Principal Landscape Architect

Design empowers people, strengthens communities, and shapes places that are built to adapt. At Stantec, our Landscape Architects bring a systems-based, and resilience-focused approach to design—connecting public realm, ecology, infrastructure, and community priorities to create places that are beautiful, functional, and prepared for the future. Grounded in social, economic, and environmental sustainability, our work reflects the power of diverse perspectives and interdisciplinary collaboration to deliver lasting impact.

Our team members have opportunities to work on projects across the United States, including visioning, master planning, community design, parks and recreation, commercial and corporate campuses, state and federal projects, healthcare, urban design and revitalization, environmental resilience and green infrastructure, transportation planning and design, and landscape restoration and rehabilitation. These diverse opportunities are delivered through collaboration with experts across North America—because we are better together.

Our US East Landscape Architecture and Planning team includes more than 30 professionals across multiple states, with Boston, MA serving as a key hub. Wherever we are located, we collaborate as one unified team to deliver thoughtful, high-quality design solutions.

Your Opportunity

Stantec is seeking a Principal Landscape Architect/Design Director to lead the design vision and help grow our Boston-based Landscape Architecture practice within Stantec’s Infrastructure team. This is a leadership opportunity for a senior practitioner who brings a strong design point of view, the judgment to elevate the work of others, client relationships, and a collaborative, entrepreneurial mindset to help a growing team thrive. The Principal Landscape Architect will help shape the future of the practice by advancing design excellence, mentoring staff, strengthening client partnerships, and positioning Stantec for complex public realm, resilience, infrastructure, and community development projects across Boston and the broader Northeast. As Design Director, you will shape the studio’s creative direction, lead studio-wide design critiques and reviews, and cultivate a collaborative culture that elevates the quality of every project. 

In this role, you will serve as both a design leader and practice builder—guiding multidisciplinary teams, championing design quality from concept through construction, leading business development strategy, and helping create a strong, collaborative studio culture within Stantec’s Boston Infrastructure team. You will strengthen connections with Stantec’s internal architecture, environmental, engineering, planning, and infrastructure disciplines to deliver integrated solutions for complex public realm, resilience, infrastructure, and community development projects.

You will work within both local and virtual team settings, with weekly presence expected in our Boston office. Local travel will be required for client and public meetings, scoping new assignments, and participating in internal meetings.

Your Key Responsibilities

• Lead and grow Stantec’s Boston-based Landscape Architecture practice within the Infrastructure team, strengthening client relationships, and supporting strategic business development for public realm, resilience, and infrastructure-focused projects.
• Serve as Design Director for Stantec’s Boston-based Landscape Architecture practice, setting and holding the design vision across the group’s portfolio and advancing a consistent standard of design excellence.
• Develop and implement business development strategies, including market positioning, client engagement, strategic partnerships, proposal development, interviews, and tracking key performance indicators such as win rates and revenue growth.
• Guide design vision and strategy for large, complex, multidisciplinary projects from early concept development through construction documentation and construction administration.
• Integrate resilient infrastructure, climate adaptation, sustainability, and nature-based design strategies into landscape architecture, planning, and public realm projects.
• Collaborate with internal architecture, environmental, engineering, planning, and infrastructure teams to shape integrated design solutions that respond to client goals, community needs, and long-term resilience priorities.
• Represent and advocate for the design vision with clients, community stakeholders, and review boards, translating ideas into terms that build support and move projects forward.
• Provide project leadership for multidisciplinary assignments, including scope development, team coordination, budget management, schedule oversight, quality control, and client communication.
• Support projects and pursuits led by other Stantec disciplines, bringing landscape architecture, urban design, public realm, and resilience perspectives to integrated teams.
• Mentor and inspire landscape architecture staff, helping build design confidence, technical excellence, and a collaborative studio culture within the Boston Infrastructure team.

Your Capabilities and Credentials 

• Licensed Landscape Architect.
• Experience working with public and private sector clients in the Northeast.
• Demonstrated responsibility and commitment to a team-driven environment, including the ability to communicate effectively, lead teams, build strong internal relationships, and foster collaboration.
• Expertise in resilient, sustainable, and nature-based design strategies, including integration of green infrastructure, climate adaptation, and infrastructure performance into public realm and site design.
• Desire and ability to lead and contribute at multiple stages of the design process.
• Excellent creative and critical thinking skills.
• Ability to integrate sustainability into all aspects of planning and design.
• Strong knowledge of local, regional, and national trends in planning, landscape architecture, and urban design.
• Ability to successfully scope and deliver multidisciplinary projects.
• Strong communication skills, with the ability to present ideas clearly and confidently.
• Proficiency in AutoCAD, Adobe Creative Suite, and Microsoft Office; Civil 3D and Land F/X experience preferred.
• High-level understanding and working knowledge of GIS, SketchUp, Rhino, or similar platforms at a supervisory level.
• Detailed knowledge of applicable codes, legal requirements, and design standards in relevant jurisdictions.
• Demonstrated effectiveness building and maintaining client relationships, with the ability to translate those relationships into new work opportunities.
• Experience conducting presentations and project interviews.
• Good driving record and valid driver’s license required.

Education and Experience 

• Bachelor’s or master’s degree from an accredited Landscape Architecture program.
• Minimum of 15 years of related experience preferred.

This description is not a comprehensive listing of activities, duties, or responsibilities that may be required in this job; other duties, responsibilities, and activities may be assigned or may be changed at any time with or without notice.

About Stantec

Stantec is a global leader in sustainable engineering, architecture, and environmental consulting. The diverse perspectives of our partners and interested parties drive us to think beyond what’s previously been done on critical issues like climate change, digital transformation, and future-proofing our cities and infrastructure. We innovate at the intersection of community, creativity, and client relationships to advance communities everywhere, so that together we can redefine what’s possible.