Picture of a Landscape Architect

Landscape Architecture

GS-0807

Position Overview

Landscape Architects craft land area plans and designs that support the preservation, rehabilitation, and stewardship of outdoor spaces and land.  By leveraging their skills and vision DOI is able to conserve historical, cultural, aesthetic, and natural resources and achieve safe, healthful, efficient, and aesthetically pleasing physical environments including parks, recreational areas, and public buildings for public use and enjoyment.

This position is represented at the following bureaus

Bureau of Land Management
Bureau of Ocean Energy Management
Bureau of Reclamation
National Park Service

Candidate Description

The ideal candidate applies knowledge of landscape architecture with creativity and the ability to work cooperatively with all types of people.   This person can effectively analyze data and solve complex problems.

Work Environment

Work is performed in an office setting and also through site visits to field locations.

Minimum Education Requirements

Please see the Individual Occupation Requirements and the Professional and Scientific Positions Group Qualification Standard on the OPM websites.

Career Level Requirements

Responsibilities by Level

  • Mid:

    • Developing work plans and schedules, scope of work, cost estimates and proposals to justify funding for landscape rehabilitation projects
    • Applying standards, guidelines, statutes and criteria for historic property preservation to analyze proposed cultural landscape preservation projects
    • Investigating project sites in remote locations
    • Conducting landscape feature and plant inventories and condition assessments
    • Conducting visual resource inventories to develop knowledge and data on the existing conditions of the visual landscape.

  • Journey:

    • Preparing solicitation packages (requirements, drawings) with design guidelines and criteria for major landscape projects
    • Locating and evaluating proposed sites for projects
    • Analyzing proposed regulations, legislation or policies with cultural resource or environmental impacts
    • Leading multidisciplinary National Historic Preservation Act consultations analyzing potential effects of proposed activities on historic properties
    • Developing recommendations for preservation and maintenance of cultural landscapes
    • Conducting cultural landscape research projects to develop knowledge and data on cultural traditions and land use patterns, historic plant materials, and period design concepts
    • Leading multi-disciplinary teams to use visual resource inventory data to develop management and collaboration strategies to protect the settings and scenic values for recreation activities and visitor enjoyment.
    • Serves as Project Manager involved in the preparation and review of architectural and engineering (A/E) contracts for design and construction documents.
    • Acting as a government Contracting Officer’s Representative (COR) on construction contracts.
    • Leading or participating in planning and design charettes, public workshops, briefings and presentations, and value analysis workshops. 

  • Senior:

    • Serving as a technical authority on landscape architecture and associated building, construction, and design activities and programs for a region or major program area
    • Developing and publishing construction and design standards, interpretations, and authoritative papers
    • Planning, proposing, overseeing, and executing projects or studies advancing the state-of-the-art in design and development, construction, and landscape architecture
    • Representing the region or program on inter-agency task forces, symposiums, councils and conferences
    • Exploring and resolving controversial and conflicting engineering, scientific, and socio-economic issues involving landscape architecture, building and construction activities, design standards and criteria, and related agency requirements

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Strengths by Level

Mid 9-11
Journey 12-13
Senior 14-15
  • Accountability
    Holds self and others accountable for measurable high-quality, timely, and cost-effective results. Determines objectives, sets priorities, and delegates work. Accepts responsibility for mistakes. Complies with established control systems and rules.
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    Mid 9-11
    Journey 12-13
    Senior 14-15
  • Attention to Detail
    Is thorough when performing work and conscientious about attending to detail.
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    Mid 9-11
    Journey 12-13
    Senior 14-15
  • Compliance
    Knowledge of procedures for assessing, evaluating, and monitoring programs or projects for compliance with Federal laws, regulations, and guidance.
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    Mid 9-11
    Journey 12-13
    Senior 14-15
  • Customer Service
    Works with clients and customers (that is, any individuals who use or receive the services or products that your work unit produces, including the general public, individuals who work in the agency, other agencies, or organizations outside the Government) to assess their needs, provide information or assistance, resolve their problems, or satisfy their expectations; knows about available products and services; is committed to providing quality products and services.
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    Mid 9-11
    Journey 12-13
    Senior 14-15
  • Decision Making
    Makes sound, well-informed, and objective decisions; perceives the impact and implications of decisions; commits to action, even in uncertain situations, to accomplish organizational goals; causes change.
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    Mid 9-11
    Journey 12-13
    Senior 14-15
  • External Awareness
    Identifies and understands economic, political, and social trends that affect the organization.
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    Mid 9-11
    Journey 12-13
    Senior 14-15
  • Flexibility
    Is open to change and new information; adapts behavior or work methods in response to new information, changing conditions, or unexpected obstacles; effectively deals with ambiguity.
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    Mid 9-11
    Journey 12-13
    Senior 14-15
  • Influencing/Negotiating
    Persuades others to accept recommendations, cooperate, or change their behavior; works with others towards an agreement; negotiates to find mutually acceptable solutions.
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    Mid 9-11
    Journey 12-13
    Senior 14-15
  • Interpersonal Skills
    Treats others with courtesy, sensitivity, and respect. Considers and responds appropriately to the needs and feelings of different people in different situations.
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    Mid 9-11
    Journey 12-13
    Senior 14-15
  • Oral Communication
    Expresses information (for example, ideas or facts) to individuals or groups effectively, taking into account the audience and nature of the information (for example, technical, sensitive, controversial); makes clear and convincing oral presentations; listens to others, attends to nonverbal cues, and responds appropriately.
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    Mid 9-11
    Journey 12-13
    Senior 14-15
  • Partnering
    Develops networks and builds alliances; collaborates across boundaries to build strategic relationships and achieve common goals.
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    Mid 9-11
    Journey 12-13
    Senior 14-15
  • Planning and Evaluating
    Organizes work, sets priorities, and determines resource requirements; determines short- or long-term goals and strategies to achieve them; coordinates with other organizations or parts of the organization to accomplish goals; monitors progress and evaluates outcomes.
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    Mid 9-11
    Journey 12-13
    Senior 14-15
  • Problem Solving
    Identifies problems; determines accuracy and relevance of information; uses sound judgment to generate and evaluate alternatives, and to make recommendations.
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    Mid 9-11
    Journey 12-13
    Senior 14-15
  • Project Management
    Knowledge of the principles, methods, or tools for developing, scheduling, coordinating, and managing projects and resources, including monitoring and inspecting costs, work, and contractor performance.
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    Mid 9-11
    Journey 12-13
    Senior 14-15
  • Reasoning
    Identifies rules, principles, or relationships that explain facts, data, or other information; analyzes information and makes correct inferences or draws accurate conclusions.
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    Mid 9-11
    Journey 12-13
    Senior 14-15
  • Teamwork
    Encourages and facilitates cooperation, pride, trust, and group identity; fosters commitment and team spirit; works with others to achieve goals.
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    Mid 9-11
    Journey 12-13
    Senior 14-15
  • Technical Competence
    Uses knowledge that is acquired through formal training or extensive on-the-job experience to perform one's job; works with, understands, and evaluates technical information related to the job; advises others on technical issues.
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    Mid 9-11
    Journey 12-13
    Senior 14-15
  • Writing
    Recognizes or uses correct English grammar, punctuation, and spelling; communicates information (for example, facts, ideas, or messages) in a succinct and organized manner; produces written information, which may include technical material, that is appropriate for the intended audience.
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    Mid 9-11
    Journey 12-13
    Senior 14-15

Common Pathways

Candidates who made this career change most commonly held these occupations...

22.2%

Outdoor Recreation Planning

See Position Details
11.1%

Equipment,facilities And Services Asst

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11.1%

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