Principal Planner – Education

HDR is an employee-owned firm dedicated to creating an inclusive environment where each person is valued and respected. We strive to empower authentic collaboration, innovation, and community impact through architecture and planning that address societal challenges.

As part of HDR’s Architecture practice, you’ll contribute to the design and delivery of spaces and experiences that advance community well-being around the world. From healing environments and learning spaces to research labs and civic infrastructure, your work will influence how people experience the built environment. HDR brings together architects, planners, designers, and technical experts to solve complex design challenges with creativity, curiosity, and collaboration, emphasizing resilience and sustainability.

More and more, academic clients need differentiated pathways and fresh perspectives on strategic goals, long-range plans, master planning, space utilization, and classroom and lab planning. We are seeking a Principal Planner who can lead or support education clients through a variety of programming and planning scopes including building and space programming, strategic facility planning, master planning, space use and optimization, with an emphasis on student learning and student life programs.

• Lead user group meetings of multiple stakeholders in the academic planning process.
• Represent and share thought leadership with clients and project teams.
• Develop visualization and communication materials to convey planning ideas and principles.
• Collaborate with HDR’s Data Driven Design culture and predictive analytics teams supporting academic planning and programming.
• Work with business development and marketing teams to develop pursuit strategies and capture plans for the market and targeted clients.
• Participate in client interviews and facilitate workshops/sessions.

• Develop industry thought leadership and provide value through research.
• Conduct literature searches and reviews; develop programming and design content related to education futures.
• Craft white papers and present at conferences; develop articles.

• Dedicate time to promoting student-centered learning experiences and advancing institutional goals for academic clients.
• Serve as primary point of contact for clients and build trust-based relationships.
• Collaborate with office leadership to advance Education Sector goals.
• Network at professional events and participate in the community; attend and speak at conferences.
• Lead interdisciplinary teams with analysts, strategists, designers, and clients; collaborate to evolve solutions.
• Work with data analysts to design models that are logical, imaginative, and defensible.
• Ask questions, seek clarity, listen, and empathize.

• Extensive knowledge of higher education facilities, including academic buildings, student life buildings, STEM, libraries, and campus planning for both public and private campuses.
• Ability to work effectively with clients and project teams.
• Experience with early phase marketing, pursuit development, and client interface.
• Ability to meet prospective clients and identify potential projects.
• Strong organizational, writing, and editing skills; research experience in academia is preferred.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Project).
• Excellent communication skills and a collaborative, client-focused approach.
• Commitment to HDR’s employee-owned culture.

• Bachelor’s degree in Architecture
• 15 years related experience
• Minimum 7 years project management experience
• Registered Architect
• Experience on large-scale projects and leading a project team with client presentations
• Experience with Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, Project)
• Extensive knowledge of local and regional markets
• Strong leadership, mentoring, organizational, and people skills
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills
• Willingness to travel
• Commitment to HDR’s employee-owned culture

HDR is our company. We build on each other’s life experiences and perspectives to make great things possible…