Graduate Environmental Planning Consultant 2025

AECOM is a top ten UK planning consultancy by size, employing more than 70 Chartered or Licentiate Planners, based in our London, Bristol, Edinburgh, Glasgow and Belfast offices. AECOM is also a worldwide leader in environmental and engineering consultancy and working as a planning consultant within AECOM means access to some of the highest profile and prestigious plans and projects in the UK, working with colleagues operating at the cutting edge of their disciplines as part of the largest UK environmental consultancy.

Projects

The environmental planning team is working across a variety of plans and programmes across the UK and internationally.

We are undertaking Sustainability Appraisal (SA), Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) and Integrated Impact Assessment (IIA) for:

• Local Plans and Neighbourhood Plans in England;
• Local Development Plans in Wales;
• Scottish Government plans and strategies;
• Plans and strategies in Northern Ireland
• A range of other plans, programmes and strategies nationally and internationally, including transport plans, energy plans, national park plans, climate change plans and masterplans.

The team is also working on a wide variety of strategic planning and infrastructure projects across the UK at a range of spatial scales, including associated with strategic, local and neighbourhood planning. In this respect there are opportunities to work on a diverse range of projects.

When a graduate starts with us we pair them with an experienced member of the team who will guide and mentor them through their initial period working on live projects.

Here's what you'll do

Joining AECOM will provide you with opportunities for career progression within a positive culture where learning and development is actively supported and promoted.

As a Graduate you will play a role in supporting a wide variety of projects, engaging directly with clients and stakeholders to secure successful planning policy outcomes. Work portfolios are managed to ensure that all staff experience a breadth and depth of project opportunities (including plan making, development management and infrastructure projects).  

AECOM works closely with the RTPI to provide comprehensive training and support to our graduates undertaking the Assessment of Professional Competence. We offer the opportunity to network with other planners and professionals at frequent events, meet-ups and knowledge-sharing sessions to support and enable you to achieve your career ambitions.

Main duties would be to

• Play a supporting role in the undertaking of Strategic Environmental Assessments, Sustainability Appraisals and Integrated Impact Assessments for a wide range of plans, programmes and strategies. This would for example include writing scoping reports, collating baseline information, undertaking plan appraisals and liaising with the client and other stakeholders to achieve successful policy planning outcomes.
• Provide technical inputs to land use planning projects and work within a team of planners, environmental specialists, landscape architects and engineers to deliver a range of projects including policy planning, infrastructure planning, and strategic development planning projects. This would be likely to include, for example environmental assessments relating to topics such as air quality, biodiversity, climate change, landscape character, historic environment, or socio-economic assessments.
• Assessing different spatial and growth scenarios.
• Undertake site visits and assessments.
• Carry out planning research and analysis and assist with the identification of planning risk.
• Provide ideas and potential solutions for more effective environmental and sustainability outcomes and improved plan performance
• Keeping up to date with relevant planning, environmental and sustainability legislation, policy, guidance and best practice
• Support others in the team to identify and pursue business development opportunities, and support the growth of the business through new and repeat clients. Contribute to proposals and qualification documents to secure new commissions.
• Provide effective representation for the organisation, developing and managing relationships with clients, local authorities and other stakeholders through project work and through attendance at conferences and other networking events.
• Participate in the successful operation and management of the planning team, including playing a role in sharing technical knowledge and excellence.
• Provide assistance to the management team as required.

Enjoy the perks

At AECOM, you'll enjoy a range of core and personalised benefits designed to support your future and well-being, customised to fit your lifestyle. Take advantage of career development opportunities, our flexible hybrid working model to ensure a work-life balance that suits your lifestyle, technical practice networks, AECOM University, and volunteering days.

Here is what you will get from us!

On the job support and learning

When a graduate starts at AECOM, we pair them with a senior member of the team who will guide and mentor them through their initial period working on live projects and business development tasks, to support with any technical queries.

Graduate Development Programme

Our 2 year graduate ADVANCE programme is designed to help you build your career in AECOM. You will attend a number of instructor-led training sessions where you will meet and hear from people across the business and take part in a series of interactive activities to equip you with the knowledge and skills you need to succeed in your role. Alongside the instructor-led elements of the ADVANCE programme, you will also engae with an online curriculum via AECOM University and have the opportunity to join the ADV ANCE webinar series. We will provide you with all the support and tools you need to achieve your professional development ambitions, which may include Chartership with the relevant international professional institution.

We have more than 750 graduates on our programmes across the UK and Ireland from more than 40 different disciplines, each making a tangible difference to the environment in which we live and work.

We will help you work towards becoming a Chartered Member of the Royal Town Planning Institute (RTPI) or a Chartered Environmentalist (CEnv)

Qualifications

Ready to push the limits of what’s possible?

Here’s what we’re looking for

• Ideally a postgraduate degree in a relevant subject (geography, planning, environmental management, sustainable development etc.) (desirable);
• Bachelors degree in a relevant subject (essential);

Key skills

• High quality report writing skills
• Ability to analyse/synthesise complex information
• A willingness to engage with innovative approaches, including digital tools
• Quality control
• Interest in environmental and sustainability issues
• Numerical and analytical skills and the aptitude to understand and communicate complex technical information, for example Excel-based quantitative analysis;
• Creativity and ability to propose solutions to practical issues on projects such as data limitations and time constraints;
• Clear and dynamic communication skills, with the ability to work as part of a team and the capacity to collaborate regularly with colleagues, clients and stakeholders with various backgrounds;
• A willingness to work flexibly across different topic areas in an agile way;
• Ability to work to deadlines, working flexibly under pressure and responding to changing project and programme demands;
• Strong organisational skills, attention to detail and the ability to structure and prioritise the delivery of project outputs effectively while working as part of a multi-disciplinary team;
• Understanding of how to help manage projects effectively; and
• Proficiency in the use of Microsoft Office including Word, Excel and PowerPoint.
• Willingness and ability to travel
• A full driving licence or access to reliable transport. would be beneficial as the role will involve travel for site surveys and possible transportation of site equipment
• Previous experience of working in a consultancy environment/commercial or regulatory body would be beneficial, including work placements or relevant voluntary experience.

Skills that would be welcome

• Experience in using Esri software to analyse spatial data and create high quality map layout outputs (ArcGIS Pro);
• Experience in using Adobe software (InDesign, Illustrator, Photoshop);
• Membership of a relevant professional institution (desirable) ideally working towards MRTPI or Full Membership of IEMA.

We celebrate diversity, including neurodiversity, and believe it enriches our team. We welcome applications from all backgrounds and abilities. If you are an applicant with a disability that requires reasonable accommodation to complete the application process, please contact us.

At AECOM, we value everyone's unique contributions and perspectives. If you meet some of the requirements above or have transferable skills you believe would benefit us, we would be delighted to hear from you!