Principal Aviation Planner

Interact with clients and potential clients to capture new business through technical work and capability briefings.

Lead and develop comprehensive airport master plans, including airside, landside, terminal, cargo, and support facilities.

Conduct capacity analyses, demand forecasting, and operational assessments to inform long‑range planning decisions.

Prepare and update Airport Layout Plans (ALPs) and ensure compliance with FAA, ICAO, and other regulatory requirements.

Coordinate with engineering, environmental, commercial, and operations teams to develop integrated planning solutions.

Analyze airspace constraints, runway/taxiway configurations, and aircraft performance data to recommend improvements.

Support capital improvement planning by developing phasing strategies, cost estimates, and actionable development programs.

Facilitate stakeholder engagement, including airport leadership, airlines, community groups, and government agencies.

Prepare technical reports, presentations, and planning.

Support research and development of planning criteria related to new aviation technologies including advanced air mobility and uncrewed systems.

ARA is an employee-owned international research and engineering company recognized for providing technically superior solutions to complex and challenging problems in the physical sciences. The company, founded in Albuquerque, NM, in 1979, currently employs more than 2,200 professionals and continues to grow. ARA offices throughout the United States and Canada provide a broad range of technical expertise in civil technologies, computer software and simulation, defense technologies, systems analysis, environmental technologies, and testing and measurement. The corporation also provides sophisticated technical products for pavement analysis, environmental site characterization, and robotics.

At ARA, employees are our greatest assets. The corporation realizes that employee ownership spawns greater creativity and initiative along with higher performance and customer satisfaction levels. ARA gives its employees the tools, training, and opportunities to take more active roles as owners. The culture is challenging; innovation and experimentation are the norm. Employees are eligible for contributions which not only add to the company’s success, but also their own through the ESOP. The motto, “Engineering and Science for Fun and Profit” sums up the ARA experience.