Introduction
There are many urban planning companies in New Zealand including government agencies such as city councils which hire urban planners for a variety of positions. A few private companies are well-known in New Zealand which hire planning students who graduate from New Zealand universities. I will list some of the top companies which hire urban planners in New Zealand. Most of these companies are MNCs which have branches worldwide, you have a valid visa to work in other countries you can apply for these positions. You will mostly need to be on work visa or a permanent resident or citizen of New Zealand to get urban planning positions in these companies.
1. ARUP
Arup has been a leader in urban planning and engineering issues in the last 75 years. They have recently focussed on climate change and sustainable living and hire graduates who strongly align with their values and beliefs. The company is located in 140 countries around the world, and they also collaborate with urban planning consultants and architects. They work on a variety of urban planning projects from New York to China. In New Zealand they are funding some waterfront projects and urban planning water projects. They are involved in some very big infrastructure issues around the world. Landing a job in ARUP in New Zealand would be a dream for many planners in the country as the process is very selective and there are many interview rounds. It also gives New Zealanders a gateway to transfer to other countries worldwide.
- Divisions and Major Departments: Advisory services; Buildings; Digital; Infrastructure; Planning; Technical Consulting.
- Major Projects: Zero Emission Busses in New Zealand; Auckland Light Rail; Manawatu River Bridge; ASB North Wharf.
- Head Office: London, United Kingdom.
- Offers Internship: Yes
- Offers Graduate Program: Yes
- Official Website – https://www.arup.com
2. BOFFA MlSKEL
Boffa Miskel is a New Zealand based urban planning company. It is not as big as ARUP but it is a well-known New Zealand company. Planners, architects and designers all work together in the same firm to achieve infrastructure projects around New Zealand. Some of the projects Boffa Miskel is involved in are Bayside Stromwater Reserve Project, Auckland Waterfront Project, and Banks Peninsula Landscape Study. Similar to MNCs Boffa Miskell is a good job most New Zealand planners aim for, but it is not as competitive as MNCs and they mostly prefer to hire local New Zealand candidates who have experience in the country and lived in the country for a long time.
- Divisions and Major Departments: Design; Graphics & Mapping; Ecology; Landscape Planning; Planning; Culture; Biosecurity.
- Major Projects: Auckland City Centre Masterplan; Museum of New Zealand in Wellington; Christchurch Central City Residential Plan.
- Head Office: Auckland, New Zealand.
- Offers Internship: No
- Offers Graduate Program: Yes
- Official Website – https://www.boffamiskell.co.nz/
3. BARKER ASSOCIATES NEW ZEALAND
B&A Urban and Environmental firm is another local New Zealand company who are based around the country. They work with engineers, planners and architects to implement urban planning strategy and infrastructure projects around the country. They focus on urban design and work on GIS and other design frameworks. B&A collaborate with many councils around the country including Environmental Court Hearing for important environmental decisions such as climate change and decisions regarding community projects. New Zealanders who are interested in Urban Design projects can apply for B&A and they also hire resource consenting planners from time to time.
- Divisions and Major Departments: Urban Design; Planning; Environment.
- Head Office: Wellington, New Zealand.
- Major Projects: Napier Spatial Picture; Gisborne City Centre Framework; Mangawhai Central Private Plan Change.
- Offers Internship: No
- Offers Graduate Program: Yes
- Official Website –https://barker.co.nz/
4. CIVITAS PLANNING CONSULTANTS
CIVITAS is another local planning company who also specialise in many planning projects around the country. One of their recent projects involved designing and implementing a swimming pool in one of the best private schools in Auckland, New Zealand. They are also involved in creating apartment buildings, industrial buildings, and supermarkets around the country. CIVITAS has branches around New Zealand and it depends on what kind of work a person wants to do in urban planning and which projects they can involve in. CIVITAS would be a great place to start a planning career, although they are mostly hiring experienced planning individuals.
- Division and Major Departments: Urban Planning, Design; Consultancy; Master Planning; Resource Consent Applications; Plan Change Application.
- Major Projects: Apartment Redevelopment in Mount Eden, Auckland; Auckland Unitary Plan; Countdown Supermarket Upgrades in Auckland.
- Head Office: Auckland, New Zealand.
- Offers Internship: No
- Offers Graduate Program: No
- Official Website – https://www.civitas.co.nz/
5. HARRISON GRIERSON
From art installations around New Zealand to big urban regeneration projects, Harrison Grierson is a specialist planning company. They hire planning graduates from all areas, including urban design, resource consenting and urban regeneration-based planners because they are involved in big projects around New Zealand. Many engineers and architects work alongside planners to implement the infrastructure of New Zealand. HG also has a graduate planning program for recent graduates including internships and other onboarding activities for urban planners. Many New Zealand graduates from around the country are hired to work for HG. Their hiring process takes many rounds and can be lengthy. HG would usually like planners to be very clear on their vision and goals in planning before hiring them so that they can match specific projects to the expertise of a graduate planner.
- Division and Major Departments: Land & Buildings; Transport; Utilities; Water & The Environment.
- Major Projects: Rebuilding Christchurch Art Gallery; Transforming Downtown Auckland; Masterplanning Tait Business Campus.
- Head Office: Wellington, New Zealand.
- Offers Internship: Yes
- Offers Graduate Program: Yes
- Official Website – https://www.harrisongrierson.com
Conclusion
This article has explained five urban planning companies in New Zealand, including one urban planning MNC. There are not many MNCs in urban planning in New Zealand as most of them are local planning companies and city councils. These are the planning companies most urban planning graduates apply for in New Zealand and landing a job in these planning firms is a dream come true for most New Zealand planners as it provides a gateway for their future careers in a good company. If you would like more information about planning companies in New Zealand you can contact me or contact these companies directly in order to learn more, but you will mostly need to be a planning graduate from New Zealand to apply to these companies. NZPI website is a good place to start to do your research into urban planning career in New Zealand.
Also Read:
