We are seeking a Community Designer to play an important role working directly with the Principal in Charge of our community design practice. In this role, you will develop traditionally inspired urban design, neighborhood plans, and conceptual architectural solutions for all scales of mixed-use and mixed-income communities. You’ll combine creative design leadership with project management and client engagement and have a significant influence on the growth and direction of our community design practice.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

Design Leadership

• Lead design efforts for small to medium-sized planning projects, from initial concept through implementation.
• Collaborate with the Principal in Charge on larger, more complex community design and planning initiatives.
• Develop compelling neighborhood designs that integrate missing middle housing types.
• Create conceptual and schematic architectural designs for residential and mixed-use buildings.
• Participate in firm-wide design reviews and elevate the importance of community design and planning across all projects

Project & Client Management

• Manage client relationships and expectations.
• Participate in public engagement processes, including stakeholder charrettes, workshops, and presentations.
• Meet project goals including budget, schedule, and deliverables.
• Maintain quality control standards.
• Mentor junior team members in planning principles and visualization techniques.

Community Design Practice Development

• Work directly with the Principal in Charge to reinforce Union as a recognized leader in neighborhood design and planning.
• Participate in business development efforts, including writing proposals and interviews.
• Advocate for traditionally inspired design approaches across all projects in the firm.

QUALIFICATIONS

Required

• Degree in Architecture, Urban Planning, or related field.
• Five (5) or more years of experience in community planning and/or architectural design.
• Demonstrated passion for traditional neighborhood development and urban design.
• Knowledge of New Urbanism principles and practices.
• Strong understanding of missing middle housing types and mixed-use planning.
• Exceptional hand drawing and digital visualization skills.
• Ability to communicate design concepts to diverse audiences.
• Strong verbal and written communication skills.

Preferred

• Experience with form-based codes and zoning regulations.
• Background with working charrettes and public engagement.
• Proficiency with SketchUp, Adobe Creative Suite, and GIS tools.

WHAT WE OFFER

• Opportunity to shape communities through thoughtful, traditionally inspired design.
• Collaborative office environment with direct mentorship from senior leadership.
• Career advancement within a growing practice.
• Professional development support and continuing education.
• Competitive salary and comprehensive benefits package.

Union is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We embrace diversity, inclusion, and equal employment opportunities without discrimination based on race, color, religion, national origin, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, disability, or any other legally protected status.