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Principal-level Urban Planner/Designer
PlaceWorks / Santa Ana, CA
Posted on: July 23, 2026
Application Deadline: Open until filled
Job Description
PlaceWorks is seeking a full-time, experienced urban planner/designer to lead and expand the established Urban Planning and Design Practice Area in our Orange County office. We are seeking an individual with 10-15+ years of urban planning and design experience, ideally working for private-sector consulting firms, though public-sector experience may also qualify. In this position, you will have the opportunity to build on our portfolio of work in urban revitalization and development, working for both public- and private-sector clients, and will be expected to leverage your relationships and increase the visibility of PlaceWorks’ design capabilities by winning new projects that complement the goals of PlaceWorks and the firm’s Design Team. You will also be expected to mentor less experienced, aspiring professionals into leadership positions.
Our Design Team works in a cross-disciplinary, collaborative environment across multiple office locations on projects where urban design and site planning are integral components. Our work covers all types of urban infill and revitalization, including corridor and downtown revitalization, transit area planning, mall conversions, industrial area transition, residential infill, and objective design standards. Typical work includes preparing Specific Plans, Master Plans, visioning packages, site concepts, urban design analyses, active transportation and streetscape recommendations, design guidelines, and zoning recommendations. In addition, our General Plan practice often requires urban design and form-based components as part of larger General Plan updates. An understanding of the real estate market, entitlement, and California laws related to planning and housing is important.
This is an Associate Principal-level or Principal-level position. Our firm’s Associate Principals and Principals are perceived as innovators, thought leaders, and influencers in the industry. They also have a demonstrated ability to successfully lead, manage, and oversee staff, complex projects, high-level presentations, strategic marketing, business development, and client relations—all of which are key competencies the ideal candidate must possess.
You’re most likely a fit if:
- You are creative with a collaborative, team-oriented mindset, who can maintain a sense of camaraderie, and are passionate about urban planning and design work.
- You have at least 10 years of related work experience and project management experience.
- Managing multiple projects is second nature, and you have successfully overseen and coordinated major components of planning and design projects of all sizes within budget and schedule. Project management responsibilities include, but are not limited to, leading proposal strategy and preparation, budget development and management, staff and subconsultant coordination, team leadership, schedule oversight, billing and financial review, contract negotiation and administration, client communication, quality assurance/quality control, and stakeholder and community engagement.
- You are experienced in winning new clients and projects for the firms you have worked with and feel comfortable as a leader in the process of business development.
- You are experienced with preparing and providing direction for the scope and content of planning documents.
- You understand residential, mixed-use, commercial, and industrial products being built in California.
- You’re a highly motivated self-starter who can work both independently and in a dynamic, highly collaborative environment, including a hybrid work environment with regular in-office collaboration (minimum two days per week) and flexibility for remote work as needed. You are a good listener and have excellent verbal communication, presentation, and interpersonal skills, with a demonstrated ability to effectively engage clients, agency staff, stakeholders, and the public in a professional and confident manner.
- You are comfortable with and have proven yourself to be an engaging public speaker and presenter—you’ll be expected to represent PlaceWorks at interviews, public hearings, community workshops, and professional conferences.
- You are able and willing to attend client meetings, community workshops, and public hearings, including those that may occur on evenings and weekends, and are willing to travel as needed.
- You are passionate about mentoring and developing staff, fostering an environment where others can grow, contribute meaningfully, and share in project success. You effectively delegate, provide clear direction, and deliver timely, constructive feedback.
- You have strong leadership capabilities to grow and lead staff members, and to promote an inclusive, respectful, and empowering workplace culture where all staff feel valued and supported.
- You have a bachelor’s or master’s degree in urban planning and design, architecture, landscape architecture, or a related field.
- You have a strong working knowledge of Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, Outlook, and PowerPoint).
- You have a reliable means of transportation to and from work, and to perform site visits, attend meetings, and support project needs as required.
The pay range for this position is $140,000 – $200,000+ per year, dependent upon experience and other relevant factors.
About PlaceWorks:
Based in California, PlaceWorks is a 100% employee-owned planning, design, and environmental consulting firm. The firm’s expertise and services span a wide range of practices, including city planning, urban design, landscape architecture, environmental review, GIS, and community participation. Our interdisciplinary, holistic approach integrates sustainability, economic vitality, community goals, and collaboration with our clients in the planning and design process. With a 50-year history of providing award-winning projects, we are passionate about our work and together with our clients, will continue to create great places. Learn more about the work we do and how we do it at: https://placeworks.com/.
PlaceWorks’ mission is to envision and create great places, and that includes our own workplace. You can view the perks and benefits we offer our employees at: https://placeworks.com/our-culture/.
PlaceWorks is an Equal Employment Opportunity employer and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any kind. All employment decisions at PlaceWorks are based on business needs, job requirements, and individual qualifications, without regard to race, religion, color, national origin, age, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions), gender identity and/or expression, sexual orientation, marital status, military and veteran status, physical or mental disability, or any other status covered by applicable federal, state, or local law.
Required Experience / Skills / Education
(see job description)
Application Instructions
Apply at https://placeworks.com/our-culture/careers/. When applying, attach your cover letter, resume, and a design portfolio as three (3) separate PDF attachments. Each attachment must be under 500KB. Alternatively, include a link to your design portfolio if it exceeds 500KB.
