Current Position: Landscape Architect
How long have you been with Missouri State Parks and in what capacity?
I have been working for Missouri State Parks for almost 9 years designing and planning.
How did you become involved in working as a Landscape Architect?
I have always been an avid park user and a person that appreciates the outdoors greatly. Upon getting a degree in landscape architecture, I placed my resume on the internet and began the standard job search. Missouri State Parks saw my resume online, called me up and asked me to apply for my current position. I was amazed to find out that I could actually work for a park system; so needless to say, I was very excited to have the opportunity to apply for the position as it fit me perfectly. Applying for this position is probably the best decision I have ever made and am very grateful that they took the time to contact me.
Describe a typical day at your job.
(If there is no such thing as a typical day, then please tell us about your primary responsibilities and duties.)
My typical day would consist of either working in the office on either master planning or design projects, assisting people or problem solving. If I’m in the field on a project, my day may consist of 2 to 4 hours of driving to the site, then either a planning or design meeting with key people, site survey, collecting data, inspection or assisting our in house crews with construction. The position responsibilities are so diverse that I never really have a "typical" day.
How many hours a week do you work in this position?
I work between 40 and 60 hours per week usually. I am allowed to take off hours accumulated over 40 hours per week at a later date as needed.
What aspects of your job do you enjoy the most?
I enjoy so many aspects to the job. I enjoy the creativity involved in the planning and design process and the flexibility I am given to do so. I enjoy the cooperative effort in planning the future of the parks. I enjoy assisting our in house construction crews on my design projects, working with the amazing people within my office and throughout the state. I really do enjoy my job greatly and feel extremely fortunate to be working in my position.
What do you find to be the greatest challenges of your job?
My greatest challenge would be the large quantity projects I am working on at one time. I really do enjoy "multi-tasking" and seem to work well under pressure but sometimes when you have to jump from project to project, it seems to sometimes take longer. It’s just part of the job, though, and I enjoy it.
What kind of training/schooling is required in your position?
A degree in landscape architecture or environmental design or the equivalent of is required. A person would need some schooling and preferably some on the job experience with computer aided design (CAD).
Is there any kind of training or general experience that you wish you had before taking your job?
I would recommend some landscape construction experience. I work with our in-house construction crews on various projects and gain a great deal of experience from them and use that information on future projects as needed. It is one thing to sit behind a computer screen or pencil in an office, but it is a totally different experience to be out in the field constructing a project. I feel fortunate that I am allowed to do both. I would also do some research into campground design, as there are so many facets to that that a person wouldn’t learn in a typical classroom atmosphere. I would also suggest a park planning class if it is available. Park planning is quite specific to the profession and well worth taking.
What are a few of the projects that you've been working on recently that have been the most interesting?
I’ve been working on some campground design projects, cabin site plans, a really neat boardwalk project, a couple of nice overlooks, a few master plans for various parks. Much of my time recently consists of working on restoring Johnson’s Shut In’s State Park, a park that was severely damaged by a dam break that caused 1.3 billion gallons of water to rush through the park uprooting thousands of mature trees and changing the park forever. For the past one and a half years we have had the opportunity to plan and redesign this very popular water recreation park from scratch, correcting past mistakes and planning for the current and future uses. This is a planning and design project that only comes along once in a person’s career and I feel fortunate to have been a part of it from the beginning.
If someone were interested in working as a Park Planner/Designer at a state park, what advice could you give them?
My recommendation would be to have a very diverse knowledge base. A degree in landscape architecture would give you many of the skills you would need to get started. You would need to know the proper design standards for all the various facilities within a park, you would need to be aware of the American Disabilities Act (ADA), master planning standards and techniques, good presentation skills. You’ll be working with people representing cultural, natural, operational, interpretive, state or federal agencies, the general public or other stake holders so good communication and mediation skills are very important. You will be coordinating meetings either for design projects or for master planning so it’s important to be able to see all sides. You will inevitably be the mediator when conflict arises between the various team members.
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