Senior Urban Designer - Masterplanning

AECOM Middle East Ltd; Dubai; On-site; AED 279,000 - 424,080; Full time

Job summary

AECOM Middle East Ltd in Dubai seeks a Senior Urban Designer - Masterplanning with over 8 years of experience in urban design. This role involves leading sustainable urban design and masterplanning projects, enhancing livability and commercial value across Dubai.

The ideal candidate will have a strong portfolio showcasing their experience, a Bachelor's or Master's degree in a relevant field, and skills in urban frameworks and mixed-use development planning. Join our team to shape future urban environments.

Qualifications

• Typically 8 years of professional experience in urban design, masterplanning, public realm design, or large-scale development planning.
• Strong portfolio showing masterplanning, concept design, urban frameworks, design guidelines, public realm thinking, and built or implementation-stage work.
• Experience in international, multidisciplinary, or large consultancy environments is preferred.

Responsibilities

• Lead urban design and masterplanning projects from early concept development through detailed design and implementation support.
• Develop creative masterplans, public realm frameworks, urban design strategies, and spatial planning concepts for complex developments.
• Prepare feasibility studies, site analysis, development strategies, design codes, planning reports, and urban design documentation.

Skills

Urban design

Masterplanning

Public realm strategy

Mixed‑use development planning

Urban frameworks

Design guidelines

Planning documentation

Site analysis

Feasibility studies

Development strategy

Placemaking

Sustainable urbanism

Livability planning

Concept design

Design codes

Stakeholder presentations

Client coordination

Authority coordination

Multidisciplinary design coordination

Project design leadership

Team mentoring

Proposal support

Design quality review

Architecture and Planning project delivery

Education

Bachelor's or Master's degree in Urban Design, Architecture, Urban Planning, or a closely related discipline

Job description

Job Snapshot

• Role: Senior Urban Designer - Masterplanning
• Location: Dubai, United Arab Emirates
• Industry: Architecture and Planning
• Function: Town-City Planning
• Experience: 8 years
• Job Type: Full-time

Overview

Senior Urban Designer - Masterplanning in Dubai, United Arab Emirates is an Architecture and Planning opportunity for an experienced design professional who can lead sustainable urban design, masterplanning, public realm strategies, and complex mixed‑use development proposals. This role is ideal for a creative and technically strong urban designer who can convert strategic development visions into practical, commercially viable, and high‑quality urban environments for major regional and international projects.

Job Details

• Country: United Arab Emirates
• City: Dubai
• Industry: Architecture and Planning
• Function: Town-City Planning
• Salary: 25000-38000 (estimated range)
• Gender: Any
• Candidate Nationality: Any
• Job Type: Full-time

Role Context

The Senior Urban Designer - Masterplanning will help shape future‑ready urban districts, public spaces, and mixed‑use environments across Dubai and the wider region. The position combines creative design leadership with technical planning, stakeholder coordination, development strategy, and multidisciplinary project delivery. The role supports urban growth by creating design solutions that improve livability, strengthen sustainability outcomes, enhance commercial value, and align with client, authority, and community expectations.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead urban design and masterplanning projects from early concept development through detailed design and implementation support.
• Develop creative masterplans, public realm frameworks, urban design strategies, and spatial planning concepts for complex developments.
• Translate broad client visions into deliverable urban design proposals supported by clear design logic and practical development phasing.
• Prepare feasibility studies, site analysis, development strategies, design codes, planning reports, and urban design documentation.
• Guide design quality across projects while ensuring alignment with sustainability, livability, accessibility, mobility, and commercial objectives.
• Provide design direction to junior urban designers and support the wider project team with constructive technical guidance.
• Work closely with architects, planners, engineers, landscape architects, environmental specialists, and infrastructure teams to create integrated design solutions.
• Coordinate internal reviews to maintain design consistency, documentation accuracy, and project quality across all deliverables.
• Present concepts, design options, masterplans, and planning proposals to clients, consultants, authorities, and senior stakeholders.
• Act as a key contact for selected client discussions, authority coordination, consultant input, and design development workshops.
• Contribute to mixed‑use development strategies by balancing land use, public realm, movement networks, density, identity, and long‑term place value.
• Support proposals, pitches, and business development activities through design narratives, visuals, project methodology, and technical input.
• Review project outputs to ensure urban design proposals remain buildable, sustainable, inclusive, and aligned with approved project objectives.

Ideal Profile

• Bachelor's or Master's degree in Urban Design, Architecture, Urban Planning, or a closely related discipline.
• Typically 8 years of professional experience in urban design, masterplanning, public realm design, or large‑scale development planning.
• Proven record of contributing to or leading complex urban design projects from concept stage through delivery documentation.
• Strong portfolio showing masterplanning, concept design, urban frameworks, design guidelines, public realm thinking, and built or implementation‑stage work.
• Experience in international, multidisciplinary, or large consultancy environments is preferred.
• Strong understanding of sustainable urbanism, livable city principles, mixed‑use development, mobility, placemaking, and development feasibility.
• Ability to manage design conversations with clients, consultants, government authorities, and internal leadership teams.
• Confident presentation skills with the ability to explain design ideas through clear visuals, narratives, diagrams, and technical reasoning.
• Capable of mentoring junior designers while maintaining high standards across design quality, coordination, and documentation.
• Practical understanding of how planning concepts move into detailed design, approvals, implementation, and project delivery.

Skills Set

• Urban design
• Masterplanning
• Public realm strategy
• Mixed‑use development planning
• Urban frameworks
• Design guidelines
• Planning documentation
• Site analysis
• Feasibility studies
• Development strategy
• Placemaking
• Sustainable urbanism
• Livability planning
• Concept design
• Design codes
• Stakeholder presentations
• Client coordination
• Authority coordination
• Multidisciplinary design coordination
• Project design leadership
• Team mentoring
• Proposal support
• Design quality review
• Architecture and Planning project delivery