Career Opportunities

Introduction to SWA/Balsley:

Join the new firm of SWA/Balsley to leverage your hard-earned design, technical, management, and NYC expertise into growth and leadership opportunities beyond NYC and into domestic and international projects of all types and scales.

SWA/Balsley is actively seeking a creative, highly skilled Senior Landscape Architect/Designer for immediate employment in the award-winning New York City Studio.  SWA/Balsley has evolved from Thomas Balsley Associates into a studio whose collaborative environment and philosophy places a high value on design contribution at all phases of a project’s development. SWA/Balsley’s portfolio has emphasis on resilient and sustainable urban public realm projects, such as parks, waterfronts, landscape infrastructure, urban design, and master plans.

In collaboration with ASLA National Design Medalist Tom Balsley and studio leadership, the candidate will work at all stages to lead the execution of projects in New York City, nationally and internationally. This is a unique opportunity to help shape the direction of a new dynamic studio, develop a robust portfolio of design excellence and with our alliance, you can additionally engage with SWA – the largest landscape architecture firm in the US with a unique ‘design-first’ reputation as well as its firm-wide Design and Field Groups whose purpose is to share the vast knowledge and resources acquired over decades of practice by eight offices worldwide.

About the position:

• Design, documentation, and construction administration for current and future projects.
• Project management, client management and coordination through all phases of projects.
• Representing and speaking on behalf of the firm at client and agency meetings and conferences.
• Mentoring and developing the skills of landscape architecture staff.
• Assisting with marketing/business development efforts and recruitment.
• Participate in the management of the studio and its people.

Current Projects:

Riverside Park South in New York, Guiyang World Trade Center, Expo 2020 and Dubai Hills Estates, Broadmoor Technology Center in Austin, various NYC parks and plazas, Ballpark Village in St. Louis, The Loop at Texas Live in Arlington, TX., Naftzger Park in Wichita, Montclair State University Quad, Schuylkill Yards in Philadelphia, Jindi Tower Hangzhou Qianjiang Century Town in Chengdu, China, and Paveletskaya Place in Moscow.

We are looking for someone who:

• Has extensive management and technical experience with large complex projects with multi-discipline teams.
• Has familiarity with NYC public agencies as well as the private sector.
• Is a team player who collaborates as part of a diverse studio team from design through execution.
• Possesses strong problem solving, critical thinking, and analysis skills.
• Has strong verbal, written and graphic communication skills.
• Can work autonomously with strong organizational and time management skills.
• Displays leadership qualities, drive, and self-initiative.
• Able to travel both nationally and abroad.
• Has interfaced with clients and other consultants.
• Has directed, mentored and trained junior staff and entry level designers.

Why SWA/Balsley?

• Lead and grow with a new firm with a national design reputation.
• SWA/Balsley places equal design value on all phases and facets of work.
• Opportunities to lead diverse project types of the highest design caliber including national and international public parks as well as on-going and new NYC metropolitan commissions.
• Extraordinary personal leadership and growth potential within SWA/Balsley and the affiliate SWA.
• Opportunities to cross-fertilize with SWA’s eight other studios across the US and abroad.
• Unparalleled benefits package unique to SWA Group including fully funded bonuses, profit sharing, employee stock ownership, full 401k match and generous health insurance.
• Work in the vibrant and centrally located Nomad neighborhood of NYC.

About SWA/Balsley and SWA Group:

SWA/Balsley is a predecessor to Thomas Balsley Associates whose work has earned national and international reputation for award-winning public parks, plazas, and waterfronts designed to the highest standards of social, cultural, and environmental resiliency. SWA/Balsley notable projects include Riverside Park South, Peggy Rockefeller Plaza, Hunter’s Point South and Gantry Plaza Parks, Burj Khalifa, San Jacinto Plaza, Curtis Hixon Park, Perk Park, Osaka World Trade Center, and 51 Astor Place. Our affiliate, SWA Group, is a landscape architecture, urban design and planning firm, with eight locations worldwide—Houston, Dallas, Los Angeles, Laguna Beach, San Francisco, Sausalito, Shanghai, and an affiliate office in New York, SWA/Balsley and 30 principals throughout.

SWA works to develop complete designers throughout their careers versed in concept design through construction, eventually specializing according to their strengths and talents. SWA hires people trained in landscape architecture, architecture, planning, and urban design. SWA is an equal opportunity employer.

As a 60 year old employee-owned company, SWA has some of the best employee benefits in the industry. Profit sharing, Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP) contributions, and bonuses are additional compensation to competitive salaries. This adds to full medical coverage, dental insurance, emergency medical and travel assistance, pre-tax commuter checks, paid time off (vacation, sick, holiday), 401K matching contribution to your retirement plan, supplemental paid parental leave, reimbursement of testing for licensure, and H1B sponsorship in the U.S. where applicable.

Minimum Requirements:

• Accredited Degree in Landscape Architecture or Architecture
• 10+ years of professional experience in the NY metro area.
• Excellent written, verbal, and graphic communication skills.
• Experience in project and client management, design and technical documentation, and construction support services.
• Fluency in AutoCAD, Microsoft Office, and Adobe Creative Suite.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Licensed in the State of New York or ability to obtain license within 1 year.
• Experience working with NYC public agencies, particularly Parks and DDC.
• Experience leading a variety of public and private projects at a range of scales.
• Knowledge of Revit, Rhino, SketchUp, and other 3D computer applications.
• Strong knowledge of construction and plant materials.
• Experience in business development and marketing.
• Prior leadership experience with large teams.

Apply:

• Portfolio (PDF, 20MB max.)
• Resume/CV (word or PDF)
• Contact information for 2-3 references
• Cover letter

Send materials in PDF format to zgu@swabalsley.com.  We will carefully consider your application during our initial screening and will contact you if you are selected for an interview in person or by video-conference