Graduate Town Planner

You see the world through a unique lens and that's exactly what we need. We embrace how you see things differently – it's essential for creating a sustainable future.

Arup is a global consultancy with advisory and technical expertise across more than 150 disciplines. We guide, plan and design the future of the built environment. Globally, each year we recruit hundreds of graduates to help us see things differently and solve the most complex challenges facing our clients, climate and communities.

We recognise that planning sits at the heart of complex debates about the future of our communities. At its best, development can deliver shared and sustained value - benefiting the local communities and environments which host development, whilst providing positive returns for those investing in these projects.

Arup shapes development proposals at each stage of the process. We provide policy and strategic advice, supporting local authorities in preparing Local Plans and their accompanying technical evidence base to shape how places grow and develop over time and to guide development management decision-making. We give strategic advice on development proposals, manage consultation, assess impact, manage applications for planning consent and support applications through decision-making and post-decision processes. We also provide stakeholder engagement, reporting and appeal services. Our holistic range of services ensures we can support a wide range of public and private sector clients.

The Opportunity

With 150 town planners across 17 UK offices, we work on some of the most high-profile and complex projects, providing end-to-end support and advice to public authorities, infrastructure developers, property companies and landowners through the planning and policy development process, engaging with communities to deliver more inclusive and sustainable towns and cities. Examples of our recent projects include: delivering the award-winning redevelopment of Alexander Stadium in Birmingham, Greater Manchester Places for Everyone Integrated Assessment, Luton Airport Expansion Development Consent Order and research such as our 'Cities Alive' research which explores social, technological, economic and political drivers shaping future cities across the globe.

As a town planning graduate, you can expect to gain experience across a wide range of sectors and disciplines, including but not limited to the following:

• Preparing applications for statutory consents, including under the Town and County Planning Act and the Planning Act

• Providing planning policy advice and developing policy, at both local and national level.

• Undertaking research and developing evidence bases to support Local Plans.

• Undertaking Impact Assessments in support of applications.

• Digital planning programmes and research.

Our town planners work collaboratively with specialists from a wide range of backgrounds, including environmental, design, energy, sustainability, legal, costing, engineering and infrastructure, and transactions to ensure our advice is pragmatic and delivers value.

Is this role right for you?

We're looking for candidates who hold or are on track to achieve a Bachelor's degree in town planning or related degree (2.1 or above).

This role is ideally suited to candidates who have or are in the process of completing a Masters in a RTPI accredited course.

We're looking for:

Changemakers: A passion for sustainable development and creating a better world is key.

Innovative minds: We're looking for critical thinkers who embrace new ideas and challenge the status quo.

Growth seekers: You have a growth mindset, always eager to learn and explore new ways of working.

Adaptable adventurers: You're ready to take on any challenge that comes your way.

You should be able to start this opportunity in September 2026.

Advert closing date: 6th December 2025

Please note, in the event of high applicant volume, this role may be closed ahead of the advertised closing date. Early application is recommended.

Location Preferences

While the role you applied for is based in the location specified in the job advert, we may have other opportunities that align with your profile. To help us assess this, please let us know which Arup office locations you would be interested in working in on your application form

Duplicate Applications

Please note, candidates are permitted to submit only one application per recruitment cycle. We recommend reviewing all available opportunities and selecting the role and location(s) that best align with your skills and interests before applying.

Eligibility

Please note that we are unable to offer visa sponsorship for this role. Therefore, you must ensure that you are eligible to work permanently in the UK without our sponsorship.

Beyond a great salary and stimulating, technically challenging work, Arup offers a range of additional benefits to its people.

As a membership organisation, everyone shares in our success through a global profit share scheme. Our members also have access to a range of broader wellbeing benefits. You'll have access to lots of learning and development opportunities. This includes a structured induction and ongoing training through Arup university.

Additionally, you'll have the opportunity to utilise your technical expertise to do meaningful work that strengthens the resilience of communities and places to improve lives through Arup's community engagement programme.

complete the application form, attaching any required documents. We will be reviewing applications for this position on a rolling basis. You are therefore strongly encouraged to apply in advance of the application deadline.

At Arup, we encourage individuality to thrive by respecting, sharing and connecting our diverse experiences, perspectives and ideas so we can grow together.

At Arup we are an equal opportunity employer, and we accept people for who they are – we encourage applications from people of all backgrounds regardless of age, gender identity and expression, marital status, disability, neurodiversity and mental health, race, faith or belief, sexual orientation, socioeconomic background, and whether you're pregnant or on family leave. Your difference belongs here. We are an open environment that embraces diverse experiences, perspectives, and ideas – this drives our excellence.

Our internal employee networks support our inclusive culture – from race, ethnicity and cross-cultural working to gender, LGBTQ+ and disability – we aim to create a space for you to express yourself and make a positive difference - Discover more about life at Arup at

At Arup, we are committed to making all stages of our recruitment process accessible to all candidates. Please contact to let us know if you need any assistance or reasonable adjustments throughout your application and we will do everything we possibly can to support you. As a Disability Confident Level 2 Employer in the UK, we will strive for one third of all our assessment places to be allocated to candidates who have disclosed they are disability confident and best meet the requirements of the role. Please refer to these requirements per each role advertised.

We appreciate that everyone's circumstances are different and it's not always easy to commit to standard working hours. Work Unbound is our innovative hybrid approach to working and gives all our members greater flexibility in deciding how and where they work.