Senior Urban Designer

AtkinsRéalis; Riyadh; On-site; SAR 300,000 - 450,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Tax-free salary

Life insurance

Medical insurance

Annual leave balance

Company gratuity scheme

Discretionary bonus program

Annual flight contribution

Transportation & housing allowances

Employee Wellbeing Program

Job summary

AtkinsRéalis in Riyadh seeks an experienced Senior Urban Designer to lead master planning and urban design initiatives for major developments in the region. You will guide conceptual work through to construction, coordinating with architects, engineers, and planners to deliver high-quality, sustainable public realm outcomes.

The role requires strong design leadership, familiarity with local regulations, and a track record of delivering large-scale projects in the GCC.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Urban Design, Urban Planning, Architecture, or related field.
• 10–15 years professional experience in urban design and master planning.
• Experience delivering large-scale mixed-use, residential, commercial, hospitality, and public realm developments.
• Experience in GCC or Saudi Arabia preferred.

Responsibilities

• Lead master planning and urban design proposals from concept to implementation.
• Manage urban design packages throughout project lifecycle.
• Develop public realm, streetscape, open space, and placemaking strategies.
• Review and guide the production of urban design reports, drawings, visualizations, and presentations.
• Coordinate with architects, landscape architects, infrastructure engineers, and planning teams.
• Provide technical leadership and mentorship to junior urban designers and teams.
• Monitor implementation during construction and site supervision.

Skills

Leadership

Stakeholder engagement

Project coordination

Visual communication

Urban design principles

Education

Bachelor's degree in Urban Design/Planning/Architecture

Master's degree in Urban Design/Urban Planning

Professional membership (RTPI/ULI/APA/RIBA)

Tools

AutoCAD

Adobe Creative Suite

SketchUp

Rhino

Revit

GIS

Lumion

Enscape

Job description

Overview

We are seeking an experienced Senior Urban Designer to lead and support the planning, design, and implementation of major urban development projects in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The successful candidate will play a key role in developing master plans, urban design frameworks, public realm strategies, and placemaking initiatives while coordinating with multidisciplinary teams and stakeholders. The role requires strong design leadership, technical expertise, and the ability to deliver innovative, sustainable, and high-quality urban environments aligned with project objectives and regulatory requirements.

Your role

• Lead the preparation and development of master plans, urban design frameworks, and detailed urban design proposals.
• Manage urban design packages throughout project lifecycle from concept development to implementation.
• Develop public realm, streetscape, open space, and placemaking strategies that enhance community livability and user experience.
• Conduct urban analysis, site assessments, land-use studies, and development feasibility evaluations.
• Review and guide the production of urban design reports, drawings, visualizations, presentations, and technical documentation.
• Ensure design proposals comply with local regulations, planning policies, client requirements, and international best practices.
• Coordinate with architects, landscape architects, infrastructure engineers, transportation specialists, and planning teams.
• Lead design review workshops, stakeholder consultations, and client presentations.
• Provide technical leadership and mentorship to junior urban designers and multidisciplinary project teams.
• Monitor implementation of approved urban design concepts during construction and site supervision activities.
• Evaluate design changes and recommend solutions that maintain design integrity and project objectives.
• Support authority submissions and approvals by coordinating with government agencies and regulatory bodies.
• Promote sustainable urban development, smart city initiatives, walkability, accessibility, and environmental stewardship.
• Assist project management teams in managing project schedules, deliverables, risks, and resource requirements.
• Contribute to business development activities, technical proposals, and client relationship management when required.
• Ensure compliance with quality assurance, health and safety, and environmental management standards.

About you

• Bachelor's degree in Urban Design, Urban Planning, Architecture, Landscape Architecture, or a related discipline.
• Master's degree in Urban Design, Urban Planning, or Urbanism is preferred.
• Professional membership with recognized institutions such as RTPI, ULI, APA, RIBA, or equivalent is advantageous.
• Minimum 10-15 years of professional experience in urban design and master planning projects.
• Proven experience delivering large-scale mixed-use, residential, commercial, hospitality, and public realm developments.
• Strong understanding of urban design principles, development planning, and regulatory approval processes.
• Experience working on major developments within the GCC, preferably Saudi Arabia.
• Proficiency in AutoCAD, Adobe Creative Suite, SketchUp, Rhino, Revit, GIS, Lumion, Enscape, or similar design tools.
• Strong graphic communication, visualization, report-writing, and presentation skills.
• Excellent leadership, stakeholder engagement, and project coordination capabilities.
• Fluent in English; Arabic language skills are an advantage.

Rewards & benefits

Explore the rewards and benefits that help you thrive – at every stage of your life and your career.

This includes:

• Tax-free salary.
• Life insurance coverage.
• Medical insurance.
• Annual leave balance.
• Company gratuity scheme.
• Discretionary bonus program.
• Annual flight contribution.
• Transportation & housing allowances.
• Employee Wellbeing Program: 24/7 access to specialists in finance, legal matters, familycare, personal health, fitness, and nutrition.

Seize every opportunity to sharpen your skills, expand your expertise, and be recognized for the impact you make.

About AtkinsRéalis

We're AtkinsRéalis, a world-class engineering services and nuclear organization. We connect people, data and technology to transform the world's'infrastructure and energy systems. Together, with our industry partners and clients, and our global team of consultants, designers, engineers and project managers, we can change the world. We're committed to leading our clients across our various end markets to engineer a better future for our planet and its people.

Find out more.