Urban Designer - Junior

Gensler; Chicago (IL); On-site; USD 70,000 - 82,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical

Dental

Vision

Disability insurance

Wellness programs

Flex spending

Paid holidays

Paid time off

401k

Profit sharing

Employee stock ownership

Bonus opportunities

Job summary

Gensler's Chicago team is seeking an Urban Designer to join our Cities + Urban Design practice. You will work on master plans, development standards, and design guidelines for public and private sector projects. Ideal candidates have 1–5 years of master planning experience and GIS/Autocad/Revit familiarity.

Strong visualization and communication skills are required to present concepts, collaborate with clients, and support multiple projects in a fast-paced environment.

Qualifications

• Master's degree in City/Regional Planning, Urban Design, Landscape Design or related field.
• 1–5 years of experience in urban planning, design and/or strategy.
• Proficiency in GIS and mapping tools.
• Basic skills in AutoCAD and/or Revit.
• Basic skills in SketchUp and other 3D/multimedia technologies.
• Strong organizational and multi-tasking abilities with attention to detail.
• Excellent written, verbal and graphic communication skills.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office and Adobe Creative Suite.

Responsibilities

• Prepare planning documents such as master plans, diagrams, renderings, design standards.
• Prepare presentations for clients, community stakeholders, and public agencies.
• Contribute to developing design concepts for urban design and master planning projects.
• Collaborate on conceptual and schematic designs and visualize designs in plan and 3D.
• Assist in narrative reports and presentations communicating design processes.
• Assist in managing client expectations, team communication and consultant coordination.

Skills

Organizational skills

Multi-tasking

Written communication

Verbal communication

Graphic communication

Education

Master's degree in City/Regional Planning

Tools

GIS

Mapping tools

AutoCAD

Revit

SketchUp

Microsoft Office

Adobe Creative Suite

Job description

General Information

Posting Date: 08-10-2026

Time Type: Full-Time

Job ID: 7841

Areas of Expertise: Cities + Urban Design

Job Category: Urban Design, Planning, Landscape Design

Locations

Chicago, IL, US

Your Role

Gensler's team in Chicago is seeking an Urban Designer to join our Cities + Urban Design practice area working on a range of high-profile public and private sector projects including master plans, specific plans, design guidelines, development standards and other planning studies. Ideal candidates will possess a background in urban planning and design and have 1-5 years of project experience, particularly in large-scale master planning. Technical knowledge such as familiarity with Geographic Information Systems (GIS), Autocad, Revit and other design tools are preferred. Strong interpersonal, analytical, and communication skills are critical. Comfort in a fast-paced, dynamic environment and the ability to work on multiple projects simultaneously is a must. Candidates should be self-starters, collaborative, and comfortable working to project deadlines.

What You Will Do

• Prepare planning documents, including: master plans, diagrams, renderings, design standards and other planning studies
• Prepare presentations geared toward clients, community stakeholders, and public agencies
• Contribute to developing strong, creative and innovative design concepts on a broad range of urban design and master planning projects including:
• Collaborate and advance conceptual and schematic designs on urban design and master planning projects
• Utilize visualization skills to express design both in plan and three dimensionally
• Assist with the preparation of narrative reports and presentations that communicate the design process and concepts
• Assist in presentations and production of urban design and master planning projects
• Assist in managing client expectations, team communication and consultant coordination

Your Qualifications

• Master's degree in City/Regional Planning, Urban Design, Landscape Design or other closely related field
• 1-5 years of experience related to urban planning, design and/or strategy
• Strong organizational skills with the ability to multi-task
• Strong attention to detail
• Excellent written, verbal and graphic communication skills
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, Outlook) and Adobe Creative Suite (InDesign)
• Proficiency in GIS and Mapping tools
• Basic skills in AutoCAD and/or Revit
• Basic skills in Sketch-Up and other 3D and multi-media technologies

Salary

The base salary will be estimated between $70,000 - $82,000 plus bonuses and benefits and contingent on relevant experience. To learn more about our compensation philosophy and full benefits offerings, please visitGreat People, Great Rewards | Gensler

Life at Gensler

At Gensler, we are as committed to enjoying life as we are to delivering best-in-class design. From curated art exhibits to internal design competitions to "Well-being Awareness Week," our offices reflect our people's diverse interests.

We encourage every person at Gensler to lead a healthy and balanced life. Our comprehensive benefits include medical, dental, vision, disability, wellness programs, flex spending, paid holidays, and paid time off. We also offer a 401k, profit sharing, employee stock ownership, and twice annual bonus opportunities. Our annual base salary range has been established based on local markets.

• medical
• dental
• vision
• disability
• wellness programs
• flex spending
• paid holidays
• paid time off
• 401k
• profit sharing
• employee stock ownership
• twice annual bonus opportunities

As part of the firm's commitment to licensure and professional development, Gensler offers reimbursement for certain professional licenses and associated renewals and exam fees. In addition, we reimburse tuition for certain eligible programs or classes. We view our professional development programs as strategic investments in our future.