Senior Planner (Environmental)

ARE YOU INTERESTED IN BUILDING A MORE JUST, EQUITABLE, AND RESILIENT PITTSBURGH?  

We are looking for a Senior Planner (Environmental) who is passionate about working with Pittsburgh communities to dig into challenging issues and ignite local change. We are currently working on modernizing the City of Pittsburgh Zoning Code, including encouraging sustainability and promoting equitable development.  Join our team to work on these important issues and help tie this together with the City’s first ever Comprehensive Plan!   

This position is within the Zoning & Development Review Division, which staff’s the Planning Commission and Zoning Board, administers the Zoning Code, and coordinates policy development and plan implementation. The Division is diverse, team-oriented and collaborative. This position will perform and coordinate professional level work and does not include supervisory duties. 

The Department of City Planning is a collaborative team of creative thinkers dedicated to building effective planning processes for our communities through land use, job creation, energy efficiency, community development, racial justice, and environmental health.   

The Senior Planner (Environmental) position will work closely with both the Zoning and Development Review Division and the Sustainability and Resiliency Division.  Primary job responsibilities include reviewing stormwater management plans, landscaping plans, and other environmental reviews.  As the Department works to update and modernize the Zoning Code, updates to the environmental regulations will be proposed to encourage sustainability and equitable development.   

A successful candidate for this position should have: 

• Background in land use planning, urban design/architecture, landscape architecture, community planning, environmental review, or similar work;
• History of working effectively in a team setting, coordinating and/or participating in complex reviews and processes;
• Ability to understand fundamental and emerging concepts in land use policy, nature-based solutions, stormwater management, form-based and performance-based Zoning, and the principles of Just Transition;
• Strong communication and team-building skills; and
• Ability to work with a diverse cross-section of colleagues within City Planning and related departments, applicants for development, public officials, stakeholders, and community members.

Responsibilities 

• Coordinates and develops policy on environmental planning.
• Works with other departments, authorities, NGOs stakeholders to develop project plans, outreach and integration of resilience approaches into operations.
• Administers provisions of Stormwater Management Ordinance and processes development plan submittals in coordination with the Department of Permits, Licenses, and Inspections.
• Provides information to developers, the public, and zoning staff related to stormwater management, landscape plan review, undermined areas, and landslide prone areas. Reviews related project plans and reports for regulatory compliance.
• Acts as a team lead and coordinates the work of lower-level planners and interns on assigned projects.
• Facilitates discussions and builds professional relationships with other divisions, departments, state or federal agencies, advocacy groups, researchers, community stakeholders, and residents.
• Provides support for and assists on the development and implementation of the City of Pittsburgh’s Comprehensive Plan.
• Attends public meetings and hearings of planning and zoning boards and commissions.
• Makes public presentations of reports and other findings to the public, city staff, boards and commissions, and elected officials.
• Represents DCP at community meetings, conferences, etc., as needed.
• Provides information for and participates in the development of grant applications.
• Some evening and weekend work may be required.

Qualifying Requirements 

Your City of Pittsburgh application will be reviewed, and your work experience and education/training will be evaluated to determine if you meet the qualifying eligibility requirements listed below for this position.  You will be sent an eligibility letter regarding your eligible/ineligible status.  

• WORK EXPERIENCE: The application must clearly show four (2) years of full-time experience in planning, urban design, engineering, architecture, or landscape architecture. (Full-time is defined as thirty-two (32) hours or more per week.  Less than full-time experience will be calculated on a pro-rated basis.)
• EDUCATION/TRAINING: The application must clearly show a Master’s Degree from a fully accredited institution in Planning, Urban Design, Engineering, Architecture, Landscape Architecture or a related field. (See NOTE under the General Application Requirements Section above regarding the verification of education/training).
• EQUIVALENCY: Education/training and/or work experience may be substituted on a year for year basis if the application clearly shows the required number of years to meet the Total Qualifying Requirement for this position (based on the sum of work experience and education/training listed above).  The Total Qualifying Requirement is ten (8) years. (See NOTE under the General Application Requirements Section above regarding the cation of education/training).