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Urban Designer

Urban designers plan and shape towns and cities to make them better places to live - with good transport, green spaces, interesting buildings and communities where people feel at home.

Urban Designer

35

Architecture and Planning

AI IMPACT
AI CAN DO35%moving to77%
THE DOOR, NOWB
THE DOOR, 20 YRSD
STARTING PAY£30,000 - £36,000
REGULATORY MOATThe law requires human oversight. That human could be you.
This job holds up well against AI
AI cannot yet do much of what this job actually involves, and the law requires human oversight. That human could be you. That is about as safe as careers get right now, though it is still worth learning to use the tools well.

The role

As an urban designer, you think about how streets, parks, shops and homes fit together. You look at a space - maybe a run-down neighbourhood or a bit of land - and imagine what it could become. You might design a new park for a city or plan how to turn an old warehouse area into somewhere people actually want to live and work.

Your work involves walking around, talking to local people about what they need, sketching ideas and using computer design tools to plan streets and spaces. You work with architects, engineers and local councils to turn your ideas into real neighbourhoods. You think about practical things like how many people live there and where they park, but also about making places feel good - with colour, trees and spaces for people to meet and spend time together.

Daily responsibilities

  • Conduct site analysis and assess environmental, social, and economic factors affecting urban development.
  • Collaborate with architects, engineers, and city planners to create comprehensive design proposals.
  • Utilize software tools like CAD and GIS to create detailed urban design plans and visualizations.
  • Engage with community stakeholders through workshops and public consultations to gather input and feedback.
  • Research and apply best practices in sustainable design and urban policies to inform projects.
  • Prepare reports and presentations to communicate design concepts to clients and local authorities.
  • Monitor project progress and compliance with zoning laws and regulations.
  • Stay updated on urban design trends and innovations to continually enhance design strategies.

Does a degree help here?

A UK degree in Urban Design or a related field equips candidates with a deep understanding of local planning regulations, cultural contexts, and environmental considerations, giving them a competitive edge in a market that values homegrown expertise and innovative thinking.

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AI EXPOSURE = the share of a job's day-to-day tasks AI can already do today, from the same exposure engine used across this site (Anthropic labour market research, 2026, observed real-world AI usage by occupation). Higher means more exposed. It is a measurement of now, not a prediction. THE DOOR = how hard the job is to get into, grade A (easy) to E (extremely hard), from each career's published forecast (OpenAI, "The AI Jobs Transition Framework", Richmond 2026, CC BY 4.0). A card marked MOAT NOT YET CLASSIFIED has a real exposure score but no entry yet in our moat register, so we make no claim about what structurally protects it. Scorecard grades and verdicts are Careermash editorial judgment: we show forecasts as forecasts and own our conclusions. Salary and pathway figures are each career's own published profile. Careermash is a service provided by What School Ltd.

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