Senior Urban Planner/Designer

Blue Signal Search; Washington (District of Columbia); On-site; USD 75,000 - 100,000; Full time

Job summary

Blue Signal Search is seeking a Senior Urban Planner/Designer to shape impactful places in Washington, DC. This role is ideal for design professionals who thrive in collaborative environments focused on mixed-use development and community engagement.

The successful candidate will lead urban design initiatives, develop site concepts, and create visual materials while engaging with clients and stakeholders. This position values quality and creativity in shaping vibrant environments.

Qualifications

• Eight or more years of professional experience in urban planning, urban design, architecture, or related fields.
• Demonstrated experience contributing to master planning and mixed-use development projects.
• Strong graphic communication and presentation skills.

Responsibilities

• Lead and support planning and urban design initiatives for mixed use and neighborhood scale environments.
• Develop site-based concepts that respond to market goals and community context.
• Create strong visual materials for client and stakeholder use.

Skills

Urban planning

Graphic communication

Team collaboration

Adobe Creative Suite

AutoCAD

SketchUp

Education

Bachelor's or master's degree in planning, urban design, architecture, or a related discipline

Tools

Revit

GIS

Job description

Our client is seeking a Senior Urban Planner/Designer to help shape high impact places where people live, gather, shop, and connect. This is an opportunity to join a collaborative design environment focused on thoughtful mixed use development, strong community character, and memorable destination making. The right person will step into visible project work, contribute to strategic planning conversations, and help turn early concepts into compelling, real world outcomes.

This role is ideal for a design professional who enjoys moving between big picture visioning and hands on project execution. You will work across planning studies, urban design assignments, and placemaking efforts that require creativity, sound judgment, and strong communication. The position offers exposure to a wide range of project types, meaningful client interaction, and the chance to influence places that have lasting community and market value.

What You Will Do

• Lead and support planning and urban design initiatives for mixed use, retail oriented, and neighborhood scale environments.
• Develop site-based concepts, planning frameworks, and design narratives that respond to market goals, community context, and development priorities.
• Contribute to collaborative workshops, design sessions, and fast paced working meetings that help move projects from ideas to actionable direction.
• Create strong visual materials, including diagrams, sketches, presentation graphics, and planning documents for client and stakeholder use.
• Coordinate closely with internal design teams and outside consultants to align planning intent with architecture, landscape, and technical requirements.
• Support project delivery through organization of schedules, preparation of materials, and follow through on key milestones and client needs.
• Apply sound urban design judgment related to walkability, land use relationships, development character, and place based experience.
• Bring a high standard of quality, accuracy, and design clarity to every stage of project work.

What You Bring

• Eight or more years of professional experience in urban planning, urban design, architecture, landscape architecture, or a related field.
• Demonstrated experience contributing to master planning, site planning, placemaking, or mixed use development projects.
• Strong graphic communication and presentation skills, including the ability to express ideas clearly through visual and written formats.
• Comfort working in team based settings that involve active collaboration, evolving priorities, and direct engagement with project leaders and clients.
• Working knowledge of Adobe Creative Suite, SketchUp, AutoCAD, and Microsoft Office.
• Understanding of urban form, development patterns, and the principles that support vibrant, functional, human centered environments.
• Bachelor's or master's degree in planning, urban design, architecture, landscape architecture, or a related discipline.
• Additional experience with tools such as Revit or GIS is welcome.
• Ability to travel occasionally for project meetings, workshops, or multi-day planning sessions.

Why Candidates Are Interested

This opportunity offers the chance to contribute to visible, design driven work in a studio setting that values collaboration, creativity, and professional growth. Team members have the opportunity to work on diverse assignments, strengthen their planning and design leadership, and help shape places with long term impact.