Summer Internship - Town Planner

See it differently

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.

Town Planning sits at the forefront of shaping sustainable, inclusive, resilient and prosperous communities, ensuring that the places we create today can support the needs and aspirations of generations to come. When places are planned well, people are healthier, happier and more prosperous, benefiting from communities that support wellbeing, opportunity and a high quality of life.

Arup shapes development proposals at each stage of the process, our Town Planners play a hands-on role in shaping development and placemaking from the very first idea through to delivery. Our holistic range of services ensures we can support a wide range of public and private sector clients. 

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.

We also partner with developers, architects and a wide range of built environment professionals to shape development strategies, lead meaningful consultation, assess impacts and manage planning applications through every stage of the decision-making process.

With opportunities to work across both public and private sector projects, you'll gain exposure to some of the most exciting and influential planning challenges in the UK—making a real difference to the communities we help to shape on role in shaping development and placemaking from the very first idea through to delivery.

The Opportunity

Based in our Liverpool Office, during this 6 week Summer Internship you will be working in the Town Planning Team who sit within the Cities, Planning & Design portfolio, with the opportunity to work on projects with some of our 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 Summer Intern, 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 (2008).

• 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.

• Supporting in research initiatives such as Arup's Cities Alive series.

 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. In the Liverpool Office our Town Planners work closely with the Transport Planning team, to develop holistic solutions to city challenges. During your placement on occasion you'll also work to support Transport Planners on projects which have cross-over with Town Planning skill sets.

Is this role right for you?

For this opportunity, we are 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).  

• The opportunity is open to Town Planning students in their penultimate year at University or students with a related undergraduate degree, i.e., Geography, who will be going on to study for a Master's degree in Town Planning next year.

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

• While the role will allow for home-working on occasion, candidates are expected to be present in the office on a weekly basis to maximise their learning opportunities. For example, if candidates are working a 5-day week, they would be expected to be in the Arup Liverpool office at least 3 days a week.

We're looking for:

• Curious & Adaptable: Candidates should be willing to work on a range of diverse projects

• 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 Summer 2026.

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.

What we offer you

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.