Urban Designer

Urban Designer - Austin Halff seeks an experienced urban designer to join our growing Planning and Landscape Architecture practice in the Austin office. The successful candidate should have experience engaging in public sector planning and urban design efforts in the private, public or non-profit sectors (or a combination). Design and Planning Abilities Candidate should be comfortable working at a wide range of scales, including at the site, neighborhood/district and citywide levels. Candidate must have an ability to think creatively, analytically and realistically in the interests of public sector clients that seek to balance a wide variety of community, stakeholder, decision maker and internal interests. Candidate must be able to convey planning concepts, ideas and proposals internally and externally in written, oral and graphic form. Strong organizational skills and multitasking abilities are needed. Candidate must be confident and comfortable solving problems independently and collaboratively to develop design, policy and regulatory tools that further urban design and land use goals of communities. Projects Projects are likely to range from concept level studies/site planning to long range plans to regulations (zoning and design guideline tools). Work would likely include but is not limited to subarea plans, comprehensive plans, open space plans, active transportation plans, streetscape design, design-oriented zoning efforts and special urban design projects. Education Candidate must have a degree in city planning, architecture, urban design, landscape architecture or another related field. The candidate should have 2-plus years of full-time experience as a planner or urban designer for a municipality, consulting firm or non-profit organization. Technical Skills Candidate should be proficient in Illustrator, InDesign, Photoshop, and basic MS office programs. Candidate must be able to utilize SketchUp and/or other 3d modeling software to illustrate design concepts and regulations. Candidate should be comfortable hand sketching to develop concepts, urban design frameworks, site plans and other similar elements. Candidate must be able to write effectively and concisely for planning documents. AutoCAD and ArcGIS skills are a plus. Day-to-Day Depending on the qualifications of the candidate, the role is likely to include:

• serving as project manager/assistant project manager on planning and urban design projects
• assisting with proposals and marketing pursuits for future projects
• participating in team building activities
• attending on-site project efforts like outreach events or hearings (some limited travel around Texas should be anticipated with the possibility of occasional travel out-of-state as projects demand)
• participating in ongoing professional growth through attendance at conferences, trainings, etc.

To Apply Please submit cover letter, resume and portfolio. If you are unable to relocate to Austin, but think you are a good fit for this position, don’t hesitate to reach out with interest. Alternative arrangements may be possible for the right candidate. Company Overview: Halff is a mid-sized, employee-owned, diverse and full-service infrastructure consulting firm planned, designed, engineered, constructed — and purposed — for people. Since 1950, we’ve been creating smart solutions that improve lives and communities by turning ideas into reality. Halff was founded on a core tenet: Focus on people, treat them well, and success will follow. It’s no wonder, then, that our employees and the culture they create result in our firm consistently being named a Top Workplace in America. Our industry-leading professionals collaborate to meet tough challenges in creative ways. Our services include: broadband, construction services, energy, environmental, geographic information systems, grant funding resources, intelligent infrastructure, intelligent transportation systems, land development, planning and landscape architecture, MEP engineering, public works, resilience, right of way, structural engineering, subsurface utility engineering/utility coordination, surveying, transportation, water resources and water/wastewater. Halff has offices in the following locations:

• Arkansas: Bentonville, Fayetteville, Fort Smith, North Little Rock and Little Rock
• Florida: Chipley, Crestview, Jacksonville, Orlando, Panama City Beach, Tallahassee, Tampa, Tavares, Temple Terrace and Windermere
• Louisiana: Baton Rouge and Shreveport
• Oklahoma: Norman and Oklahoma City
• Texas: Austin, Brownsville, Corpus Christi, Flower Mound, Fort Worth, Frisco, Houston, Lubbock, McAllen, Midland, Richardson, San Antonio, The Woodlands and Tyler

We offer excellent benefits including medical, dental, prescription and life insurance; long-term and short-term disability insurance; paid time off; holiday pay; traditional and Roth 401(k) plans; Employee Stock Ownership Plan; Health Savings Account; 529 College Savings Plan; flexible spending accounts; an Employee Assistance Plan; and more. Salary is competitive and commensurate with experience. Halff is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, national origin, disability, veteran status, or other legally protected status. Halff is a drug-free workplace. This offer of employment is contingent upon the receipt of a clear drug screen and background check prior to your first day of employment. This position may be subject to random drug testing pursuant to federal regulations.
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