Design at David Lock Associates
Design is at the heart of what we do, and we are one of the most innovative and influential practices in our field. Our team of urban designers and masterplanners work on projects at every scale from new communities and regeneration strategies, to detailed masterplans and design codes that shape how people experience places day to day. As an assistant designer, you’ll be part of this work, contributing directly to live projects. You’ll work across different schemes, in the public and private sector, gaining broad exposure while developing your own skills and interests. Collaboration with planners, technical specialists, and senior designers is central to how we work, giving you the chance to learn from experienced colleagues and see your work have real impact.
Graduate Opportunities
To apply for a position as an Assistant Urban Designer, please send us a covering letter, your portfolio and CV.
Key Dates
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Applications close: Friday 28 November 2025
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Interviews: Winter 2025/2026
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Start dates: Summer 2026
Our Process
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Application review – we’ll review your CV and covering letter.
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Assessment and interview – shortlisted candidates will have an in-person interview at our Milton Keynes office, and get a feel for the studio where you’ll be working.
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Offer – successful candidates will receive offers shortly after interviews.
Our design team
Our design team brings together a wide mix of skills, and work closely within our project teams to shape schemes from concept through to delivery. Assistant designers work alongside colleagues specialising in graphics, visualisations, technical drawing, landscape architects, GIS, CAD, and masterplanning, giving you exposure to the full process and a chance to learn from experts in each discipline. You’ll develop your own technical and creative skills and see how different approaches come together to create successful, well-designed places. How we collaborate is what makes us different. You’ll be part of integrated project teams, contributing ideas, learning skills, and understanding how design decisions are made at every scale.
Pathways to practice
Journeys into design are different. We’ll support you to find the pathway that works for you. If you’re completing a masters, we offer flexibility, funding, and mentoring to help you succeed while gaining practical experience on real design projects alongside our team. This means you can put your learning into practice straight away, with access to senior designers, planners, and technical specialists who can guide you through both your studies and your early career.
I applied to David Lock Associates after completing my undergraduate degree in Architecture and Landscape Architecture and having met the team at the university’s end of year show. I immediately felt welcomed through the refreshingly, straightforward application process. I was drawn to the multidisciplinary nature of work, which allows me to draw on my dual background, while learning from planning and other design disciplines to deliver more holistic designs for communities.
Alongside my role as an Assistant Urban Designer, I’m studying for an Urban Design MA at Oxford Brookes University one day a week, fully funded by the company. This part-time approach has been hugely beneficial. There are strong crossovers between my studies and my projects, allowing me to apply theoretical knowledge directly to real-world work. Over the past year, I have been involved in a wide range of projects, including strategic masterplanning, wayfinding strategies, public realm design guides, and town centre regeneration. This variety of work has helped develop my written and visual communication skills, and broadened my understanding of urban design. I particularly value the approachable culture here, which has helped me build confidence and teamworking skills in a collaborative environment. I look forward to continuing my Urban Design journey with the team here.
Caitlin Allen, Assistant Urban Designer
I’ve long been interested in places, people, buildings and design, and was excited during my A-levels to discover a discipline that integrated these interests. I studied BSc Urban Planning and Development at Cardiff University, with a placement at TFL in my third year. These gave me an appreciation for the importance of good design, and influenced my decision to undertake an MA in Urban Design at Cardiff.
At David Lock Associates, I’ve been involved in a various residential, commercial and mixed-use projects, with a wide range of workstreams including; preparation of design and access statements, site appraisals, design codes, concept drawings, project proposals, planning applications, and presentations. Working across both planning and design disciplines has meant my workload is particularly varied.
Since starting here I have received excellent mentoring from senior colleagues, giving me the confidence and ability to develop my skills and gain new responsibilities. Regularly presenting at internal CPD forums has given me opportunities to look deeper into topics, develop knowledge and grow my research skills.
