About the Position

Cascadia Partners is seeking an Associate or Senior Associate with a passion for zoning and development code. We're looking for someone who enjoys translating community vision into practical regulations that shape the built environment. Whether you're an emerging planner with hands-on code experience or a seasoned professional leading complex code projects, we're interested in candidates who demonstrate strong analytical and regulatory writing skills.

What You'll Do

This position focuses on transforming planning policy into implementable regulations. You'll evaluate development codes, identify barriers to housing and development, engage communities and stakeholders, and draft code amendments that help communities achieve their goals.

Projects may include targeted code audits, housing barrier analyses, statutory compliance updates, or complete development code rewrites. You'll also have opportunities to contribute to comprehensive planning, urban design, real estate feasibility, and urban analytics projects.

Key Responsibilities

• Analyze development codes to identify barriers to desired growth and housing.
• Translate community goals into practical zoning and development code reforms.
• Draft clear, effective, and legally defensible development regulations.
• Engage residents, stakeholders, planning commissions, and elected officials through workshops, meetings, and public hearings.
• Research statutes, administrative rules, and planning policies to support recommendations.
• Prepare graphics, diagrams, and visualizations that illustrate proposed code changes.
• Evaluate development feasibility using pro forma modeling, affordability analysis, and density incentive strategies.
• Develop design standards that promote attractive, walkable, and livable communities.

Senior Associates will also lead projects, manage budgets and schedules, coordinate consultants, and serve as primary client contacts.

About Cascadia Partners

Cascadia Partners is a multidisciplinary planning and urban design consultancy based in Portland, Oregon. Our team of approximately 25 professionals completes 40–50 projects each year across the United States, including:

• Comprehensive plans
• Neighborhood and corridor plans
• Housing policy
• Zoning and development code reform
• Scenario planning
• Real estate feasibility studies

We focus on creating plans that communities can successfully implement.

Qualifications

Required

• Demonstrated interest in zoning and development code through education, professional experience, or related work.
• Associate: 2+ years of experience in urban planning, land use, public policy, law, or a related field.
• Senior Associate: 4+ years of experience, including project and team management.
• Master's degree in Urban Planning, Public Policy, Law, Geography, or a related field (or equivalent professional experience).
• Strong writing, research, analytical, and communication skills.
• Ability to produce or learn to write clear, legally defensible development regulations.
• Knowledge of land use planning, policy implementation, and development review.
• Excellent attention to detail.

Preferred

• Familiarity with Oregon's statewide planning system and land use law.
• GIS or quantitative analysis experience.
• Graphic design or visual communication skills.
• Experience using AI tools to support planning and analysis.

Work Location

Candidates must live in or be willing to relocate to Oregon or Southwest Washington.

• Portland-area employees work in the Pearl District office two days per week.
• Travel to client communities is required approximately every one to three months.

Compensation & Benefits

Associate: $70,000–$85,000

Senior Associate: $85,000–$100,000

Benefits include:

• Every other Friday off (36-hour average work week)
• Gold-level medical, dental, life insurance
• 401(k) with 3% employer match
• Professional development stipend
• Four weeks of PTO in the first year, increasing with tenure (up to eight weeks)
• Eleven paid holidays
• Paid parental leave (state-dependent)

Our Values

Cascadia Partners is committed to fostering an inclusive workplace where diverse perspectives strengthen our work. We invest in our team's growth through professional development, internal training, and a healthy work-life balance.

How to Apply

Submit application materials to Apply@Cascadia-Partners.com by Sunday, August 9, 2026. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis.

Please include:

• A note indicating whether you're applying for the Associate or Senior Associate position.
• A cover letter describing your interest in zoning and development code work.
• Your résumé.
• At least one writing or code sample (such as a code section, audit memo, staff report, or regulatory analysis) demonstrating your analytical and regulatory writing abilities.