About the Department 

The Department of Public Works is responsible for delivering capital improvement projects for a wide variety of City facilities and infrastructure, maintaining City facilities and fleet assets, facilitating, and regulating development activities, and providing animal care and services.

The department is committed to high-quality service, collaborating with the community, and providing an excellent environment in which to work. We strive to constantly demonstrate the City values of Integrity, Innovation, Excellence, Collaboration, Respect, and Celebration, and seek employees who do the same.

About the Division:

The City Facilities Architectural Services Division of the Public Works Department manages the delivery of Capital Improvement Program (CIP) Projects, relating to public infrastructure and facilities, such as parks, trails, community centers, libraries, fire stations, police facilities, emergency housing, and various others City owned facilities for the residents of San Jose.

The Division consists of approximately 30 professional project managers, which include Architects, Landscape Architects, Civil, Mechanical, Electrical, and Structural Engineers whose primary responsibility is to achieve project goals and objectives through resource management, facilitating project solutions, and coordination with internal/external stakeholders or agencies.

Position and Duties

Please note that applications are currently not accepted through CalOpps or any other third-party job board application system. To apply, applicants must complete an application via the City of San Jose’s website at www.sanjoseca.gov/citycareers. 

Per the City’s COVID-19 Mandatory Vaccination Policy, the City requires all new hires to provide proof of vaccination as a condition of employment absent an approved medical or religious exemption. “Fully vaccinated” means the employee has received two doses of Pfizer, Moderna or Novavax or a single dose of Johnson & Johnson.

The actual salary shall be determined by the final candidate’s qualifications and experience. 

 Salary Range: $112,361.60- $142,251.20.

In addition to the starting salary, employees in the Associate Structure/Landscape Designer classification shall also receive an approximate five percent (5%) ongoing non-pensionable compensation pay. 

The City Facilities Architectural Services (CFAS) Division of the Department of Public Works is currently seeking to fill multiple Associate Structure/Landscape Designer positions. Professional licensing (Associate Architect/Landscape Architect) is desirable but not required (premium pay of 1.5% is available for licensed employees). Under the direction of a Senior Architect, the Associate Structure/Landscape Designer manages projects and is responsible and accountable for the effective and efficient project management of CIP Projects through all phases of the project. This position will act as the single point of contact for project coordination including design, scope of work, cost estimating, contract administration, budgets, and schedules.

This recruitment may be used to fill multiple positions in this, or other divisions or departments. If you are interested in employment in this classification, you should apply to ensure you are considered for additional opportunities that may utilize the applicants from this recruitment.

Key Responsibilities:

The Associate Structure/Landscape Designer project management duties may include, but are not limited to:

• Interacts with various City departments on the development of the capital improvement project, including scope of work, schedule, and budget, as well as effectively communicating project status with stakeholders
• Conduct meetings and presentations to committees, approval agencies, clients and the general public
• Provides technical advice and assistance to other City departments, engineers, architects, and contractors for conformance with City policies and guidelines
• Prepares technical reports and other documentation, designs, drawings, specifications
• Analyzes/solves complex architectural problems/issues to ensure compliance with regulatory and performance standards and specifications; ensuring quality assurance, risk management, regulatory compliance and permitting is properly executed
• Prepares and writes memos and reports on public works projects for City management and the public
• Utilizes project controls, tracking, and reporting using Capital Project Management System (CPMS) or other project management software
• Prepares and monitors project costs ensuring projects meet budget constraints; updating and ensuring the project stays on schedule
• Reviews consultant and in-house work for aesthetics including layout, massing, hierarchy, vocabulary, rhythm, placement, color, and choice of materials
• Prepares and writes consultant agreements, negotiates consultant design fees and verifies that the fees are appropriate with the scoped services
• Reviews plans, and specifications prepared by consultants to ensure conformity to project program requirements, building codes and ordinances.
• Manages construction contracts, conducts pre-bid meetings, evaluates bidders and conducts pre-construction meetings
• Manages the work of consultants and contractors through the development of project requirements including; project strategies, budget, schedule, and compliance with City policies, procedures, design and construction standards, regulations and codes
• Negotiates/modifies contracts, resolve claims and disputes

The ideal candidate will possess a high level of professionalism, excellent customer service skills and a strong work ethic. The position requires excellent judgment, initiative, perseverance, integrity, organizational skills, flexibility, and written and verbal communication skills. The ideal candidate must have extensive experience in the delivery of capital improvement projects.

