Urban Planning & Design Associate

The Position: Cascadia Partners seeks an Associate team member who has relevant education and/or experience in urban planning or design, land use and housing policy, data analysis/GIS, or real estate development. We seek a collaborative person who is excited about working in a fast-paced, diverse work environment, and making a positive impact in the communities where we work. The start date for the position is flexible and can be adjusted to align with school graduation dates if necessary.

Our Work: Cascadia Partners is a multidisciplinary consulting firm headquartered in Portland, OR, with a team of over 20 staff who work in-person, hybrid, or remotely. We work on 40-50 projects across the country annually, ranging from large-scale master plans, mission-driven public-private developments, housing policy, zoning code updates, scenario planning, and community engagement. We focus on actionable plans that get built and solutions rooted in equitable community engagement.

Our Values: We value diversity, equity, and inclusion on our team and in our work. We value intellectual curiosity and lifelong learning and offer professional development stipends and frequent internal skill building courses. We value a healthy life-work balance and offer every other Friday off and 4-weeks starting paid vacation.

Position Details: This position will be responsible for completing technical analysis, research, and design tasks across multiple projects. The Urban Planning Associate will support multiple project teams and report to the Senior Associates who manage each project. Depending on a candidate’s skill sets and experience, project work could include spatial and quantitative data analysis; policy and code research and evaluation; graphic design and document layout; urban design diagrams and visualizations; presentations; and community engagement activities.. 

Required Qualifications

  • Master’s Degree in Urban Planning or Design, Real Estate Development, Public Policy, Economics, or related fields OR a minimum of 2 years experience in these fields and a Bachelors Degree

  • Quantitative analysis experience in Microsoft Excel and other software programs.

  • Spatial analysis experience and proficiency in ArcGIS.

Desirable Qualifications

  • Experience designing layouts and infographics resulting in compelling, public-friendly graphics and documents (specifically using the Adobe Creative Suite).

  • Strong writer and communicator who can break down complex policy issues clearly and concisely.

  • Urban design and site design (Trimble SketchUp, CAD, and hand sketching experience a plus).

The Ideal Candidate

  • Enjoys working in a fast-paced environment on complex projects in many different communities and contexts.

  • Independently manages time and meets deadlines.

  • Demonstrates respect, dignity, and empathy in diverse, multicultural settings.

  • Centers relationship-building and collaboration in their work, seeking to engage authentically with their teams, clients, and stakeholders and understand their interests, values, and backgrounds.

  • Desires to understand, analyze, and bring innovation to planning projects, with an emphasis on equity and inclusion.

Work Location

  • In-person, fully remote, and hybrid arrangements possible

  • If based in the Portland metro area, 2 days of in-office time is required at our office in the Pearl District.

Compensation and Benefits

  • $65,000-72,000 base salary + profit sharing bonus, depending on experience.

  • Gold-level health insurance, dental, 401k match, professional development stipend

  • Generous paid time off, including 4 weeks starting paid vacation (8 weeks max), parental leave (dependent on state of residence), up to 15 paid holidays

  • Every other Friday off year-round (36-hour average work week)

How to Apply

Please send an introductory email or cover letter with a resume and at least one work sample or portfolio that showcases technical skills and ability to communicate data attached to Info@Cascadia-Partners.com by Friday, June 20th, 2025. Interviews will be scheduled as applications are received.

We are stronger because of our diverse team. Women, LGBTQ+ and people of color are encouraged to apply.