Planning Student or Recent Graduate

Overview

We are looking to add 4 enthusiastic Planning Students from a Professional Standard Board-accredited planning program, or planning-related undergraduate program, for a 4- or 8-month work term starting in May 2026!

At Urban Systems, we understand your need to have meaningful experiences during your work terms. We strive to provide opportunities for you to apply your skills to exciting, challenging, and rewarding projects, gaining exposure to diverse aspects of planning—both in the office and in the field. Our goal for you is to come away with new points of view, an enhanced skillset, a feeling of success, and long-lasting connections that will serve you well in your future as a professional.

Our commitment to creating an impact runs deep. We care – about each other, about the work we do, and about the clients and communities we work with. Our people and teams embrace a growth mindset to build a culture where everyone can grow and develop over time. This is a place where you can build meaningful relationships and explore your potential.

Join us for a work term where you will hone your knowledge and increase your understanding of industry best practices in a practical and supportive setting.

Working alongside seasoned planners and recent graduates alike, you may be engaged in projects related to land use planning, housing, transportation planning, public engagement, municipal/development finance, infrastructure planning, governance, urban design, and development approvals. You will have the opportunity to work with a wide range of clients and communities, such as municipal government, provincial government, Indigenous communities, and land development clients.

Do you see yourself excited to contribute to…

• Providing planning support on a broad range of community planning projects (including but not limited to land use planning, parks and recreation, economic development, tourism, transportation, and community governance)
• Conducting research, preparing background reports, and supporting projects for local government, land development, and First Nations clients (e.g., land use reports, conceptual plans, studies, bylaws, etc.).
• Assisting in the preparation of proposals, reports, and presentations for clients and public meetings.
• Collaborating with the existing team to develop public engagement materials such as open house panels, newsletters, brochures, and community surveys.
• Attending and supporting site visits, public meetings, engagements, workshops, and open houses as required.

As a student, you will have the opportunity to work on a wide variety of projects, although depending on the location, the projects, practice areas, and clients may differ. The following projects and skills are not an exhaustive list and may fluctuate based on capacity and interest.

In our Fort St. John branch, you can expect to be involved primarily in community planning projects, such as:

• Land use planning, policy writing, bylaw development, governance and service delivery model research and analysis, development approvals support, Indigenous planning, public engagement and communications, grant research and writing, economic development, and local government finance.

This will allow you to develop your skills and understanding related to:

• Client relationships, planning legislation, plain language writing, qualitative and/or quantitative data research and analysis, public engagements, reports, presentations, surveys, and proposals.

In our Vancouver branch, you can expect to be involved in community planning projects, such as:

• Land use planning and policy, housing and growth strategies, bylaws, community engagement, Indigenous planning, economic development, tourism market reviews, transportation planning, industrial lands strategies, local government finance, and community governance.

This will allow you to develop your skills and understanding related to:

• Client relationships, planning legislation, policy writing, qualitative and quantitative data analysis, public engagement, background research, presentations, surveys, final strategies and reports, developing…