Associate, Environmental Land Use Planner

Ramboll; Center Square (PA); On-site; USD 58,000 - 73,000; Full time

Job summary

Ramboll is seeking an Associate, Environmental Land Use Planner to support zoning, entitlement, and land use initiatives for diverse clients. You will assist senior planners with zoning research, ordinance analysis, permitting strategy, and stakeholder engagement across multiple jurisdictions.

The role emphasizes strong research, writing, and analytical skills, familiarity with GIS/ArcGIS, and proficiency in MS Office.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Urban and Regional Planning, Land Use Planning, Geography, Public Administration, Environmental Studies, or a related field.
• 0-3 years of professional planning, land use, GIS, development, or related experience.
• Strong research, technical writing, and analytical skills
• Ability to read and interpret zoning ordinances, municipal codes, planning documents, and development regulations.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office applications, particularly Excel, Word, and PowerPoint.

Responsibilities

• Conduct independent research and analysis of municipal zoning ordinances, comprehensive plans, subdivision and land development regulations, and related planning documents under supervision.
• Prepare entitlement matrices and jurisdiction-specific guidance documents for project teams and clients.
• Support applications for rezonings, zoning text amendments, conditional uses, variances, and land development approvals.
• Monitor municipal meetings, ordinance amendments, moratoria, and regulatory developments affecting timelines.
• Develop and maintain project tracking tools, zoning databases, schedules, and status reports.
• Prepare technical memoranda, briefing materials, maps, presentations, and reports communicating planning findings.
• Support due diligence reviews for prospective project sites, including analysis of land use regulations, utility considerations, development standards, and approval requirements.
• Coordinate with engineers, environmental professionals, legal counsel, surveyors, and development teams to support project implementation and entitlement strategies.
• Maintain organized project records and ensure documentation of regulatory requirements and milestones.

Skills

Research skills

Writing skills

Analytical skills

Communication skills

Reading zoning ordinances

Education

Bachelor's degree in Urban and Regional Planning

Tools

GIS

ArcGIS

Excel

Word

PowerPoint

Job description

Associate, Environmental Land Use Planner

Applicants must be currently authorized to work in the United States on a full-time basis. No sponsorship is available for this position.
Ramboll is seeking a highly motivated early-career land use planner to support zoning, entitlement, land use, and development strategy initiatives for various clients. The successful candidate will assist senior planners and project managers with zoning research, ordinance analysis, permitting strategy, stakeholder engagement, and implementation of land use approvals for development projects. This position is well-suited for a planner with strong research, writing, and analytical skills who is interested in municipal land use regulation, economic development, and project entitlements.
Ramboll is seeking an Environmental Land Use Planner to join the firm’s offices in either Princeton, New Jersey, Blue Bell, PA or Binghamton, New York.

For this role, your key responsibilities and expectations will be:

Conducting independent research and analysis of municipal zoning ordinances, comprehensive plans, subdivision and land development regulations, and related planning documents under the guidance of senior planning staff.

Preparing entitlement matrices and jurisdiction-specific guidance documents for project teams and clients

Supporting the preparation of applications for rezonings, zoning text amendments, conditional uses, special exceptions, variances, and land development approvals

Monitoring municipal meetings ordinance amendments, moratoria, and other regulatory developments that could affect development timelines and entitlements.

Assisting with the development and maintenance of project tracking tools, zoning databases, schedules, and status reports.

Preparing technical memoranda, briefing materials, maps, presentations, and reports that clearly communicate planning and zoning findings to internal and external stakeholders.

Supporting due diligence reviews for prospective project sites, including analysis of land use regulations, utility considerations, development standards, and approval requirements.

Coordinating with engineers, environmental professionals, legal counsel, surveyors, and development teams to support project implementation and entitlement strategies.

Maintaining organized project records and ensuring accurate documentation of regulatory requirements, municipal decisions, and entitlement milestones.

Bachelor’s degree in Urban and Regional Planning, Land Use Planning, Geography, Public Administration, Environmental Studies, or a related field.

0-3 years of professional planning, land use, GIS, development, or related experience.

Strong research, technical writing, and analytical skills

Ability to read and interpret zoning ordinances, municipal codes, planning documents, and development regulations.

Proficiency in Microsoft Office applications, particularly Excel, Word, and PowerPoint.

Experience with GIS, ArcGIS, or mapping software is preferred.

Strong organizational skills and the ability to manage multiple assignments simultaneously.

Excellent verbal and written communication skills.

Interest in infrastructure development, economic development, data centers, energy projects, and municipal planning processes.

Characteristics of a Successful Candidate

Curious and detail-oriented researcher.

Comfortable navigating complex zoning and regulatory documents.

Able to synthesize large amounts of information into concise, actionable recommendations.

Self-motivated with a willingness to learn from senior planners and project managers.

Interested in understanding how zoning, permitting, and entitlement strategies support large-scale development projects.

Collaborative team player who can support multiple projects across different municipalities and jurisdictions.

Our Commitment to Sustainability

Responsible business conduct and sustainable practices have been part of Ramboll’s DNA since the company’s inception. Today these principles are an integral part of Our Mission and services and are formalized through our systematic work with the UN sustainable development goals. We are dedicated to taking a leading role in sharing best practices and creating value for clients by delivering solutions that are environmentally, economically, and socially sustainable. We have also committed to ambitious targets to maximize our own sustainability performance and set the industry benchmark.

Salary Transparency Statement

At Ramboll, your base pay is only part of your overall total compensation package. At the time of this posting, this role is likely to be compensated at an annual base salary between $58,416 and $73,020. Actual pay may be more or less than the posted range, depending on numerous factors, including experience, geographical location, internal equity, market conditions, education/training and skill level, and does not include bonuses, overtime, or other forms of compensation or benefits.

Where People Flourish

Our mission is to create sustainable societies where people and nature flourish. This means that a culture of inclusion is embedded in everything we do. Our people bring diverse backgrounds and experiences to the company, enabling us to deliver innovative and forward-thinking solutions to our clients. We also know how important it is to achieve the right balance of where, when, and how much you work. At Ramboll, we offer flexibility as part of our positive and inclusive approach to work. We are committed to equal employment opportunity, regardless of age, disability or medical condition, gender identity, marriage and domestic partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, ancestry, or national origin, religion or belief, sex and sexual orientation, military service and veteran status, or any other protected characteristic. Ramboll wants to ensure opportunities are accessible to candidates with disabilities. So, please let us know if there are any changes we could make to the application process to make it more comfortable for you. You can contact us at [e-mail] with such requests.

All your information will be kept confidential according to EEO guidelines.

I’m an early career talent

Early career talents are individuals who are currently studying at university, have recently graduated or who have a couple of years of PG work experience.

I’m an experienced professional

Experienced professionals are those who have anywhere from a few years to many decades of workexperience.

Buildings, Transport, Energy, Environment & Health, Water and Management Consulting