Urban Planning Associate

Urban Planning Associate Position

Economics and Real Estate Technical Specialist
 

The Position: Cascadia Partners seeks an Associate team member who has a desire to build technical analysis skills and has relevant education and/or experience in urban planning or design, land use and housing policy, and 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 on the communities we work in. The start date for the position is flexible and can be adjusted to align with school graduation rates if necessary.

Our Work: Cascadia Partners is a multidisciplinary firm headquartered in Portland, OR, with staff that work in-person, hybrid, or remotely. We work on 30-40 projects across the country annually, ranging from large-scale master plans, mission-driven public-private developments, housing policy and zoning analysis, scenario planning, and community engagement. We have a 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, research, and graphic design tasks across multiple projects. The Urban Planning Associate will support multiple project teams and report to the Senior Associates who manage each project. Projects could include spatial and quantitative data analysis related to zoning code audits or updates, market studies, economic impact analyses, strategic plans, climate action plans, or environmental plans. 

Required Qualifications

• Master’s Degree in Urban Planning, Real Estate Development, Public Policy, Economics, or related fields 
  OR a minimum of 2 years experience in the fields of urban planning, economics, design, environmental policy
• Quantitative analysis experience in Microsoft Excel and other software programs.
• Spatial analysis experience and proficiency in ArcGIS suite or QGIS.

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.
• Ability to manipulate and analyze large datasets (experience with R and Python desired, but not required).
• Urban design and illustration (Trimble SketchUp 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 housing policy and zoning code work, with an emphasis on equity and inclusion.
• Demonstrates willingness both to receive and give growth-minded feedback and to receive and respond to coaching from Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) leaders.
• Is excited to engage in Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (JEDI) work

Work Location

• In-person, fully remote, and hybrid arrangements possible
• If based in the Portland metro area, in-office time required 2 days per week at our office in the Pearl District.

Compensation and Benefits

• $65,000-70,000 base salary + profit sharing bonus, based 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 one work sample that showcases technical skills and ability to communicate data attached to Info@Cascadia-Partners.com by Friday, May 17, 2024.  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.