We’re Hiring!

Installation Project Manager

We are seeking an experienced and dynamic Installation Project Manager to join our team at Love & Carrots, in this role, you will be co-managing the installation program with the Installation Director, and will be responsible for the efficient and effective functioning of the installation program from the internal operations side. Your expertise in construction and/or landscaping will be invaluable in managing our team, overseeing garden installations, and maintaining operational quality.

Duties and Responsibilities:

  1. Project Management; Planning, Scheduling, and Execution:

    • Oversee project planning, execution, and delivery, ensuring projects are completed on time, within budget, and meet quality standards.

    • Collaborate with design teams, foremans and clients to understand project requirements.

    • Create and maintain project schedules. Coordinate with the installation team to allocate resources, track progress, and resolve any issues that may arise during the project..

    • Regularly review project performance and implement corrective actions as necessary.

  2. Client Management:

    • Foster positive relationships with clients, and team members, maintaining a high level of professionalism and customer service.

    • Keep clients up to date on their projects - from deposit to scheduling, to change orders in real time. 

  3. Ordering and Supplies Maintenance

    • Collaborate with the design team to identify and evaluate vendors and establish strong partnerships to ensure reliable and cost-effective supply chain management.

    • Oversee installation ordering and logistics, manage, organize and maintain installation inventory

    • Manage installation orders per client and resolve ordering issues as they arise

      • This responsibility will be shared with an assistant during peak times of season as necessary

    • Schedule vehicle maintenance and servicing in a timely manner

  4. Installation Crew and Operations Development:

    • Assist in the hiring of crew leaders and team members

    • Work with the Installation Director to improve employee competency and job satisfaction and efficiency.

    • Work with the Installation Director in operations and training related to equipment, landscaping, hardscaping and carpentry. 

    • Ensure our crew stays up-to-date with industry trends and best practices

  5. Construction or Landscaping Expertise:

    • Utilize your experience in construction or landscaping to oversee project installations, ensuring high-quality workmanship and adherence to design specifications.

    • Collaborate with the design team to provide input on the feasibility and practicality of garden plans, materials, and construction techniques.

  6. Cost Estimation and Budgeting:

    • Collaborate with the design team to prepare accurate and comprehensive cost estimates for garden installations that  align with project specifications and client expectations.

    • Monitor project budgets and expenditures, identifying cost-saving opportunities and ensure adherence to financial guidelines.

    • Manage timely data collection to update operations metrics to achieve productivity targets, reduce cost per unit, minimize errors, and deliver excellent customer service.

    • Keep our product offerings and metrics up to date in quickbooks.

Requirements:

  • Proven experience in operations management, preferably in the construction, landscaping, or related industry.

  • Strong project management skills, with the ability to prioritize tasks, manage multiple projects simultaneously, and meet deadlines.

  • Excellent leadership and team-building abilities, with a track record of successfully managing and developing a cohesive team.

  • Expertise in construction or landscaping, with a strong understanding of construction techniques, materials, and landscaping principles.

  • Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to build positive relationships with clients, vendors, and team members.

Compensation and Benefits:

  • Schedule: 

    • 7:30 AM-6 PM, Monday - Thursday during the main growing season (mid-February through November) 

    • 7:30 AM-4:45 PM Monday - Thursday and 7:30 AM-12:30 PM Fridays during winter season (December through mid February)

  • Starting rate: $60,000 +, commensurate with experience. 

  • Health and Dental insurance, 401k, and paid time off

  • Annual phone reimbursement

  • Annual gear credit

  • Mileage reimbursement for use of your personal vehicle

  • Vegetables to take home! Our headquarters has a large on-site vegetable garden for staff use

Interested? Email a cover letter and your resume to: [email protected]

Freelance Landscape Designer

We are seeking experienced and dynamic landscape designers to join our design team on a part time basis. Our design needs range from small row homes and pollinator gardens to property master plans. Our designers are the lead contact with new clients and guide them from vision to project installation. Essential duties and responsibilities include the following, though other duties may be assigned:

Design, Sales and Customer Service

  • Conduct initial onsite client consultation and interview to understand the client’s vision, experience, budget and goals. Some consultations lead to a design contract, some only require a site sketch of a raised bed configuration before moving to the estimate phase. 

  • Personable! Communicate the design and installation processes to clients to help ensure realistic expectations, help them make informed decisions, and to recognize the importance of design expertise.

  • Site assessment: property measurements, site inspection, sunlight survey, slope, soil conditions, access etc.

  • Generate fair, thorough and accurate design proposals. Consultation follow up must be delivered with expediency.

  • Adhere to Love & Carrots design process to provide unique, high quality designs and vision that meet or exceed client’s needs.

  • Introduce clients to other Love & Carrots services. Recommend services/products that help ensure the vision of the design and the client’s evolving needs are met.

Project Management

  • Liaise between client and estimating team through the bidding process.

  • Communicate design intent and site logistics to the installation team and subcontractors. 

  • Follow up with clients before, during and after installation takes place.

  • Revise plans according to project changes and communicate alterations to clients, crews and subcontractors.

Experience

  • Bachelor's or Master’s Degree in Landscape Design or Landscape Architecture

  • At least 5 years of relevant experience in landscape design 

  • Strong knowledge of Zone 7-8 native ecology, perennials, shrubs and trees including local perennial edible possibilities.

  • Strong knowledge of vegetable gardening is a major plus

Skills

  • Excellent design, visualization and graphic skills. Strong hand graphic skills. 

