Graduate Town Planner

A Future with purpose

At Arup we’re dedicated to sustainable development and to do socially useful work that has meaning. Our purpose, shared values and collaborative approach has set us apart for over 75 years, guiding how we shape a better world.

We solve the world's most complex problems and deliver what seems impossible. We explore challenges with curiosity and creativity - using technology, imagination and rigour to deliver remarkable outcomes.

The Opportunity

We recognise that planning is always at the centre of complex debates about the future of communities. At their best, developments create shared and sustained benefits for both investors in projects or developments and the local communities and environments in which developments occur.

Arup guides development proposals at We give strategic advice on proposals, manage consultation, assess impact, prepare applications for planning consent and support applications through decision-making and post-decision processes. We also provide stakeholder engagement, reporting and appeal services. From a policy and strategic advice perspective, we also support local authorities in preparing Local Plans and their accompanying technical evidence base. This helps to shape how places grow and develop over time and is fundamental to guiding development management decision-making.

Available locations: Bristol, Cardiff, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Newcastle, Belfast, Leeds, Manchester and London.

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:

• Statutory consents
• Business case development
• Policy advice and development
• Research and evidence base development
• Impact assessment and evaluation
• Digital planning

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 people who are curious and ready to evolve how you think and work. Our greatness comes from how we respect, share and connect our diverse experiences, perspectives and ideas. At Arup, you belong to an extraordinary collective – in which we encourage individuality to thrive. If you can share your knowledge and ideas and encourage others to do the same; whilst having a desire to deliver excellent services for clients – we'd like to hear from you.

You should be able to start this opportunity in September 2025.

What we offer you

At Arup, we care about each member’s success, so we can grow together.

Guided by our values, we provide an attractive total reward package that recognises the contribution of each of our members to our shared success. As well as competitive, fair and equitable pay, we offer a career in which all of our members can belong, grow and thrive – through benefits that support health and wellbeing, a wide range of learning opportunities and many possibilities to have an impact through the work they do.

We are owned in trust on behalf of our members, giving us the freedom, with personal responsibility, to set our own direction and choose work that aligns with our purpose and adds to Arup’s legacy. Our members collaborate on ambitious projects to deliver remarkable outcomes for our clients and communities. Profit Share is a key part of our reward, enabling permanent members to share in the results of our collective efforts.

We also provide for our permanent members Private medical insurance, Life assurance, Accident insurance and Income protection cover. In addition, you’ll have access to adaptable benefits to help you look after all aspects of your wellbeing and give you the freedom to find the best solutions for you, your family, and your individual needs.