Urban Designer

About the Company

AECOM is a global infrastructure consulting firm delivering complex projects that create a positive and tangible impact. With over 50,000 professionals worldwide, we partner with clients to solve challenges in urban design, planning, engineering, and more. Our Urbanism + Planning practice is seeking a creative Urban Designer to join our growing studio in Arlington, VA or Washington, DC.

About the Role

The Urban Designer will work on multi-disciplinary urban design and planning projects across the East Coast, including transit-oriented development (TOD) master plans, large-scale mixed-use master plans, downtown revitalization, and public realm design. This role involves collaborating with urban designers, planners, landscape architects, engineers, and economists to deliver transformational placemaking projects for municipal, state, and private sector clients.

Responsibilities

• Prepare planning and urban design deliverables, including conceptual studies, draft designs, and final presentation materials for TOD, mixed-use master plans, site planning, downtown redevelopment, and public realm projects.
• Apply strong conceptual design skills and generate planning and design ideas for complex urban sites across diverse social, environmental, and geographic contexts.
• Create design drawings, diagrams, maps, renderings, presentations, and project documentation that communicate planning concepts and urban design vision.
• Conduct research and analysis of urban context, including zoning, land use, site history, geography, mobility networks, urban character, natural resources, and development programs.
• Prepare precedent studies, building massing, and other planning and design studies to inform project outcomes.
• Collaborate with multidisciplinary teams to integrate planning, urban design, architecture, landscape, and infrastructure considerations.
• Apply knowledge of planning and urban design principles, building typologies, zoning regulations, project phasing, and implementation strategies.
• Lead discrete tasks and coordinate with consultants to ensure technical alignment throughout the planning and design process.
• Participate in marketing activities and client outreach to promote AECOM’s Urbanism + Planning practice.

A design portfolio must be submitted to be considered for this opportunity.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Urban Design, Planning, Architecture, or Landscape Architecture with a minimum of 4 years of professional experience.
• Proficiency in mapping, drafting, and rendering software, including AutoCAD, Rhino, GIS, and Enscape.
• Experience with Adobe Creative Suite (Illustrator, Photoshop, and InDesign) and Microsoft Office.
• Ability to produce written narratives and graphics for reports and presentations, and present to internal and external audiences.

Preferred Qualifications

• Master’s degree in Urban Design, Planning, Architecture, or Landscape Architecture with 6+ years of professional experience.
• Experience with Lumion and advanced digital graphic skills, including 2D/3D site plans, sections, elevations, building massing studies, diagrams, renderings, and maps.
• Experience with large-scale mixed-use master planning, TOD, infrastructure-integrated planning, and downtown district planning in a collaborative environment.
• Experience designing and evaluating urban design concepts and planning strategies through collaboration with public agencies, elected officials, clients, and community stakeholders.
• Strong organizational, time management, and problem-solving skills with exceptional attention to detail.
• AICP certification or active pursuit of certification.

Sponsorship for US employment authorization is not available for this position. Relocation support is not provided.

Pay

Offered rate of compensation ranges from $85,000 to $105,000 yearly, based on individual education, qualifications, experience, and work location.

Benefits

AECOM offers comprehensive benefits, including:

• Medical, dental, and vision insurance
• Life, AD&D, and disability benefits
• Paid time off and leaves of absence
• Voluntary benefits and perks
• Flexible work options and well-being resources
• Employee assistance program
• Business travel insurance
• Service recognition awards
• Retirement savings plan and employee stock purchase plan