Westwood Professional Services

About the Role

In the Community Planning Intern position, you will help Westwood’s planning team assist cities, counties, parishes, and tribal nations plan for their future and pay for it. Our work includes comprehensive plans, zoning updates, master plans, community improvement plans, and federal and state grant applications for communities across Louisiana, Texas, Mississippi, and Tennessee.

As a Community Planning Intern, you’ll work alongside AICP-certified planners on active client projects. You’ll get hands-on experience with the full arc of a plan, from public meetings and stakeholder interviews to data analysis, plan writing, and the grant applications that turn plans into funded projects. This role suits a planning student who wants real project experience and the chance to see their work used by the communities it’s written for.

Duties and Responsibilities:

• Support community engagement activities, including preparing materials for public meetings, open houses, and workshops; helping facilitate and take notes; and organizing and summarizing public input.
• Help design, distribute, and analyze community surveys and stakeholder interview findings.
• Gather and analyze demographic, housing, economic, land use, and infrastructure data from sources such as the U.S. Census Bureau, the American Community Survey, and state and local agencies.
• Produce maps, charts, and tables using GIS and Excel to support existing-conditions analyses and plan recommendations.
• Research best practices, peer communities, zoning approaches, and funding programs to inform plan content.
• Draft and edit sections of comprehensive plans, zoning documents, and related planning reports under the guidance of senior planners.
• Assist with federal and state grant applications, including researching eligibility and program requirements, compiling supporting data, and drafting narrative sections.
• Help prepare presentations, agendas, and meeting summaries for client meetings, steering committees, and public hearings.
• Other duties as assigned.

Required Qualifications

• Currently enrolled in a bachelor’s or master’s program in urban and regional planning, geography, public policy, public      administration, environmental studies, architecture, or a related field.
• Strong writing skills, with the ability to explain technical information clearly to a general audience.
• Interest in working with communities and engaging residents, elected officials, and other stakeholders.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office, particularly Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.
• Willingness to occasionally attend public meetings or site visits, some of which may take place in the evening.
• Valid driver’s license and reliable transportation.

Preferred Qualifications

• Coursework or experience in GIS (ArcGIS Pro or QGIS).
• Experience with Census and ACS data, or with other quantitative or qualitative research methods.
• Familiarity with graphic design or layout tools such as Adobe InDesign or Canva.
• Prior experience in community engagement, outreach, or organizing.
• Interest in hazard mitigation, disaster recovery, housing, or rural and small-town planning. 

About Westwood Professional Services, Inc. (Westwood)At Westwood, our purpose is to create a better world for people through our work. We transform the energy grid, design resilient infrastructure, and develop communities that will flourish today and for future generations. With over 50 years of experience and a legacy of innovation, we stand at the forefront of our industry, dedicated to understanding the unique needs of the markets we serve.
Our approach revolves around people. We are committed to building a culture that attracts, retains, and develops high performers. Our team values relationships, innovation, dedication, initiative, and growth. We believe fostering a collaborative “One Team” mentality yields superior outcomes in everything we do. We customize our technical capabilities and geographic reach to meet our clients where they are and help them realize their vision.

We are partners in our clients’ success, driving to provide solutions that make a lasting difference. Safety, sustainability, and operational excellence are not just facets of our work; they are intrinsic to our identity, guiding every decision we make.
We are deeply invested in the communities we serve. Through our projects and giving-back initiatives, we enrich the lives of those we serve, engage others within our industry, and create a lasting impact on communities around the world. To us, success transcends the completion of projects; it is reflected in the lives we have positively impacted by our work.

Join us in creating a better world.

In 2025, Westwood was recognized as #77 on the ENR Top 500 Design Firms. Additionally, Westwood was ranked #5 for ENR's Top Design Firm for Solar, #6 for Battery Storage, and #3 for Wind (2025). The firm consistently ranks on the industry's top 25 lists and receives recognition for its involvement in award-winning projects nationwide.
Westwood provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local laws. We believe that diverse backgrounds strengthen our business. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation, and training.

Please note this job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities and activities may change at any time with or without notice.