Robert Blake, Planner & Urban Designer
I came into Urban Design from a very different route to most. I graduated with a Physics degree and had been working in the technology industry for a few years, but had always been drawn to cities and places, and how they worked and were designed. I took a jump and retrained with an MA from Oxford Brookes and haven’t looked back.
I applied because I knew they worked on a huge variety of interesting and challenging projects, with a mix of public and private sector clients. I didn’t want to be doing the same thing every day, and I’ve not been disappointed. Since joining I’ve worked on new towns, regeneration and town centres, research campuses, design policy and strategy and national design guidance that aims to help people get more physically active in the places they live. I’ve learnt (and am still learning) something new every day.
It's been a big challenge but really rewarding. The team are friendly, talented and have a huge variety of skills that complement each other. It’s an environment where everyone can contribute and take the lead. My background has been an asset, urban design is a field that benefits from a variety of experiences and approaches.
Owen Reading, Senior Associate Urban Designer
My path into urban design has not been a conventional one. After 25 years working as a Graphic Designer at David Lock Associates, I completed a Postgraduate Diploma in Urban Design at Oxford Brookes, which gave me the foundation to transition into 3D visualisation. This shift allowed me to combine my design background with a deeper understanding of planning and placemaking, shaping a role that brings together creativity, technical skill, and communication.
As a Visualisation Specialist, I work across a wide range of projects, from large-scale masterplans and residential schemes to strategic design codes, always with the aim of making complex ideas engaging, accessible, and persuasive. Visualisation sits at the intersection of disciplines, which means I collaborate closely with planners, urban designers, and other specialists to ensure our outputs tell a consistent and compelling story.
I am particularly interested in innovation and how emerging tools can enhance the way we present ideas, from 3D and digital visualisations to interactive media and web design. Exploring these technologies helps us push the boundaries of how we communicate, ensuring our work remains competitive and forward-looking, while giving clients and communities new ways to understand and engage with proposals.
Mark Prestige, Visualisation Specialist
I’ve always had an interest in built and natural environments, and discovered town planning and urban design during my A Levels. I studied a course which spanned Urban Design, Planning and Development, and developed a love for shaping places. I followed this with an MA in Urban Design part-time, which I completed while working at David Lock Associates. They supported my studies and continually showed interest and engagement in my coursework.
I’ve had the opportunity to be a part of projects at all ends of the spectrum, from large-scale developments to town centre masterplanning. Exposure to a range of work has allowed me to practise my hand and digital drawing abilities, writing styles, and document production, as well as working with a number of teams, such as graphics, GIS and external consultants. This is a place that fosters specialisms beyond urban design and planning, and working in this environment helps with professional and skill development.
Here, you are the driver of your progression, with the ability to shape your future. Throughout my time here, I’ve had support from everyone. Frequent mentoring meetings give the opportunity for formal session to discuss challenges and opportunities and beyond this I frequently find myself asking questions to whoever may have the answer. Whether that be someone in the project team or colleagues within the company who are always open, approachable, and willing to provide support where needed.
Joe Bonomo, Urban Designer
Portfolio Checklist
When you apply for a role, we’ll ask to see your portfolio. Portfolios are personal and give us a sense of you, your skills and your interests. Here are some tips on what to include:
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Show a range of work
University projects, studio work, or research that highlight your design thinking.
Examples of different scales, from masterplans to detailed drawings.
Hand drawing, digital rendering and model-making are all valuable, in showing us the breadth of your work.
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Demonstrate your process
Sketches, diagrams, and work-in-progress that show how you develop ideas.
Go beyond showing final images, we value seeing your influences and how you think.
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Highlight technical skill
Outline your software skills and give examples of CAD, GIS, or Adobe work.
Give a short introduction on what the purpose of the work was, and your role within it.
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Design passion
Include projects or work that you’re passionate about.
Show us what excites you about design, where you’d like to grow, and what motivates you.
Show an understanding of/desire to learn about design within the UK planning system.