Assistant/Associate/Senior Transportation Planner (20518025)

San Francisco/Peninsula

Job Type

Full-Time

Close Date

7/14/2024 at 11:59pm

Salary

$95,875.00-$139,250.00

Additional Questionnaires

Supplemental

About Menlo Park

Menlo Park is a city of beautiful, tree-lined neighborhoods and active commercial districts. Located conveniently between the major metropolitan areas of San Francisco and San Jose, Menlo Park is home to just approximately 32,000 residents in its 19 square miles.

The stunning natural surroundings of the city afford views of the San Francisco Bay to the east and the Pacific Coastal Range to the west. Menlo Park's climate is moderate to warm, with an average of 265 sunny days a year.

Menlo Park's residents reflect a range of backgrounds and interests who tend to be well educated and actively engaged in community life. Excellent public and private schools serve its many young families, while residents of all ages enjoy the City's numerous parks and recreational facilities.

The City's close proximity to Stanford University and Menlo College provide a multitude of academic, cultural and athletic event opportunities. The arts and leisure activities of the major urban areas of San Francisco and San Jose are close by. These and many other amenities contribute to Menlo Park's outstanding quality of life.

Located in the heart of Menlo Park is a downtown featuring unique and upscale shops, restaurants and entertainment, including the Guild Theatre. Set in a pleasant, pedestrian-oriented atmosphere, Menlo Park's downtown area attracts locals and visitors alike.

Known worldwide as the "Capital of Venture Capital," Menlo Park hosts many venture capital firms and is well situated to benefit from and help shape new technologies and markets originating from the Silicon Valley. Additionally, the city is host to numerous technology and healthcare related companies, including such major employers as Meta (formerly Facebook), SRI International, Pacific Biosciences, Exponent, Grail and Personalis.

Menlo Park is a General Law city operating under the Council-Manager form of government. The City Council appoints the City Manager and City Attorney, as well as members of a variety of advisory commissions and committees.

The municipal government is organized into six operating departments, including Administrative Services, City Manager's Office, Community Development, Library and Community Services, Police, and Public Works. The City is comprised of approximately 300 employees.

In addition to its many attributes, Menlo Park has one of the most beautiful civic center campuses in the Bay Area. Heritage trees, a running fountain, and a duck pond surround City Hall.

The campus also includes a nine-acre park, recreation facilities, and the Menlo Park Library. These civic amenities make the campus a noted destination for residents, local employees, and visitors. Conveniently located, the campus is a short walk to our downtown area with food and shopping destinations, as well as the Menlo Park Caltrain Station.

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Location

701 Laurel Street Menlo Park, 94025

Description

Do you thrive doing thought-provoking and challenging work? Are you seeking a role to take on new and exciting projects that offer the opportunity to improve the community Are you interested in joining a team of dedicated and talented professionals? If so, apply to join the Menlo Park team and become part of a dynamic organization!

The City of Menlo Park is recruiting for an Assistant/Associate/Senior transportation planner (2 positions) to help our organization better serve the community and improve the City's infrastructure. This position will provide an excellent opportunity to gain technical and project management skills and experience.

As part of a small city, staff have the opportunity to work closely with the transportation team and community on a variety projects and subject areas.

The transportation division leads multi-modal and safety-focused infrastructure projects; engages with regional transportation partners including Caltrain, Samtrans, Caltrans, and other transit providers; maintains the City's traffic signals, street lights, traffic signs and street markings; and administers local-serving shuttle and safe routes to school programs. The ideal candidate will have experience supporting or leading transportation studies and plans that may include complete streets plans, bicycle and pedestrian facility development, safety planning, railroad grade separation planning, or others. The candidate should have an understanding of state and national guidance on the design of transportation facilities, and have experience supporting or leading outreach on transportation projects with diverse community members.

Assistant Transportation Planner

This is the entry-level classification in the professional transportation planning series. Initially, incumbents learn and perform a variety of techniques related to the development of short and long range transportation plans and conduct oversight of transportation demand management (both internal and external stakeholders), citywide shuttle, and safe routes to school programs.

Positions at this level usually perform most of the duties required of the positions at the Associate level, but are not expected to function at the same skill level and usually exercise less independent discretion and judgment in matters related to work procedures and methods. Work is usually supervised while in progress and fits an established structure or pattern. Exceptions or changes in procedures are explained in detail as they arise. As experience is gained, assignments become more varied and are performed with greater independence.

Associate Transportation Planner

This is the journey-level classification of the transportation planning series, able to perform the full scope of professional transportation planning duties. Positions at this level are distinguished from the Assistant Transportation Planner level by the performance of the full range of duties as assigned, working independently, and exercising judgment, initiative, and problem solving.

Positions at this level receive only occasional instruction or assistance as new or unusual situations arise and are fully aware of the operating procedures and policies of the work unit. This class is distinguished from the Senior Transportation Planner in that the latter is the advanced journey-level class in the series and is responsible for performing more complex planning and project management activities.

Senior Transportation Planner

This is the advanced journey-level classification in the Transportation Planner series responsible for complex transportation planning and project management duties. Incumbents work on tasks that are varied and complex, requiring considerable discretion and independent judgement.

Positions at this level conduct the full range of duties as assigned, work independently, and exercise judgment, initiative, and problem solving. The work involves problem solving of unique issues or increasingly complex problems without precedent or simple solutions. Assignments are given with general guidelines and incumbents are responsible for establishing objectives, timelines, and methods to deliver work products.

