Urban Designer + Planner

Dills Architects is seeking an Urban Designer + Planner to move projects from vision through implementation. The role develops planning frameworks and design concepts, analyzes place-based conditions, and supports coordination and engagement across urban design, master planning, campus, civic, and public-realm projects.

Responsibilities

Contribute to urban design, master planning, campus, civic, and public-realm projects from early research through implementationConduct site, contextual, demographic, environmental, land-use, and precedent analysis to inform design decisionsDevelop planning frameworks, site plans, public-realm concepts, design guidelines, and alternative development scenariosTranslate data and complex project conditions into clear maps, diagrams, models, visualizations, and compelling narrativesExplore connections between buildings, landscapes, mobility, infrastructure, ecology, and community experienceSupport and participate in stakeholder meetings, community engagement, workshops, and public presentationsResearch zoning, policy, development standards, and planning requirements and incorporate findings into project strategiesCoordinate with architects, landscape architects, engineers, consultants, clients, municipalities, and community partnersContribute to proposals, interviews, research initiatives, and thought leadership related to cities and the public realm
Skills

Professional degree in Urban Design, Architecture, Landscape Architecture, Planning, or related discipline with minimum 4 years of relevant experienceDemonstrated strength in urban design, master planning, site planning, and public-realm design across multiple scalesAbility to analyze physical, social, environmental, and regulatory conditions and translate findings into meaningful design strategiesStrong spatial thinking with the ability to develop clear planning frameworks, site concepts, diagrams, and design guidelinesStrong graphic, written, and verbal communication with an ability to make complex ideas understandable and visually compellingProficiency in GIS and Adobe Creative Suite/Affinity requiredWorking knowledge of land use, zoning, transportation, resilience, and development patternsOrganized, self-directed, collaborative, and comfortable contributing across multiple projects and scalesExperience with community engagement, stakeholder workshops, and/or public presentations preferredFluency in Rhino, SketchUp, AutoCAD, Revit, or comparable modeling and documentation tools preferredAICP, LEED, or other relevant professional credential is valued but not required
Benefits

Bonus opportunitiesHealth + dental + life insurance401k plan + % matchGenerous PTO packageOpportunities for growth + expanded responsibilityOn-site or hybrid position at the Virginia Beach officeRelocation assistance may be available for qualified candidates
Company Overview

𝗗𝗶𝗹𝗹𝘀 𝗔𝗿𝗰𝗵𝗶𝘁𝗲𝗰𝘁𝘀 𝗶𝘀 𝗮𝗻 𝗮𝗿𝗰𝗵𝗶𝘁𝗲𝗰𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲 + 𝘂𝗿𝗯𝗮𝗻 𝗱𝗲𝘀𝗶𝗴𝗻 𝗽𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗲 𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗶𝘀𝗵𝗲𝗱 𝗶𝗻 𝟭𝟵𝟴𝟯. It was founded in 1983, and is headquartered in Virginia Beach, Virginia, USA, with a workforce of 11-50 employees. Its website is https://www.dillsarchitects.com.