Senior Landscape Designer

Calimingo Pools; United States; On-site; USD 100,000 - 200,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

401k

Health Insurance

Job summary

Calimingo Pools in Southern California seeks a Senior Landscape Designer to lead our landscape architecture and drafting team. You will produce and oversee complete plan sets for city permits, HOA approvals, and field construction, setting the drafting standards and mentoring designers.

Key duties include guiding layouts, material selection, and ensuring plans pass city and HOA review with minimal corrections.

Qualifications

• 7+ years in landscape architecture, pool design, or residential outdoor construction drafting, with at least 2 years leading or mentoring others.

Responsibilities

• Produce complete pool and outdoor living plan sets with detailed layouts and systems.
• Detail hardscape elements with precise dimensions and callouts for field crews.
• Lead and mentor the design team, teaching drafting standards and managing workload.
• Quality-check plans for city, county, and HOA requirements before submission.
• Handle HOA submittals and permit pull, coordinating with plan checkers.
• Set visual design standards with clean drawings and well-organized callouts.
• Contribute creative design input for layouts and material selection.

Skills

AutoCAD

Team leadership

Mentoring

Drafting standards

Line work

Rendering skills

SketchUp

Permitting knowledge

Tools

AutoCAD

SketchUp

Structure Studios

Photoshop

Job description

Senior Landscape Designer – Design & Drafting Lead

Calimingo Pools | Southern California | Full-Time

About Us

Calimingo Pools designs and builds custom luxury pools and outdoor living spaces across Southern California, with a current footprint spanning from the Mexican border to Santa Barbara, to the desert, and everything in between. Every project starts on paper, and our plans set the tone for everything that follows in the field. We're looking for a senior design leader who takes pride in creating plan sets that are as beautiful as the backyards we build.

The Role

You'll lead our landscape architecture and drafting team. You'll produce and oversee complete plan sets for city permits, HOA approvals, and field construction. You'll set the drafting standard for the company, train and mentor our designers, and review every set before it goes out. The goal is fewer city corrections, fewer questions from the field, and plans anyone can pick up and understand.

What You'll Do

• Produce complete pool and outdoor living plan sets. Draw every detail: pool layout, plumbing runs and equipment locations, runoff and area drain lines, and gas and plumbing stub-outs for BBQs, outdoor kitchens, and fireplaces.
• Detail the hardscape precisely. This includes coping and countertop overhangs and cantilevers, step and bench details, raised walls, water features, and material transitions, so field crews can build without guessing.
• Lead and mentor the design team. Teach our drafting standards and review work at every stage. Manage the team's project workload so every set meets Calimingo's quality bar and deadlines.
• Quality-check plans before submission. Review every set against city, county, and HOA requirements before it's submitted, so we get plans approved the first time as often as possible.
• Handle permitting and HOA approvals. Prepare HOA submittal packages. Pull permits with city building departments and HOAs, and work directly with plan checkers to resolve comments.
• Set the visual standard. Create clean, uncluttered drawings. Use line weights, opacities, layering, and callout placement thoughtfully so plans are easy to read and look professional.
• Bring creative design input. Help shape layouts, select materials, and develop design concepts that make each project unique.

What We're Looking For

• 7+ years of experience in landscape architecture, pool design, or residential outdoor construction drafting, with at least 2 years leading or mentoring others
• Expert-level AutoCAD (or equivalent CAD platform) skills. Experience with SketchUp, Pool Studio / Structure Studios, Photoshop, or rendering software is a plus.
• Deep working knowledge of residential permit requirements in Southern California, including pool, grading/drainage, gas, and barrier/safety requirements
• A proven track record of plan sets approved with minimal corrections
• Experience preparing HOA submittals and pulling permits
• A strong eye for drafting aesthetics: clean line work, intentional use of opacities and hatching, and organized callouts
• Ability to explain technical standards clearly and train others to meet them
• Highly organized, able to manage multiple projects and a team's workload at once

Big Pluses

• Strong material knowledge: natural stone, pavers, tile, plaster and pebble finishes, and how they work together in a design
• Planting design experience: plant and tree selection, planting plans, irrigation, and familiarity with California water-efficient landscape (MWELO) requirements
• A creative, design-forward mindset. You love making spaces look incredible, not just correct.
• Licensed Landscape Architect (California)

Why Calimingo

• Lead the design standard for a growing luxury builder
• Work on high-end, creative custom projects
• Room to grow as we expand into new markets
• Competitive pay $100,000 to $200,000+ depending on talent & skill
• 401k
• Health Insurance