Work is typically reviewed upon completion for soundness, appropriateness, and conformity to policy and requirements. This class is distinguished from the Associate Transportation Planner in that the latter is the journey-level class in the series, performing less complex tasks and project management activities.

A job description, including examples of typical job functions and qualifying knowledge, skills, and abilities, is available by clicking on the appropriate Job Description below:

Job PDF:

Senior Transportation Planner.pdf

Additional Job PDF:

Assistant-Associate Transportation Planner.pdf

Ideal Candidate

The ideal candidate possesses a genuine desire to serve the Menlo Park community, exhibits curiosity and a strong desire to learn and grow professionally, has the experience or ability to learn technical and public engagement skills, and consistently executes methodical problem-solving skills and judgement. The candidate shall have excellent attention to detail and strong communication, report writing, and collaboration skills. The ideal candidate is an independent thinker who thrives in a fast-paced environment; is successful collaborating vertically and horizontally in the organization; demonstrates a can-do attitude; fosters a team environment; and works well with colleagues, contractors, consultants and the public.

Minimum Qualifications

Any combination of training and experience that would provide the required knowledge, skills and abilities is qualifying. A typical way to obtain the required qualifications would be:

Assistant Transportation Planner

• Bachelor's degree in Urban Planning, Engineering, or a directly related field from an accredited college or university. An advanced degree is highly desirable.

• One (1) year of full-time professional planning experience or an advanced degree in Urban Planning or a directly related field.

Associate Transportation Planner

• Bachelor's degree in Urban Planning, Engineering, or a directly related field from an accredited college or university. An advanced degree is highly desirable.

• Three (3) years of increasingly responsible full-time professional transportation planning experience or two (2) years of experience and an advanced degree in Urban Planning or a directly related field.

Senior Transportation Planner

• Bachelor's degree in urban planning, engineering, or a directly related field from an accredited college or university. An advanced degree is highly desirable.

• Five (5) years of increasingly responsible full-time professional transportation planning experience.

• Substitution: A master's degree in transportation, urban planning, landscape architecture, or a directly related field may substitute for one (1) year of the required experience.

Licenses

Possession of a valid California Driver's License and a satisfactory driving record.

Benefits

The City offers an excellent benefit package consisting of:

• Health Insurance: City contribution up to $2,655 per month towards a Cafeteria Plan which can be used to purchase medical insurance and participate in a flexible spending account for health care and/or child care reimbursement

• Dental: City-paid coverage for employee and dependents

• Vision: City-paid coverage for employee and dependents

• Vacation: 88 - 176 hours of vacation leave accrual each year, depending on length of service

• Sick Leave: 96 hours of sick leave accrued each year

• Holidays: 11 official holidays; 34 hours of floating holiday time per year; 8 "Day of Reflection" hours per year in recognition of holidays of individual and community importance

• Retirement: CalPERS: For classic members 2.0% @ 60 formula. For all others, 2.0% @ 62 formula.

• Deferred Compensation: Voluntary participation in City Plans.

• Life Insurance: City-paid policy equal to 1.5 times regular annual wage

• Long Term Disability: City-paid coverage

• Educational leave and tuition reimbursement

• A City-paid Caltrain GoPass. The Menlo Park campus is centrally located within walking distance from Caltrain and downtown Menlo Park.

• A City-paid BayPass. This pilot program offers employees unlimited travel in 2024 for both work and personal trips on 25 Bay Area transit agencies that use the Clipper card.

• A transportation allowance program provides employees with $1.50 per day when they walk, bicycle or carpool to work at least once per week.

• Employees are provided with access to an on-site gym at no cost.

For additional benefit information, visit www.menlopark.gov and review the City of Menlo Park and SEIU Memorandum of Understanding.

Special Instructions

IMPORTANT: Please be sure to fill out the required City application completely, including all relevant work experience.

Applications with "See Resume" as a substitution for the work experience description and/or unclear past employment information will not be considered. The deadline for this announcement is Sunday, July 14, 2024.

Applications will be screened according to the qualifications outlined in this announcement. Not all applications which may meet the minimum requirements will proceed to the next phase of the recruitment process.

If 25 or fewer applications are received, the eligibility list will be established based on application review. If 26 or more applications are received, the most qualified candidates will be invited to participate in an Oral Board Panel examination. All applicants will be notified by email as to whether or not they are invited to participate further in the selection process.

Potential Oral Board Panel Examination Date: TBD

An Eligible List will be established as a result of this examination process and will be valid for a period of six months. The list may be extended up to a maximum of two years. The hiring department will review the Eligible List to determine which candidates will be invited to the department selection process.

The City of Menlo Park is an Equal Opportunity Employer. It is the policy of the City of Menlo Park not to discriminate against all qualified applicants or employees.

We will make reasonable efforts in the selection process to accommodate persons with disabilities. Please contact Human Resources at jobs@menlopark.gov prior to the closing date for accommodation requests.

Before receiving an offer of employment, the candidate will be required to successfully complete a criminal conviction history questionnaire, DOJ fingerprinting, and an Occuscreen background check.

Applicants must be successful in all phases of the selection process to be considered for this position.

In accordance with the Immigration Reform and Control Act, all potential employees are required to provide proof of U.S. Citizenship or authorization to work in the United States. The City will not sponsor applicants for work visas.