Urban Planner

Your future position: Urban Planner

Choose your location: Katy, TX or Bannockburn, Chicago, Crystal Lake, or Naperville, IL offices

Why you should join our team! Why Baxter & Woodman?

At Baxter & Woodman, both seasoned professionals and recent graduates find more than a job; they uncover a long-lasting, fulfilling career with a distinguished leader in technology and innovation. Our work environment is extraordinary and being honored as one of the 2025 Zweig Best Firms to Work For exemplifies our appreciation and respect for our dedicated staff.

About the role, Your Impact

We are hiring a talented Urban Planner professional to join the planning team in our Katy, TX or Bannockburn, Chicago, Crystal Lake, or Naperville, IL offices. The Urban Planner will perform various general and specialized professional planning functions, including developing implementable comprehensive plans; existing and future land use maps; zoning maps; unified development codes; and special area plans, including neighborhood plans, downtown master plans, cultural plans, and parks and open space plans. This candidate will assist in creating and implementing master thoroughfare plans, capital improvement programs, and active transportation plans. Beyond developing well-informed planning studies, this candidate should be proficient at facilitating public engagement efforts, and providing technical expertise in analyzing data and providing development assistance services to a variety of municipal clients.

The candidate for this position needs to be actively pursuing their AICP and Envision Sustainability Professional (ENV SP) credentials, be adept at knowledge transfer, often sharing professional insights, technical acumen and training to lower-level staff in technical writing, the use of software programs such as Adobe Creative Suite and ArcGIS.

What your day-to-day will look like

• Delegating project tasks and other responsibilities to support staff
• Assisting in developing Planning Dept. graphic standards and product templates
• Developing a working knowledge and application of ArcGIS Urban software platform
• Providing QA/QC reviews of project deliverables produced by others
• Assisting with business development-related activities, including setting-up and attending meetings, preparing statements of qualifications (SOQs) and proposals
• Assisting in developing various planning studies; providing technical expertise in analyzing data and preparing reports for addressing short-term and long-range projects and land use issues, while providing land development assistance services to municipal clients.
• Researching and revising municipal regulatory codes and ordinances to achieve desired results.
• Assisting with facilitating public engagement activities. Producing public engagement materials and collecting input from stakeholders.
• Communicating complex planning-related concepts and solutions to the general public by the creation of graphic and conceptual renderings.
• Making presentations to a variety of audiences, including clients, public officials, and the general public. When required, perform on-call staff planner functions for local municipalities.
• Coordinating with colleagues in fulfilling the programmatic and technical requirements for stormwater management, grading, utilities infrastructure, transportation, and other civil engineering-related issues.
• Reviewing permit applications for compliance with municipal comprehensive plans, thoroughfare plans, codes of ordinances and other land development regulations.
• Helping to advance the planning profession through making presentations about relevant planning topics at national and state conferences and symposia and activity in professional organizations (e.g., Texas APA)

Education Requirement

• Bachelor's degree in urban planning, landscape architecture, urban design, or related professional field.

Must-haves, what you will bring

• 4+ years of experience working on urban planning, transportation planning, parks, recreation and open space planning, or comprehensive planning projects.
• General knowledge and expertise as a task lead for community, urban, and regional planning in transportation, parks and open space, land use, energy, sustainability, and resiliency
• Expertise in special area planning solutions for districts, neighborhoods, and corridors is considered a plus.
• Proficiency with Adobe Creative Suite (InDesign, Photoshop, Illustrator), Adobe Acrobat Pro, Microsoft Office products (Word, PowerPoint, Outlook, Excel, Teams, and One Note) and Geographic Information Systems (GIS) software.
• Excellent technical writing, graphic, and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to analyze demographic data and identify trends in employment, health and other areas.
• Ability to work with local government staff and officials to interpret and apply land development codes and subdivision regulations.
• Working knowledge of effective public engagement strategies, tools, and techniques.
• Ability to articulate and explain technical issues to non-technical municipal staff, officials, and the general public.
• Ability to work collaboratively with developers, designers, and public officials.
• Knowledge of urban spatial structure and the way cities operate and function. Knowledge of municipal systems operations and management, including utilities infrastructure, stormwater management, water distribution, and wastewater collection and treatment systems.
• Ability to envision, characterize, and give form to alternative physical and social living environments.

Travel Requirement: 5-10% with the ability to travel throughout the Houston metropolitan area throughout the year.

Relocation: For candidates interested in relocating to the Houston or Katy, TX area, relocation assistance is available.

Compensation: The pay range for this role is $75,000-$100,000. Actual compensation packages are based on several factors that are unique to each candidate, including but not limited to skill set, depth of experience, and certifications.

You matter! Our outstanding benefits - At our organization, we prioritize the holistic well-being of our employees through a comprehensive range of benefits. This commitment is evident in our healthcare offerings, including medical, dental, and vision plans, alongside an Employee Assistance Program and dedicated benefit advisors for personalized support. Financial well-being is enhanced through our financial planning program, life and disability insurance, tax savings plans, and coverage for accidents and cancer. Balancing work and life, we provide generous paid time off, paid holidays, parental leave, and flexible work arrangements, including the option to work from home and/or work a flexible schedule on eligible positions. Additionally, we lead the industry by offering 401k plans, supported by expert financial advisors, and an Employee Stock Ownership program, ensuring our employees are not just part of a workplace but a thriving, supportive community dedicated to their well-being, financial security, and happiness.

Baxter & Woodman is an equal opportunity - Vet/Disability employer