal, verbal, and written communication skills; be detail oriented; and be willing to travel on a regular basis for project work, some of which may require weekend and evening travel.

Required Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in landscape architecture or training and experience commensurate to this degree
• Practical, applied knowledge of the design process from site inventory and analysis through conceptual design development 
• Ability to generate high quality design materials and presentation graphics
• Intermediate proficiency with design and other software platforms (AutoCAD, Adobe Creative Suite, GIS, PowerPoint)

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience with 3D modelling software (i.e.: Sketchup, Rhino)
• Knowledge of plant materials
• Ability to produce hand graphics

Job Responsibilities

As a CDAC Landscape Designer Emergency Hire, position responsibilities may include, but are not limited to, the following tasks for each community project:

• Obtain GIS or other data to create base maps
• Perform inventory and site analysis, which typically includes assessment of existing conditions such as topography, views, hydrology, existing infrastructure, measuring existing structures, etc.
• Research case studies/precedents for any given sponsored project on which the Emergency Hire is a team member
• Assist in planning, preparing for, and conducting community meetings/workshops
• Create conceptual designs, master plans, and planting plans
• Create computer and/or hand renderings
• Present design work at community meetings
• Write and prepare project reports

Other:

• Must have a valid U.S. driver’s license.
• Position will require driving, physical demands such as walking, sometimes on uneven terrain, environmental hazards such as periodically working outside in the elements (weather).
• Repetitive movement through the use of computer/keyboarding

Required:

1. 1 page cover letter
2. A digital portfolio of design work is required with up to 20 pages.
3. Resume
4. 3 references

Pay Range: 

$20-$24/hour based on educational background and experience

About CDAC:

The Community Design Assistance Center is an outreach center within the College of Architecture, Arts, and Design. The CDAC provides conceptual level design assistance to non-profit organizations, community groups, and government agencies in the areas of landscape architecture, architecture, and interior design. The participatory design process paired with the creative ideas of student and staff employees helps communities transform their ideas into graphic form.  The process also builds community capacity and positions the community to leverage funding for next steps.