Summer 2026 Urban Planning Intern

Progressive Companies • Grand Rapids, MI

88d

About The Position

The Progressive Companies Summer Internship Program is a paid, full-time experience where classroom learning meets real-world impact. You’ll dive into hands-on projects, sharpen your problem-solving and communication skills, and gain a front-row seat to the world of architecture, design, engineering, and construction. Along the way, enjoy community outings, wellness events, service-learning projects, and lunch-and-learns that fuel both your career and your curiosity. As a Planning Intern, you will work collaboratively with the Urban Planning Practice Leader, Project Managers, and Planners to develop master plans, transportation plans, urban placemaking and development proposals, conduct research and perform data analysis, attend community engagement sessions, and develop visually rich content that conveys important planning information.

Requirements

• Enrollment in land use planning college coursework or planning-adjacent college coursework such as architecture, landscape architecture, civil engineering, public administration, or environmental science
• Completion of at least one (1) year of coursework is required
• Strong technical writing experience
• Understanding of graphic design principles for infographics, document layouts, and social media posts
• Knowledge of computer hardware and software programs including Microsoft Office (Teams, PowerPoint, Word, Excel), ESRI ArcGIS Pro, and Adobe Creative Suite (Illustrator, Photoshop, InDesign)

Responsibilities

• Exhibit strong technical writing skills for inclusion in planning documents such as master plans, zoning ordinances, research reports, and other professional documents
• Provide graphically rich content for community engagement sessions, plans, proposals, project webpages, grant applications, and other documents as needed
• Participate in generating digital and social media outreach content
• Collect and gather data, synthesize findings for useful analysis, demonstrate paths for implementation, and share recommendations in a manner that garners support
• Utilize a strong attention to detail for review and proofing of presentations, written reports, graphic boards, transmittals, and other client-facing materials
• Follow project scope for accurate milestones and strong adherence to project deadlines
• Maintain composure and multi-task, while working under deadlines and pressure
• Attend night and evening meetings as required
• Maintain professional tone in correspondence with clients and stakeholders; exhibit empathy, humility, and active listening in meeting with community residents and stakeholders
• Maintain positive working relationship with Practice Leader, Project Managers, and Planners and coordinate tasks and provide project updates

Benefits

• Paid summer internship
• Award-winning wellness program
• Hybrid work schedule
• Summer hours
• Profit-sharing
• Employee stock ownership plan (ESOP)
• Paid service-learning hours available to every employee
• Corporate sponsorship for a wide range of community organizations and activities

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Intern
• Education Level: Bachelor's degree