Who We Are Dudek is a leading environmental, planning, and engineering firm that help public and private clients plan, design, and build projects that improve communities’ built and natural infrastructure. Founded in 1980, Dudek has grown steadily to more than 800 professionals across the U.S. and received the Top Workplace Award for 2024.
As a 100% employee-owned company, Dudek’s culture rewards smart, productive team members with ownership, professional development, and financial benefits. We seek creative, pragmatic problem-solvers working at the intersection of science, engineering, regulations, and multiple stakeholders’ interest to help clients achieve project goals. We encourage collaboration, sustainability, and innovation.
At Dudek, we abide by shared values: Trust: We trust each other to use good judgment. Respect: We act professionally and treat each other fairly. Teamwork: We come together, share openly, and apply diverse perspectives. Fun: We take our work seriously…not ourselves. Well-Being: We care about each other’s health, safety, and total wellness.
Our culture is the foundation of who we are and how we work. We empower our employee-owners to invest in our local communities and themselves through initiatives that make Dudek a great place to work! Our cultural programs include:
DuGreen: Our sustainability initiative, which works to improve our environmental footprint
DuGood: Our philanthropic initiative, which seeks to support the communities in which we live and work through fundraising challenges, office based giving and opportunity to take a paid volunteer day each year.
eDUcate: Our educational outreach program where we aim to foster interest in our work and careers in the environmental and engineering field by participating in educational events in our communities.
DuWell:Our wellness initiative, aimed at providing education on wellness, benefit resources, and preventive care
At Dudek, we recognize that different perspectives, inclusivity, trust and belonging build a stronger culture and add value to our firm. Dudek's Employee Resource (ERGs)operate as diversity champions within Dudek and create a safe space for underrepresented employees and their allies to support, collaborate, network, and brainstorm ways to make Dudek’s work community more inclusive. We currently have ERGs for:
Women at Dudek
Members of the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer (LGBTQ+) community
Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) employees
Disabled employees (all disabilities, seen / unseen)
About The Job We are seeking a housing planner/specialist that is excited about keeping up with California housing law and passionate about helping cities resolve their housing crises. The candidate would join ourPlanning and Urban Design group, which works collaboratively with experts across all disciplines to provide comprehensive planning and urban design services to public and private-sector clients. Our work is underpinned by the belief that great places derive success from the synergies of thoughtful design, first-rate public spaces, excellent mobility, and healthy environments. Our culture is the foundation of who we are and how we work. We are employee-owned and client-focused. We believe that people working in a trusting environment rise to the occasion and perform better than with top-down management and old-fashioned hierarchy.
You have experience preparing housing elements and/or other housing-related ordinances, programs and studies. But your interest goes beyond housing elements. You want to help California reform housing policy on both a local and regional scale to promote safe, affordable and vibrant communities. You understand how housing issues are woven through the principles of environmental justice. You have experience partnering with HCD, HUD, CAHA and/or other local and State housing agencies. You are creative and self-motivated.
Who You Are To thrive at Dudek, you should be comfortable with accountability, collaboration, flexibility while being a resourceful and independent thinker. We look for curious, solution-focused people who can adapt quickly to an ever-changing industry. There is no single way to solve a problem, so we encourage innovation.
Duties and Responsibilities (may include some or all of the below):
Helping public agencies, community leaders and residents come together to resolve housing concerns and developing actionable solutions for meeting their affordable, workforce, and market rate housing requirements
Eloquently articulating housing issues and navigating this often-contentious topic in front of clients and community groups
Researching what other states and cities are doing to successfully meet their housing needs
Taking initiative and championing housing-related pursuits
Managing, or assisting with managing, housing-related projects
Working both independently and collaboratively
Bringing a relaxed, friendly, and collaborative spirit to the Dudekian family
Minimum Requirements
Bachelor’s degree in City and Regional Planning or a related field
* As a federal contractor, successful candidates are required to pass the following pre-employment requirements prior to beginning employment: pre - employment drug test and background check.
Preferred Qualifications
Seven or more years of professional relevant experience
Master’s Degree in City and Regional Planning, or related field, is desirable
Member of the American Institute of Certified Planners (AICP) is desirable
Excellent verbal communication skills
Ability to collaboratively work in a team setting, and professionally represent Dudek in client/agency interactions
Working GIS knowledge, e.g. experience with Urban Footprint ArcGIS, etc is a plus.
Excellent research, writing, and analytical skills
Physical Requirements Working Conditions:
This job operates in a remote or office-based environment and this role routinely uses standard office equipment such as computers, phones, printers, etc.
This job requires occasional project site visits-based outdoors which can include excessive noise, uneven walking surfaces, extreme weather, moving vehicles and equipment.
Physical Requirements: The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met in order to successfully perform the essential functions of the job.
This job requires working on a computer, sitting or standing for long periods of time in an office or remote office setting.
This job requires attending meetings, both in person and virtually as well as speaking on the phone with peers, clients, etc. Speaking, hearing and listening are required.
Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and ability to adjust focus.
Outdoor activity may involve walking/trekking in uneven terrain over long distances in extreme weather conditions for extended periods of time.
Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
Proposed Salary Range:$120,000 - $140,000 annually* *Final agreed upon compensation will be based on a variety of factors including but not limited to an individual’s related experience, education, certifications, skills, and work location.
Perks of Being a Dudekian At Dudek we will provide you with a competitive salary in an environment that promotes growth, career development, and a flexible work–life balance. Dudek offers an array of benefits, from medical, dental, and vision coverage, to the discretionary bonuses, based on firmwide, divisional, and individual performance.
We also offer a yearly merit review, an employee stock ownership program, and dog friendly offices! To honor our key value of well-being, Dudek provides a generous vacation package. If you’re tired of an overly bureaucratic decision-making process and want to be part of a work culture that puts its employees first, speak with your recruiter to learn more about the great perks of being a Dudekian.
Dudek is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national or ethnic origin, age, disability, protected veteran status, or other characteristics protected by applicable law.
Dudek is a U.S.-based employer. All positions are based in the U.S. and require U.S. work authorization.