Summer Placement - Urban Strategies
From helping shape entire cities to adapting infrastructure to deal with the climate emergency, a career at Buro Happold presents the chance to make a difference. With a world class reputation, our creativity and our people have delivered positive change to clients, the environment, and communities alike. If you want to be part of something bigger, this is your chance.
What is the Summer Placement Opportunity?
An exciting opportunity for an enthusiastic Urban Strategies Placement student to join our London team for Summer 2026!
Buro Happold's Urban Strategies team brings together the expertise of world class urban planners, economists and consultants to examine cities from a variety of angles, giving our clients a unique picture of the challenges to tackle and the assets and opportunities their city can capitalise on. Working on a diverse range of fascinating projects that cover urban development, infrastructure planning and design, resource management, and programme delivery, our Cities business unit is at the forefront of innovation in the urban environment.
Our current portfolio includes diverse city projects and programmes across the world From Cambridge to Tashkent and from Riyadh to Tblisi we are working with city leaders to examine the obstacles in the way of their vision, defining the strategies and programmes to make concrete progress. Our work helps cities to enhance their plans, programmes and practices enabling cities to deliver tangible improvements to quality of life for the benefit of all citizens. In keeping with our technical background, all of our analysis and strategy development is underpinned by the full range of deep infrastructure design, engineering and environmental analysis available across our practice.
To find out more about the Urban Strategies discipline, please click here.
What sort of projects do the consulting team work on?
Cowley Branch Line, Strategic Development Framework
The Urban Strategies team are working closely with masterplanners to explore the potential for additional strategic growth (of jobs and homes) in and around the new stations planned along the reopenning of the Cowley Branch Line in Oxford. OUr team is assessing the viability of spatial options around stations and surrounding land. The team is assessing the commercial viability and deliverability of different masterplanning options. The appraisal of each option will result in a series of recommendations on optimising growth that is viable and deliverable. We are also developing recommendations on the delivery models that can support the overall implementation of the growth planned in the spatial development framework. .
Circular and Resilient Tourism in Small Islands & Coastal Destinations
Buro Happold working with the World Bank has crafted a bespoke Circular Economic Development Strategy for Cabo Verde, The Gambia, and São Tomé & Príncipe. This strategy is the product of a collaborative effort involving Buro Happold’s multidisciplinary teams specialising in strategic planning, economics, sustainability, solid waste management, water and wastewater treatment, and energy. The Urban Strategies led the multi-disciplinary team to diligently researched the baseline conditions in each of the aforementioned countries with the objective of devising viable interventions. These suggested interventions are aimed at fostering sustainable, circular practices within these countries.
Belize Coastal Highway Corridor Structure Plan
Buro Happold has been appointed by the Ministry of Infrastructure Development and Housing, part of the Government of Belize to develop a Structure Plan for the highway corridor. The Structure Plan will become a comprehensive and strategic land-use planning document that outlines the long-term vision and development framework for the areas along the Coastal Highway Corridor in Belize. It will provide a blueprint for sustainable and coordinated development, ensuring that urban and rural development does not encroach on the country’s key ecological assets. The Structure Plan will address urban planning regulations, environmental protection, economic growth, and climate resilience through land management. An implementation and institutionalisation plan will be prepared as part of the project, as well as the roles and responsibilities of related institutions.
Qiddiya Regional Framework Plan
Qiddiya is a proposed destination capital for entertainment, sport and the arts in Saudi Arabia. Its success will be built on coordination of the necessary supporting infrastructure and facilities for an eventual resident population of 600,000. The Urban Strategies team prepared a Regional Framework Plan to facilitate this, and to be adopted as part of wider planning strategies for Riyadh. The team developed programmes considering environment, heritage, sustainability and resilience. The framework plan document compiled by the team incorporated these key elements to ensure the development progresses sensitively, in accordance with sustainable development principles, and in a way where climate change impacts are planned for and mitigated.
About you:
The recruitment timeline can vary depending on the role and team you are applying to. Successful applications are progressed to interview stage within 2-3 months from the closing date of the advert. We will endeavour to keep you informed throughout the time that your application is being considered, however, due to the volume of applications received and the size of our team, we are not able to respond to individual requests for status updates.
Please see our Early Careers Candidate Pack for further guidance and information.
This is a paid role for current university students for an 8-week placement taking place during Summer 2026. Exact dates can be flexible depending on candidate and team availability.
The annual salary for this placement will be in-line with the UK Real Living Wage.
If you are experiencing problems with your application submission, please contact earlycareers@burohappold.com .
A place for everyone
Buro Happold values an individual's flexible approaches to working patterns as an important part of how you work and achieve balance. We welcome applications from those who are seeking flexibility in their careers.
Our exceptional portfolio of projects is the result of the diversity of thought, identities, backgrounds, and experiences that shape us. Appreciating each other’s differences is key, we want employees to feel they don’t have to mask elements of their identity to thrive.
We are working to change the lack of representation of marginalised groups in the built environment. We are particularly keen to hear from anyone who feels they are underrepresented in the industry. We have much to learn from one another. Embracing differences allows us to develop the most innovative and elegant solutions.
Please let us know if there are any adjustments, we could make to the application process to make it easier and more comfortable for you. Contact recruitment@burohappold.com so we can work with you to support you throughout your application.
What is the Summer Placement Opportunity?
An exciting opportunity for an enthusiastic Urban Strategies Placement student to join our London team for Summer 2026!
