Principal Urban Designer Jobs (NOW HIRING)

Mid Level Urban Designer

Boston, MA

3-6 Years of Experience

$80,000 - $93,000 / salary

Are you interested in joining a cross-disciplinary design firm that is one of the most respected throughout the United States and around the world? With over 850 awards, and projects of significance and impact, Sasaki is a dynamic environment for personal growth, contribution and learning.

Sasaki is looking for an upper-junior to mid-level Urban Designers with 3-6 years of relevant experience to participate in a wide range of urban design and master planning projects across the US and internationally. Sasaki is a planning and design firm of about 300 professionals working throughout the United States and internationally from our offices in Boston, Massachusetts; Denver, Colorado; Brooklyn, New York; Los Angeles, California, and Shanghai, China. This role will be based in our Boston office.

Role Description

The successful candidate will become an integral member of Sasaki's Planning and Urban Design practice, working collaboratively on multidisciplinary teams consisting of planners, landscape architects, architects, and other urban designers.

The mid-level urban designer will work across geographies to create innovative 21st century places and environments on a variety of project types, including college and university campuses, urban/mixed use districts, new communities, research and innovation districts, corporate employment campuses, design competitions, corridor studies, and regional strategies. Common project locations include the United States, Latin America, China, Vietnam, India, and other Asian-Pacific countries. Applicants should have strong graphic, design, and communication skills and an eagerness to learn.

As an Urban Designer at Sasaki you will:

• Engage in all aspects of the design process including analysis, conceptual ideas, design development, client presentations, and documentation.
• Be responsible for creating 2d and 3d analytical and conceptual drawings, graphics, presentation materials, research, and digital models.
• Initiate urban design concepts and visual graphics with guidance from senior and principal urban designers.
• Work with and mentor staff-level urban designers in the development of urban design concepts and graphics.
• Present design ideas during internal team and client meetings
• Work with a variety of teams and contribute to a range of project types and geographies.
• We are committed to personal growth and individual well-being, and offer a variety of resources to support career development, including in-house training, mentoring, professional association memberships, and licensing examination reimbursement.

Required Skills:

• Urban designers at Sasaki will be integrated into active project teams starting on Day 1. The list below describes the optimal qualifications of the mid-level urban designer to meet typical project needs. We encourage people to apply for the position if they meet most of these attributes:
• Master’s degree in Urban Design with a background in Architecture or Landscape
• 3+ years of professional experience working as an urban designer in a design firm; other experience as an urban designer in a public agency or other organization would also be considered
• Ability to work enthusiastically and collaboratively in teams
• Excellent design talent, graphic communication, and visual storytelling
• Strong technical understanding of urban design including place making, urban form, and building typologies
• A passion for sustainable and resilient design
• Experience working as a part of an interdisciplinary design team in an office setting
• Be willing to contribute ideas in a team setting
• Demonstrated ability to work on multiple projects and tasks simultaneously
• Curiosity and enthusiasm for working across a variety of client and project types
• Experience with 2D and 3D software including AutoCad, Rhino, and/or Sketchup
• Expertise with Adobe Suite workflow (AI, PSD, INDD)

Additional Valued Skills and Characteristics

• Urban Designers at Sasaki share a common set of core competencies, but also have a range of complementary strengths and interests. The list below describes some additional skills and characteristics desirable in candidates:
• Proficiency with languages spoken in frequent project locations (for example, Spanish, Chinese, or Vietnamese)
• Organizational and management skills, with attention to detail
• Familiarity with spatial analysis workflow and software (ArcGIS)
• Experience with programming, Python, Grasshopper, or similar programs
• Experience with community engagement processes and public speaking
• Quantitative and qualitative analysis skills to support data-informed planning processes
• Unique design perspective informed by lived experience that is under-represented in urban design
• Relevant experience in ecology, real estate development, campus planning, or mobility planning
• A unique superpower that we haven’t thought to ask about, but that will make an impact on our projects and practice