Foresight Analyst Job Toronto area,Ontario Canada,Research/Development

Joining Arup

Arup’s purpose, shared values, and collaborative approach have set us apart for over 80 years, guiding how we shape a better world.

Arup is a global design and consulting firm working across more than 140 countries to shape a more sustainable built environment. As an independent firm owned in trust for the benefit of our people, we have the freedom to invest in research, innovation, and long-term thinking.

The Foresight team, part of Arup University, helps clients and colleagues understand what is changing in the world, why it matters, and how to respond. We deliver research, strategy, thought leadership, and client projects exploring the future of cities, infrastructure, energy, climate, technology, and the built environment. Through a mix of analytical and creative methods, we translate emerging trends, uncertainties, and opportunities into actionable insights that help organizations navigate change and shape more resilient futures.

The Opportunity

As a Foresight Analyst, you will have the opportunity to work on a wide variety of topics, collaborate with experts from across Arup's global network, and contribute to high-impact client projects and thought leadership. You will develop your skills in futures thinking, research, analysis, stakeholder engagement, and strategic communication while gaining exposure to senior leaders, industry experts, and clients.

A typical week might include:

Researching technological, economic, political, environmental, and social shifts that could affect the future of the built environment

Analysing quantitative and qualitative data to uncover insights and identify emerging opportunities and risks

Synthesising complex information into clear reports, presentations, and thought leadership publications

Supporting the design and delivery of workshops, interviews, and stakeholder engagements

Collaborating with strategists, designers, engineers, and subject matter experts to develop futures-focussed projects and client solutions

Working with project leads and multidisciplinary teams to shape project pathways and deliver high-quality outputs to deadlines

Contributing ideas, challenging assumptions, and exploring new approaches to researching and communicating the future

No two weeks are the same. Some days you'll be deep in data, uncovering insights from research and analysis. Other days, you'll be helping shape a workshop for senior leaders or exploring what evolving technologies, climate change, demographic shifts, or new regulations could mean for the future of cities and the built environment.

Based in Toronto, this role works closely with colleagues across Arup's global network, with line management based in the United States. While the position is Canada-based, the work is global in scope and may involve occasional travel to support projects, workshops, and client engagements.

Is this role right for you?

Strong research, analytical, and critical-thinking skills, including the ability to work with quantitative and qualitative data. Must have experience with data analysis and visualization tools such as Power BI, Tableau, Python, R, SQL, or similar.

A natural curiosity about the forces shaping the future, and a willingness to explore complex questions where information may be incomplete, ambiguous, or uncertain

Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to explain complex ideas clearly to a range of audiences, including senior stakeholders

A collaborative mindset and willingness to learn, with the ability to contribute proactively to project teams and work effectively across disciplines, topics, and globally distributed teams

At least 2 years of professional experience managing projects or programs in consulting, strategy, policy,…