Buro Happold's Urban Strategies team brings together the expertise of world class urban planners, economists and consultants to examine cities from a variety of angles, giving our clients a unique picture of the challenges to tackle and the assets and opportunities their city can capitalise on. Working on a diverse range of fascinating projects that cover urban development, infrastructure planning and design, resource management, and programme delivery, our Cities business unit is at the forefront of innovation in the urban environment.
Our current portfolio includes diverse city projects and programmes across the world From Cambridge to Tashkent and from Riyadh to Tblisi we are working with city leaders to examine the obstacles in the way of their vision, defining the strategies and programmes to make concrete progress. Our work helps cities to enhance their plans, programmes and practices enabling cities to deliver tangible improvements to quality of life for the benefit of all citizens. In keeping with our technical background, all of our analysis and strategy development is underpinned by the full range of deep infrastructure design, engineering and environmental analysis available across our practice.
To find out more about the Urban Strategies discipline, please click here.
What sort of projects do the consulting team work on?
Cowley Branch Line, Strategic Development Framework
The Urban Strategies team are working closely with masterplanners to explore the potential for additional strategic growth (of jobs and homes) in and around the new stations planned along the reopenning of the Cowley Branch Line in Oxford. OUr team is assessing the viability of spatial options around stations and surrounding land. The team is assessing the commercial viability and deliverability of different masterplanning options. The appraisal of each option will result in a series of recommendations on optimising growth that is viable and deliverable. We are also developing recommendations on the delivery models that can support the overall implementation of the growth planned in the spatial development framework. .
Circular and Resilient Tourism in Small Islands & Coastal Destinations
Buro Happold working with the World Bank has crafted a bespoke Circular Economic Development Strategy for Cabo Verde, The Gambia, and São Tomé & Príncipe. This strategy is the product of a collaborative effort involving Buro Happold’s multidisciplinary teams specialising in strategic planning, economics, sustainability, solid waste management, water and wastewater treatment, and energy. The Urban Strategies led the multi-disciplinary team to diligently researched the baseline conditions in each of the aforementioned countries with the objective of devising viable interventions. These suggested interventions are aimed at fostering sustainable, circular practices within these countries.
Belize Coastal Highway Corridor Structure Plan
Buro Happold has been appointed by the Ministry of Infrastructure Development and Housing, part of the Government of Belize to develop a Structure Plan for the highway corridor. The Structure Plan will become a comprehensive and strategic land-use planning document that outlines the long-term vision and development framework for the areas along the Coastal Highway Corridor in Belize. It will provide a blueprint for sustainable and coordinated development, ensuring that urban and rural development does not encroach on the country’s key ecological assets. The Structure Plan will address urban planning regulations, environmental protection, economic growth, and climate resilience through land management. An implementation and institutionalisation plan will be prepared as part of the project, as well as the roles and responsibilities of related institutions.
Qiddiya Regional Framework Plan
Qiddiya is a proposed destination capital for entertainment, sport and the arts in Saudi Arabia. Its success will be built on coordination of the necessary supporting infrastructure and facilities for an eventual resident population of 600,000. The Urban Strategies team prepared a Regional Framework Plan to facilitate this, and to be adopted as part of wider planning strategies for Riyadh. The team developed programmes considering environment, heritage, sustainability and resilience. The framework plan document compiled by the team incorporated these key elements to ensure the development progresses sensitively, in accordance with sustainable development principles, and in a way where climate change impacts are planned for and mitigated.
About you:
- Currently studying a degree such as Architecture, Economics, Geography, Urban Planning, social science, and/or Real Estate;
- A keen interest and appreciation of urban/city challenges and the value of providing a spatial understanding and integrated offer (including planning, economics, and technical infrastructure and environmental expertise).
- Strong communication skills and an ability to work well independently and also in a team;
- Experience and skills in design (CAD, Illustrator or other) and mapping skills (QGIS or other) and / or interest or skills in urban informatics, data science, statistical packages (Excel, SPSS, Stata) and/or business intelligence software (MS Power BI, Tableau) would be desirable.
- Broad insight within a team, mentored by a subject matter expert. The opportunity to experience our culture and value, and learn what sets us apart from other organisations. Exposure to a wide range of portfolios, including local community led projects and global large scale clients. The diversity of the projects we work on is one of the many reasons Engineers love to work at Buro Happold.
The recruitment timeline can vary depending on the role and team you are applying to. Successful applications are progressed to interview stage within 2-3 months from the closing date of the advert. We will endeavour to keep you informed throughout the time that your application is being considered, however, due to the volume of applications received and the size of our team, we are not able to respond to individual requests for status updates.
Please see our Early Careers Candidate Pack for further guidance and information.
This is a paid role for current university students for an 8-week placement taking place during Summer 2026. Exact dates can be flexible depending on candidate and team availability.
The annual salary for this placement will be in-line with the UK Real Living Wage.
If you are experiencing problems with your application submission, please contact earlycareers@burohappold.com .
A place for everyone
Buro Happold values an individual's flexible approaches to working patterns as an important part of how you work and achieve balance. We welcome applications from those who are seeking flexibility in their careers.
Our exceptional portfolio of projects is the result of the diversity of thought, identities, backgrounds, and experiences that shape us. Appreciating each other’s differences is key, we want employees to feel they don’t have to mask elements of their identity to thrive.
We are working to change the lack of representation of marginalised groups in the built environment. We are particularly keen to hear from anyone who feels they are underrepresented in the industry. We have much to learn from one another. Embracing differences allows us to develop the most innovative and elegant solutions.
Please let us know if there are any adjustments, we could make to the application process to make it easier and more comfortable for you. Contact recruitment@burohappold.com so we can work with you to support you throughout your application.