Our Planning Team in London, Aldgate have several  fantastic graduate opportunities available with a start date of July 2025 onwards. 

About our Team

The AECOM Planning Practice projects include some of the largest, most complex and high profile development and regeneration projects in the UK for both public and private sector clients. We are a young, dynamic, planning team and work closely with colleagues in other related disciplines, including masterplanning, landscape, environment, sustainability, transport and economics.  

Projects

Examples of projects the Town Planning team are involved in include: 

East Bank, Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park (London) - Having gained planning consent for the Legacy Communities Scheme on the Olympic Park, AECOM’s planning team have led the complex planning applications for the new UCL East Campus and the Stratford Waterfront development on the East Bank which will see the BBC, V&A, Sadlers Wells and London College of Fashion creating a new cultural heart to London at the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park.  

Northern Arc, Burgess Hill - AECOM submitted a hybrid planning application for a 3,500 home urban extension to the north of Burgess Hill on behalf of Homes England. Our planning team co-ordinated the major multi-disciplinary team to produce the masterplan, Infrastructure Delivery Plan and Phasing Strategy.   

Neighbourhood Planning Support - Since 2014, AECOM has been working with partners Locality to deliver technical support to neighbourhood planning groups throughout England, on behalf of the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities.  Support ranges from assessing local housing need and site assessment to design codes and masterplanning. To date we have provided support to more than 600 neighbourhood groups. 

Trans-Pennine Route Upgrade – on behalf of Network Rail, AECOM is leading the consenting for the transformative, long-term railway infrastructure programme that will improve connectivity and help boost economic growth in the North.

Sunnica Energy Farm – AECOM have led the submission of what would be one of the largest solar farms in the UK across four sites in East Cambridgeshire and West Suffolk.

Sustainability Appraisals - for over 100 local plans throughout the UK. 

Alongside this, we are currently leading on planning applications for other solar farms, roads, airports, bridges and much more across the UK.

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 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: 

• 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 land development, infrastructure planning, policy planning and strategic development planning projects. 
• Play a supporting role in the preparation of planning applications for a range of infrastructure, large scale residential and mixed-use schemes, working with other disciplines in multi-disciplinary teams. This would for example include writing planning statements or policy appraisals and liaising with the client and other stakeholders to achieve successful planning outcomes. 
• Carry out planning research and analysis and assist with the identification of planning risk.
• 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 town 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).

See our digital early careers e-brochure here