Principal Landscape Architect

About the opportunity

We are retained by a highly regarded boutique landscape architecture studio to find their inaugural Miami Principal. This is a confidential search.

The firm is opening its Miami office as the first step in a multi-city expansion. The Principal will be the founding leader of that office — responsible for winning work, leading design, building the team, and shaping the culture. For the right person, this role carries a genuine, structured path to firm partnership directly tied to the growth they drive.

Key responsibilities

• Generate and win new work across the Miami and broader South Florida market
• Bring existing client relationships and cultivate new ones with developers, architects, municipalities, and referral partners
• Lead proposals, fee negotiations, and contract scoping
• Set and uphold design vision and quality across all Miami projects, from concept through construction documentation
• Oversee day-to-day office operations — workload, staffing, and resourcing
• Mentor and develop junior designers, building a high-performance team as the office scales
• Partner with firm leadership on hiring, strategy, and future expansion

Required qualifications

• Licensed Landscape Architect (PLA) — Florida licensure or ability to obtain promptly
• Bachelor's or Master's degree in Landscape Architecture from an accredited programme
• Demonstrated success in business development with an existing book of clients and relationships
• Portfolio strength in luxury residential and/or hospitality
• Proven experience leading design across the full project lifecycle
• Track record of mentoring and developing staff
• Deep knowledge of South Florida's market, climate, plant palettes, and regulatory environment
• Strong command of grading, drainage, hardscape, planting design, and construction documentation
• Proficiency in AutoCAD and Adobe Creative Suite

Preferred qualifications

• Established network across South Florida, East Coast, Caribbean, or Latin America
• Experience building or leading a studio or office
• Exposure to multifamily, commercial, or institutional sectors
• Proficiency in SketchUp, Rhino, or GIS
• Financial acumen around project profitability and office operations

What's on offer

• $180,000–$200,000 base salary depending on experience
• Performance bonus tied to business development
• A genuine, structured path to firm partnership
• Full autonomy to lead, hire, and shape the Miami office from day one
• The agility and culture of a boutique studio — with the ambition of a firm on the rise