Job Opening: Campus Planner

Help shape the university’s built environment to be safe, sustainable, functional and welcoming! Apply to be a Campus Planner at UC Davis Campus and Environmental Planning, where every career employee receives extremely competitive health and retirement benefits including:

• Three weeks vacation at start, holidays and paid sick leave
• One of our state's best pension benefits and a retirement savings program
• An impressive selection of medical, dental, vision and life insurance
• Plus, much more...

LEARN MORE and APPLY by Feb. 22, 2026

EXPLORE UC Davis' Competitive HEALTH and RETIREMENT Benefits

Job Summary

Under the general supervision of the Director of Campus and Environmental Planning (CEP) and in close collaboration with the Executive Director of Campus Planning and Sustainability and the Associate Vice Chancellor and University Architect, the Campus Planner (CP) provides professional expertise in campus planning, urban design, and project management to guide the long-term physical development of UC Davis. The planner leads the on-going development and implementation of the Long Range Development Plan (LRDP) and Physical Design Framework (PhDF), updates district and neighborhood plans, and develops design guidelines that advance a sustainable, resilient, and high-quality campus environment.     

The Campus Planner shapes the campus’s physical form, ensuring it functions as a coherent, welcoming, and easy-to-navigate public realm. Key responsibilities include conducting site suitability analyses, ensuring planning efforts align with major campus planning documents, and integrating planning and urban design principles into all capital project initiatives.     

The role involves extensive collaboration within DCM, across the university and with external partners to provide strategic planning in support of campus leadership initiatives. The planner works closely with Design and Construction Management (DCM) staff to promote a resilient, functional, and inspiring campus environment.   

Department Overview

The CP works directly under the supervision of the Director of CEP, located within Campus Planning and Sustainability (CPS) which is part of the Department of Design and Construction Management (DCM). 

Qualifications

Minimum Qualifications

Education

• Bachelor degree in Landscape Architecture, City Planning, or other planning or environmental related field. 

Work Experience

• Minimum of three years of experience in campus planning or related fields, or an equivalent combination of education and experience in a higher education environment including preparing planning documents and design guidelines for a university or other similar type of public land owner.
• Experience developing urban design frameworks and translating planning concepts into real world, physical projects; including planning and designing public space and creating more sustainable landscapes. 
• Experience with quantitative and qualitative analyses and the integration of geospatial analyses into the evaluation of planning scenarios; 
• Experience in creating communication tools with Adobe Creative Suite; general experience with AutoCad and Sketchup.  

Knowledge Skills and Abilities

• Ability to communicate clearly and effectively with a diversity of stakeholders including strong verbal, written and visual communication skills to clearly and effectively present planning concepts to large and small audiences.
• Ability to listen to a diversity of perspectives and synthesize divergent viewpoints into a shared knowledge base.
• Proficiency with a MS Office, AutoCAD, Adobe Creative Suite, Sketchup and other rendering software.   

Preferred Qualifications

Education

• Preferred Master degree in Landscape Architecture, City Planning or other planning or environmental related field, or an equivalent combination of education and experience in a higher education environment.

Work Experience

• Experience synthesizing divergent views into planning strategies that algin with university goals including experience service as a project manager for planning studies.
• Experience planning and designing transportation infrastructure for bicyclists and pedestrians.  

Knowledge Skills and Abilities

• Skill to work with a high degree of autonomy and effectively partner with senior leadership; advanced political acumen and ability to manage conflict and navigate complex problems.
• Advanced knowledge of campus planning for a land grant university.
• Proficiency with ESRI Arcview and Tableau.  

Job Expectations

Essential Responsibilities

80% - Campus Planning

Leads the development and implementation of the Physical Design Framework (PhDF) and the Long Range Development Plan (LRDP), ensuring both guide the physical form and long-term growth of the UC Davis campus. Develops urban design concepts, district and neighborhood plans, and project-level design guidelines that maintain consistency with overarching campus plans.

Additional responsibilities include performing site suitability analyses, defining spatial relationships that shape the built environment and transportation network, and applying LRDP objectives to capital project planning. The planner participates in the design of university-delivered projects, public-private partnerships, and other complex developments, and contributes to related planning efforts such as stormwater management. The role also engages the campus community to advance long-range planning goals and fosters collaboration and trust across a wide range of stakeholders.

20% - Planning Studies

Creates early planning studies for campus leadership, such as site options for new buildings, district signage, gateway designs, etc. to support development opportunities. 

Special requirements

Access and Handling of Sensitive and Confidential Information

• Exercise the utmost discretion in managing sensitive information learned in the course of performing their duties. Sensitive information includes but is not limited to employee and student records, health and patient records, financial data, strategic plans, proprietary information, and any other sensitive or non-public information learned during the course and scope of employment. Understands that sensitive information should be shared on a limited basis and actively takes steps to limit access to sensitive information to individuals who have legitimate business need to know. Ensure that sensitive information is properly safeguarded.  Follow all organizational policies and laws on data protection and privacy. This includes secure handling of physical and digital records and proper usage of IT systems to prevent data leaks. The unauthorized or improper disclosure of confidential work-related information obtained from any source on any work-related matter is a violation of these expectations.

Reporting and Background Check Requirements

• This is a critical position, as defined by UC Policy and local procedures, and as such, employment is contingent upon clearing a criminal background check(s) and may include drug screening, medical evaluation clearance and functional capacity assessment

Smoke Free Work Environment

• The Smoke and Tobacco Free Environment policy is intended to provide a healthier safer, and more productive work and learning environment for the entire UC Community.  The University of California prohibits smoking and tobacco use at all University owned or leased properties, or facilities operated by UC staff or faculty. Smoking and tobacco use are strictly prohibited in indoor and outdoor spaces, parking lots, residential space, and University vehicles. https://ucdasvispolicy.ellucid.com/documents/view/271

Principles of Community

• UC Davis is a diverse community comprised of individuals having many perspectives and identities.  We come from a multitude of backgrounds and experiences, with distinct needs and goals.  We recognize that to create an inclusive and intellectually vibrant community, we must understand and value both our individual differences and our common ground.  The UC Davis Principles of Community is an aspirational statement that embodies this commitment and reflects the ideals we seek to uphold.  https://diversity.ucdavis.edu/principles-community

Other Special Conditions of Employment

• Work Environment: Work at a computer for extended periods of time.Work outside in extreme weather conditions and on uneven surfaces.
• Position does not require work outdoors more than 50% of the time
• Position does not require a driver’s license

LEARN MORE and APPLY by Feb. 22, 2026

EXPLORE UC Davis' Competitive HEALTH and RETIREMENT Benefits