Architect + Planner - Streetsense (Washington, DC)
About the job
Streetsense is seeking a visionary architect / planner to be the Director of Urban Design & Retail Planning to join our growing Place Consulting practice. This role is designed for a senior professional who can set the vision and framework for transformative mixed-use projects — someone who understands how buildings, public realm, and retail work together to shape thriving mixed-use environments.
The Role
You will lead complex, high-impact planning and design efforts for new mixed-use and adaptive reuse projects. Your focus: how to organize buildings, streets, and open spaces so that retail, residential, office, hospitality, and public life reinforce one another. The right candidate is fluent in both design fundamentals and real estate strategies, with a track record of working with developers and commercial real estate clients.
Key areas of responsibility include:
Shaping the vision, planning, and design frameworks for people-centered mixed-use projects.
Applying deep expertise in retail integration: sidewalks, storefronts, block and street structure, road sections, parking layouts, and the critical relationships between uses.
Translating strategy into physical design guidance that ensures projects are not just well-planned, but viable and vibrant in the market.
Leading multi-disciplinary project teams and serving as the strategic voice with clients, architects, and development partners.
Mentoring junior staff, elevating the quality of design and planning deliverables.
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Salary: $90,000 - $130,000
The Ideal Candidate
Background: Architect, urban designer, or planner with 10+ years in private sector real estate, particularly mixed-use development, urban infill, and large-scale master planning and urban design.
Expertise: Strong grasp of building placement, block and street design, pedestrian experience, and retail-driven public realm.
Strategic Lens: Understands not only how to design for the end user, but also how design drives tenant mix, leasing success, and long-term value.
Communication: Able to clearly articulate vision to C-suite developers, architects, operators, and civic stakeholders.
Leadership: Experience running teams and guiding projects from vision through entitlement and design guidelines.
This is not a community organizing or municipal planning role. We are looking for a candidate who brings development-side experience and an understanding of the realities of private-sector real estate decision-making.
Streetsense is committed to creating a diverse environment and is proud to be an equal opportunity workplace. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, genetics, disability, age, or veteran status.
Base salary is just one component of Streetsense's total rewards philosophy. We offer a wide range of benefits and perks that appeal to the variety of needs across our diverse employee base. This may include Medical Dental & Vision Insurance, paid time off, 401k match, wellbeing resources, and more.
To view this job and apply, click here.
