Senior Urban Designer - Master Planning

AECOM Middle East Ltd; Dubai; On-site; AED 22,000 - 32,000; Full time

Job summary

A Senior Urban Designer - Master Planning role in Dubai seeks an experienced professional to lead large-scale master plans, mixed-use developments, and public realm strategies. The role requires coordinating multidisciplinary teams, engaging stakeholders, and guiding design from concept to documentation.

The ideal candidate has a Bachelor’s degree in Architecture and 8+ years of experience, with advanced proficiency in AutoCAD, SketchUp, ArcGIS, and Revit, and a strong grasp of UAE planning

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Architecture or related discipline.
• Minimum 8 years of professional experience in urban design and master planning.
• Proven experience leading large-scale master plans and mixed-use developments.
• Advanced proficiency in AutoCAD, SketchUp, ArcGIS, and Revit.
• Strong knowledge of UAE planning standards and municipal requirements.

Responsibilities

• Lead the preparation of master plans, urban design frameworks, mixed-use developments, and public realm concepts.
• Develop design strategies responding to site conditions, planning objectives, market context, and sustainability.
• Conduct urban analysis covering land use, density, mobility, infrastructure, demographics, environmental conditions.
• Prepare feasibility studies and strategic assessments to inform project direction and design decisions.
• Develop conceptual layouts, spatial frameworks, design guidelines, and detailed urban design documentation.
• Coordinate integration of architecture, landscape, transportation, infrastructure, and sustainability requirements.
• Mentor urban designers, planners, and technical specialists across multidisciplinary assignments.
• Review outputs and provide design direction to maintain high standards of quality.
• Coordinate with government agencies, clients, consultants, and community stakeholders.
• Present design concepts and updates to senior leadership and clients.
• Use AutoCAD, SketchUp, ArcGIS, Revit to support analysis, visualization, and documentation.
• Ensure developments comply with UAE building codes and zoning controls.
• Analyze demographic data, site constraints, movement patterns, and market trends.

Skills

Urban design

Master planning

Public realm design

Urban analysis

Stakeholder engagement

Project management

Landscape integration

Density planning

Zoning regulations

Design presentations

Education

Bachelor's degree in Architecture or related discipline

Tools

AutoCAD

SketchUp

ArcGIS

Revit

Job description

Senior Urban Designer - Master Planning Job Snapshot Role: Senior Urban Designer - Master Planning Location: Dubai, United Arab Emirates Industry: Architecture and Planning Function: Town-City Planning Experience: Minimum 8 years Job Type: Full-time Position Overview Senior Urban Designer - Master Planning in Dubai, United Arab Emirates is an Architecture and Planning opportunity for an experienced design professional capable of leading large-scale master plans, mixed-use developments, public realm strategies, and sustainable urban design initiatives. The role combines creative direction, urban analysis, multidisciplinary coordination, stakeholder engagement, and project management to shape high-quality communities aligned with UAE planning requirements and long-term development goals.

Country: United Arab Emirates City: Dubai Industry: Architecture and Planning Function: Town-City Planning Salary: 22000-32000 Estimated salary range based on similar jobs in the job city; please confirm the final offer with the employer. Gender: Any Candidate Nationality: Any Job Type: Full-time