Qualifications

Minimum Qualifications:

1. Education: Graduation from an accredited college or university with a bachelor’s degree in Architecture or Landscape Architecture.

Acceptable Substitutions: Acceptance by the State of California for professional registration testing may be substituted for the degree requirement. Proof of acceptance must be provided at the time of application.

2. Experience: Three (3) years’ experience at the level of Structure/Landscape designer with the City of San José.
3. Certification or License:

• Possession of a valid California driver’s license.
• Possession of a valid Certificate of Registration issued by the State of California required for Associate Architect/Landscape Architect.

Employment Eligibility:  Federal law requires all employees to provide verification of their eligibility to work in this country. Please be informed that the City of San Jose will NOT sponsor, represent or sign any documents related to visa applications/transfers for H1-B or any other type of visa which requires an employer application.

Competencies:

The ideal candidate will possess the following competencies, as demonstrated in past and current employment history. Desirable competencies for this position include:

• Job Expertise: Demonstrates knowledge of and experience with applicable codes, ordinances and permits governing design and construction of municipal capital improvement projects, performance of architectural research, analysis of results and development of appropriate recommendations; Citywide and departmental procedures/policies; and federal and state rules and regulations.
• Communication Skills: Communicates and listens effectively and responds in a timely, effective, positive, and respectful manner; written reports and correspondence are accurate, complete, current; well-organized, legible, concise, neat, and in proper grammatical form.
• Customer Service: Demonstrates the ability to anticipate customers' needs and deliver services effectively and efficiently using professional demeanor.
• Project Management: Ensures support for projects and implements agency goals and strategic objectives.
• Reliability: Completes quality work assignments in a timely and efficient manner; fulfills responsibilities and maintains confidentiality as appropriate.
• Change Management: Demonstrates support for innovation and for organizational changes needed to improve the organization's effectiveness; facilitates the implementation and acceptance of change within the workplace.
• Initiative: Exhibits resourceful behaviors toward meeting job objectives; anticipates problems, is proactive, and avoids difficulties by planning ahead; displays willingness to assume extra responsibility and challenges; pursues continuing education opportunities that promotes job performance.
• Leadership: Leads by example; demonstrates high ethical standards; remains visible and approachable and interacts with others on a regular basis; promotes a cooperative work environment, allowing others to learn from mistakes; provides motivational supports and direction.
• Teamwork & Interpersonal Skills: Develops effective relationships with co-workers and supervisors by helping others accomplish tasks and using collaboration and conflict resolution skills.          

Selection Process

The selection process will consist of an evaluation of the applicant's training and experience based on the application and responses to the Job Specific Questions. Only the candidates whose backgrounds best match the position will be invited to proceed in the selection process.  Additional phases of the selection process will consist of one or more interviews.

You will be prompted to answer the following job-specific questions during the online application process. Please note that there is a 4,000-character limit, including spaces, for each text response. 

• Please describe your experience with desktop publishing or computer aided drafting software, including what types of software you have used and the projects you have prepared.
• In capital project delivery, we do “in-house” work and we also hire consultants to do work for us. Tell us your experience in leading a team with both internal and external team
• Please briefly describe how your education and experience makes you the best candidate for this position. Please be sure to include your experience in the following areas
  • Planning and design of buildings or park and/or trail projects and/or emergency housing
  • Preparation, management, and administration of construction and/or consultant agreements
  • Managing projects, budgets, and schedules
  • Working in a team to achieve a common goal

You must answer all job-specific questions to be considered for this vacancy or your application will be deemed incomplete and withheld from further consideration. 

If you have questions about the duties of these positions, the selection or hiring processes, please contact Chris.caruthers@sanjoseca.gov .

Additional Information 

Link to Benefits page

Link to Department website

Please note that applications are currently not accepted through CalOpps or any other third party job board application system. To apply, applicants must complete an application via the City of San Jose’s website at www.sanjoseca.gov/citycareers. 

The application deadline is 11:59 PM on Tuesday, June 20, 2023. Please allow adequate time to complete the application and submit before the deadline or the system may not save your application.  If your online application was successfully submitted, you will receive an automatic confirmation email to the email address you provided.  IF YOU DO NOT RECEIVE THE CONFIRMATION, please email CityCareers@sanjoseca.gov and we will research the status of your application.  Please contact Human Resources at (408) 535-1285, or Human.Resources@sanjoseca.gov if you have any questions.