Land Use Planner

About the role

We’re looking for a Senior Land Use Planner to join our Planning team in our Kirkland, Washington office. If you thrive in fast-paced environments and love the challenges that come with this type of consulting work, this is an outstanding opportunity to work side by side with a well-respected and talented multi-disciplinary team of professionals in a dynamic organization.

Responsibilities

• Perform timely and accurate property, zoning, and utility research to ensure compliance with municipal land use regulations.
• Prepare, organize, and submit required materials for land use applications, including subdivisions, zone changes, conditional use permits, and site plan reviews.
• Analyze and break down complex issues affecting property, transportation networks, utility infrastructure, etc., to respond to client inquiries and assess the feasibility of property development.
• Coordinate effectively with in-house engineering, surveying, and landscape architectural co-workers, permitting agency staff, and other project team members.
• Develop clearly written and detailed scopes of work for proposals.
• Coordinate with clients on project data and scheduling.
• Set up, organize, and attend neighborhood meetings.
• Create, organize, and maintain project schedules, define critical paths, and track milestone dates.
• Develop and maintain effective positive working relationships with co-workers, clients, permitting agency staff, and other project team members.
• Able to travel out of town as necessary, occasionally overnight.

Who you are

• Extensive experience performing land use planning/land development-related activities.
• A bachelor’s degree in planning, landscape architecture, geography, or related field or equivalent work experience.
• Experience interpreting and applying City and County Comprehensive Plans and Development Codes.
• Knowledge of Washington's Statewide Planning System.
• Strong organizational skills and attention to detail.
• Proficient with word processing, presentation, spreadsheet, and scheduling software (Microsoft Office Suite, Microsoft Project, Adobe, etc.).
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to work independently while providing support to Senior Land Use Planners or Project Managers with minimal supervision.
• Ability to manage multiple and conflicting deadlines and prioritize workload.
• Able to think critically and provide creative and realistic solutions.
• You have a "Do what needs to be done" mindset, taking ownership beyond assigned tasks and stepping in wherever needed to keep projects, teams, and customers supported and running smoothly.

Nice to have

• Proficiency in the use of AutoCAD/Civil 3D, Photoshop, and geographic information systems (GIS).

Why AKS?

• Meaningful Growth: Whether you're just starting out or looking to advance, we offer hands-on training, mentorship, and clear paths for professional development so you can grow with purpose.
• Real Collaboration: Join a team that brings diverse perspectives together to solve complex challenges with creativity, curiosity, and a shared commitment to quality.
• Respect for Your Time: We value work-life balance and offer generous PTO and a supportive environment that helps you manage both personal and professional responsibilities.
• Benefits That Care: You’ll have access to health coverage that supports your total well-being, plus a 401(k) match, paid holidays, and more resources to help you thrive.
• Weekly Team Lunches: Take a break and recharge with your teammates; we believe food brings people together.
• Culture That Connects: We invest in experiences that build strong teams and strong communities.
• A Place People Love to Work: We’ve been named one of the Top Workplaces year after year. Join us and be part of a team that values your contributions, celebrates initiative, and is committed to doing things the right way for our employees, clients, and communities.