  • Excellent client relations skills, as well as writing and oral presentation skills

  • Must be proficient in Excel and CAD. We use Landscape Design software that is similar to CAD.

  • Strong collaborator

Requirements

  • Must reside in the DC DMV area. This is not a virtual position.

  • Must provide their own transportation and have a valid driver's license

Compensation ranges with experience and credentials. $25-40/hour plus sales commission. Driving compensation.

Interested?! Email a brief letter of interest, resume, and 1-2 work examples to: [email protected]


Installation Crew Member

Our installation crew is the skilled team that crafts our many diverse foodscapes. Working for Love & Carrots is a great opportunity to learn how to build gardens and urban farms and break into the urban gardening industry. Installations can include the following:

  • Perennial landscape installation

    • Includes planting perennials, shrubs, and trees, soil amendment, edging and mulching

  • Garden structure carpentry: raised beds, arbors, garden fencing

  • Drip irrigation system installation

  • Dryset hardscaping, drainage solutions

    • Includes flagstone and riverstone paths, patios, french drains and dry riverbeds

Necessary Qualifications:

  • Prior experience working in a labor-intensive role.

  • The ability to work as part of a close knit team. 

  • Ability to work independently, take initiative, trouble-shoot, and lead as necessary.

  • High attention to detail and organization

  • Ability to lift heavy (75lbs +) objects throughout the day.

  • Ability to perform frequent high-intensity manual labor including pushing, pulling, and lifting various equipment and materials.

  • Ability to work on their feet for the entire day in all weather conditions

  • Must have a valid driver's license and the ability to drive larger vehicles/medium duty trucks

  • We require that employees have received their initial Covid-19 vaccination - additional boosters not required

Preferred Experience in: (not required, but strongly favored)

  • Landscape construction

  • Carpentry 

  • Heavy equipment, medium-duty trucks, skid steer

Schedule: 

Installation crew members work 10 hour days, 4 days/week 7:30AM - 6:00PM Monday - Thursday during the regular season. The crew works 5 days/week in the winter 7:30AM - 4:45PM Monday - Thursday and 7:30AM - 12:30PM Friday).

Anticipated start date for this position is February 2024.

Compensation:

  • Starting rate: $20/hr +, commensurate with experience

  • $100 annual gear stipend

  • Annual phone stipend

  • Benefits include health and dental insurance, 401k, and a generous paid time off package

  • Our office/headquarters has a large vegetable garden for staff to enjoy and take produce home from

Interested? Email a brief letter of interest and your resume to: [email protected]

Urban Gardener

Job Description:

We are seeking a full-time crew member to join our Garden Maintenance team. 

Our Urban Gardeners are responsible for the maintenance of our clients’ organic vegetable gardens, ensuring that they are beautiful and productive! On an average day they travel to 3-4 gardens, primarily residential, and maintain between 20-30 gardens over the course of a two-week period.

Gardeners work independently, driving from site to site, to perform all necessary garden tasks, and are supported remotely by our office crew and in the field by a team of experienced senior farmers. Our service area ranges throughout the beltway area, and each farmer is provided with a kit containing all tools needed to maintain gardens. Bulk garden materials are stored at our base of operations for employee use. 

Winter work:

The season for garden maintenance runs from March through November. From December through February all employees work on our installation crew. Installation crew work requires driving our medium-duty trucks and more heavy lifting/bed filling etc. Garden crew members can choose not to work December through mid February, but if they do work year-round, truck driving and installation work is required for those months.

Maintenance tasks include:

  • Seeding, planting, weeding, pruning, harvesting and applying organic pest control practices.

  • Amending soil, soil fertility management.

  • Trellising, drip irrigation repair and management.

  • Ensuring the area in and around the garden is neat and well maintained.

  • Tracking visit details on iPad or phone.

  • Engaging with clients: teaching, sending recap emails, answering questions, receiving client feedback and applying feedback to gardens.

Necessary Qualifications:

  • 1+ year experience with annual vegetable cultivation required

  • A valid driver's license and working personal vehicle required.

  • Knowledge of proper harvesting, weeding, transplanting, pest/disease ID, sowing, fertilization and rotation/succession planting techniques.

  • Ability to lift 50lbs, perform manual work, lift heavy objects, walk and stand for long periods of time

  • Ability to perform physical labor outdoors in various weather conditions (heat, rain, cold)

  • The ability to think on your feet and come up with solutions to common garden issues on the spot without immediate assistance.

  • Proactive, friendly, and prompt communication through phone and email.

  • Comfortable teaching adults and children gardening basics (using our supplied curriculum.)

  • Attention to detail and organization is critical

  • Covid 19 Vaccination - must include the original vaccine series, boosters not required

Compensation and Benefits:

  • Schedule: 7:30 AM - 6 PM, Monday - Thursday

  • Starting rate: $20/hr +, commensurate with experience.

  • Health and Dental insurance, 401k, and paid time off

  • Annual smartphone reimbursement

  • Annual gear credit

  • Mileage reimbursement for use of your personal vehicle on garden routes.

  • Vegetables to take home! Our headquarters has a large on-site vegetable garden for staff use.

Interested? Email a brief letter of interest and resume to: [email protected]



Community Partnerships:

We love living here and being involved in the DC Metro Area urban agriculture movement. We've partnered with local organization, schools, and non-profits on a number of great projects for our community. 

We’re open to new ideas and  projects– If you would like to partner with us, send us an email and let’s chat!

Interested?  Email with your interest in the subject line: [email protected]