Urban Planner

Freese and Nichols • Houston, TX

21h • Hybrid

About The Position

Freese and Nichols is seeking an Urban Planner in Houston, Texas to join our Urban Planning and Design group. This position will strengthen our ability to create and update development regulations while supporting public-sector clients in both advisory and operational roles. You will play a key role in shaping zoning, subdivision, and sign regulations while contributing to broader planning efforts across Texas and beyond. As Planner, you will collaborate within a multidisciplinary studio environment that includes urban planners, urban designers, landscape architects, and engineers to deliver innovative and implementable solutions for communities. What You'll Do Work in a collaborative environment as part of a multi-discipline team. Demonstrate ability to produce well-written documents. Manage personal timeliness and technical correctness of a project to ensure high-quality work that fits within a client’s budget and expectations. Be willing to travel as needed to meet project commitments, including overnight travel and evening client meeting obligations. Prepare and facilitate public involvement and consensus-building meetings and workshops. Assist the group manager and project managers with related marketing and client development for planning assignments and help support/identify strategic direction to advance urban planning and urban design practices. Represent the company at conferences, seminars, meetings; make presentations to clients, government officials, and industry representatives. Plan, schedule, conduct and coordinate detailed phases of planning work in several large and important projects. Develop plans for utilization of land and physical facilities of cities, counties, campuses, metropolitan areas, and larger geographies, demonstrating creativity, foresight and mature judgment in anticipating and solving unprecedented planning and design phases of a project. Maintain liaisons with individuals inside and outside of the company. Draft proposals and statements of qualification within the directives of company policy relating to marketing. Delegate to and supervise technicians and other planners when performing project tasks. Qualifications Bachelor’s degree in Urban Planning, Architecture, Landscape Architecture, or a related field American Institute of Certified Planners AICP certification 4+ years of urban planning-related work experience Demonstrated experience in successful completion and adoption of development codes or code amendments Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite, Adobe Creative Suite, graphic design programs, and database management tools Preferred Experience in cross-sector planning (community and economic development, resilience, etc.) Experience managing multiple and complex projects Experience with facilitation, public engagement, and scope development Experience working in a government-client focused, fast-paced consulting environment About Freese and Nichols At the heart of our culture is our LEADS values (Learn continuously, Engage as family, Act with integrity, Deliver quality, and Serve always). Each year, our employee engagement survey confirms that our leaders and our employees live our values. We strive to be the firm of choice for clients and employees through innovative approaches, practical results, and outstanding service. For more than 130 years, we have been planning and designing the infrastructure our communities need: developing water supplies, designing roadways and bridges, preparing for natural disasters, and much more. Besides our comprehensive benefits package (see more at Benefits That Work for You), we offer paid overtime for salaried employees, an annual bonus, and access to company cabins in Red River, New Mexico and Banner Elk, North Carolina. We are proud of our flexible work environment which includes a hybrid schedule with up to 40% of remote work, and an alternative work schedule program which provides a day off every other Friday. Join our team of 1,300+ employees as we grow from Virginia to Colorado. Learn more about working here at Working at Freese and Nichols. Freese and Nichols is firmly committed to Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) and prohibits employment discrimination for employees and applicants based upon race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, pregnancy, genetic information, disability, status as a protected veteran, or any other protected category under applicable federal, state, and local laws. #LI-Hybrid Freese and Nichols is a professional planning, consulting and engineering firm serving clients across the United States. With client service and continuous improvement in mind, we plan, design and manage sustainable water and infrastructure projects.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Urban Planning, Architecture, Landscape Architecture, or a related field
• American Institute of Certified Planners AICP certification
• 4+ years of urban planning-related work experience
• Demonstrated experience in successful completion and adoption of development codes or code amendments
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite, Adobe Creative Suite, graphic design programs, and database management tools

Nice To Haves

• Experience in cross-sector planning (community and economic development, resilience, etc.)
• Experience managing multiple and complex projects
• Experience with facilitation, public engagement, and scope development
• Experience working in a government-client focused, fast-paced consulting environment

Responsibilities

• Work in a collaborative environment as part of a multi-discipline team.
• Demonstrate ability to produce well-written documents.
• Manage personal timeliness and technical correctness of a project to ensure high-quality work that fits within a client’s budget and expectations.
• Be willing to travel as needed to meet project commitments, including overnight travel and evening client meeting obligations.
• Prepare and facilitate public involvement and consensus-building meetings and workshops.
• Assist the group manager and project managers with related marketing and client development for planning assignments and help support/identify strategic direction to advance urban planning and urban design practices.
• Represent the company at conferences, seminars, meetings; make presentations to clients, government officials, and industry representatives.
• Plan, schedule, conduct and coordinate detailed phases of planning work in several large and important projects.
• Develop plans for utilization of land and physical facilities of cities, counties, campuses, metropolitan areas, and larger geographies, demonstrating creativity, foresight and mature judgment in anticipating and solving unprecedented planning and design phases of a project.
• Maintain liaisons with individuals inside and outside of the company.
• Draft proposals and statements of qualification within the directives of company policy relating to marketing.
• Delegate to and supervise technicians and other planners when performing project tasks.

Benefits

• comprehensive benefits package
• paid overtime for salaried employees
• annual bonus
• access to company cabins in Red River, New Mexico and Banner Elk, North Carolina
• flexible work environment which includes a hybrid schedule with up to 40% of remote work
• alternative work schedule program which provides a day off every other Friday

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level