SWA is a global leader in landscape architecture, urban design and planning, with eight locations worldwide—Houston, Dallas, Los Angeles, Laguna Beach, San Francisco, Sausalito, Shanghai, and an affiliate office in New York (SWA/Balsley).  Although one of the largest firms in the industry, SWA is organized into a series of small studio-based offices.

SWA is a 100% employee-owned, design-first group practice. Our work is recognized for its visionary aesthetics, exceptional functionality, keen understanding of design, and strong emphasis on environmental sustainability. In 2005, SWA received the ASLA Firm Award, the highest honor that the American Society of Landscape Architects can bestow upon a firm.  SWA was originally founded in 1957 as Sasaki Walker & Associates, and in 1973, became one of the first companies on the West Coast to be owned by an Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP): a vehicle that has resulted in the company becoming 100% employee-owned.

We partner with clients to create vibrant places that are at once ecologically resilient, aesthetically compelling, and socially beneficial. From the smallest details to the large-scale interventions of a multi-layered, eco-corridor, our designs reflects a sensibility both pragmatic and imaginative, uniting beauty with purpose in the natural and built environments. The firm currently has 30 principals in seven US studios and one international studio.  Former clients include companies such as Apple, Disney, Ford, and Hyatt; municipal governments such as Seattle, Las Vegas, and Chicago; universities such as Stanford, Cornell, and Harvard; architects such as Renzo Piano, Frank Gehry, Bing Thom, KPF, Morphosis, and SOM; non-profits and cultural organizations such as Friends of the Katy Trail; MacArthur Foundation, and Buffalo Bayou Partnership; and forward thinking developers. Please see swagroup.com to see our range of design work.

We offer global project opportunities while providing supportive, creative studio environments for our people. Because we are a participatory group practice, there are many opportunities for professional growth and enrichment. Our compensation and benefit programs are among the top in the industry. Profit sharing, Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP) contributions, and bonuses are additional compensation to competitive salaries.  This adds to full medical coverage, dental insurance, emergency medical and travel assistance, pre-tax commuter checks, paid time off (vacation, sick, holiday), 401K matching contribution to your retirement plan, supplemental paid parental leave, reimbursement of testing for licensure, and H1B sponsorship in the U.S. where applicable.