Role Context

The Senior Urban Designer - Master Planning will lead the development of urban design concepts and planning frameworks for complex development programs in Dubai. The position requires a strong understanding of how land use, movement, density, public space, landscape, sustainability, infrastructure, and commercial considerations combine within successful urban environments. The role will also guide multidisciplinary teams, review design quality, and communicate strategic design decisions to clients, authorities, and senior stakeholders.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead the preparation of master plans, urban design frameworks, mixed-use developments, and public realm concepts.
• Develop clear design strategies that respond to site conditions, planning objectives, market context, and sustainability principles.
• Conduct urban analysis covering land use, density, mobility, infrastructure, demographics, environmental conditions, and development potential.
• Prepare feasibility studies and strategic assessments that inform project direction and design decisions.
• Develop conceptual layouts, spatial frameworks, design guidelines, and detailed urban design documentation.
• Direct the integration of architecture, landscape, transportation, infrastructure, and sustainability requirements within master plans.
• Manage and mentor urban designers, planners, and technical specialists across multidisciplinary assignments.
• Review team outputs and provide design direction to maintain high standards of quality and consistency.
• Coordinate with government agencies, clients, consultants, and community stakeholders to gather requirements and resolve planning issues.
• Present design concepts, alternatives, development strategies, and project updates to senior leadership and clients.
• Use AutoCAD, SketchUp, ArcGIS, Revit, and other digital tools to support analysis, visualization, documentation, and communication.
• Ensure proposed developments comply with UAE building codes, zoning controls, municipal requirements, and applicable design standards.
• Analyze demographic data, site constraints, movement patterns, and market trends to strengthen planning recommendations.
• Work with landscape architects, transportation planners, sustainability consultants and engineers to achieve integrated design outcomes.
• Monitor programme, budget, deliverables, and coordination requirements across assigned urban design projects.
• Identify potential design or delivery risks and develop practical solutions before they affect project performance.
• Keep current with evolving urban design practices, planning technologies, sustainability approaches, and regional development trends.
• Support business development through design input, technical proposals, presentations, and client engagement when required.

Ideal Profile

• Bachelor 's Degree in Architecture or a related discipline.
• Minimum 8 years of professional experience in urban design and master planning.
• Demonstrated experience leading large-scale master plans and mixed-use development projects.
• Advanced proficiency in AutoCAD, SketchUp, ArcGIS, and Revit.
• Strong knowledge of urban planning principles, zoning regulations, development controls, and design standards.
• Proven ability to lead multidisciplinary design teams and coordinate complex project inputs.
• Strong understanding of sustainable urban design and green building principles.
• Experience integrating public realm, mobility, landscape, infrastructure, and land use planning.
• Strong analytical capability with the ability to interpret site, demographic, and market information.
• Proven stakeholder engagement skills with confidence presenting to clients, authorities, and senior management.
• Project management experience covering budgets, schedules, resources, and deliverables.
• Strong attention to technical detail while maintaining a broader strategic design perspective.
• Familiarity with UAE municipal planning requirements and regional development practices is highly valuable.
• Able to mentor developing designers and strengthen overall team capability.

Skills Set

• Urban design
• Master planning
• Mixed-use development
• Public realm design
• Urban analysis
• Feasibility studies
• Land use planning
• Spatial planning
• Sustainable urban design
• Development frameworks
• Design guidelines
• Urban massing
• Density planning
• Zoning regulations
• UAE planning standards
• AutoCAD
• SketchUp
• ArcGIS
• Revit
• Urban visualization
• Site analysis
• Demographic analysis
• Market analysis
• Landscape integration
• Transportation planning coordination
• Infrastructure coordination
• Green building principles
• Stakeholder engagement
• Government coordination
• Design presentations
• Multidisciplinary leadership
• Design quality assurance
• Project management
• Budget management
• Programme management
• Technical documentation
• Team mentoring

Why Join Us

This role offers senior urban design professionals the opportunity to influence major development programs in one of the region 's most active urban markets. The position combines creative leadership with technical planning, multidisciplinary coordination, stakeholder engagement, and project management while providing exposure to complex master planning and mixed-use assignments. Dubai 's continuing growth also creates strong long-term demand for experienced professionals who can translate strategic development goals into practical, sustainable, and high-quality urban environments.

About the Company

AECOM is a global infrastructure consulting organization delivering architecture, urban planning, engineering, design, environmental, and program management services. Its urbanism and planning teams work across major communities and development programs, integrating planning, mobility, landscape, infrastructure, sustainability, and design expertise to create resilient and well-connected urban environments.