Job Description

Posting number: 2026-01173

Department: Seattle Department of Transportation

Division: Transportation Operations

Job classification: Transportation Planner, Senior

Posting type: Open & Promotional

Categories: Planning and Development, Transportation

Summary

Join us in shaping Seattle’s streets!

At the Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT), we don’t just move people—we connect communities, build safer streets, and create a more sustainable city.

With a bold vision for the future, we’re tackling big challenges: making travel safer, cutting carbon emissions, and ensuring reliable, affordable transportation for everyone—no matter who they are or where they live.

Seattle is growing fast, and we’re growing with it. Thanks to a historic voter-approved $1.55 billion investment in transportation in 2024, we’re building sidewalks, fixing bridges, and improving transit connections to keep our city moving.

We’re a team of problem solvers, planners, engineers, communicators, and field crews—bringing purpose-driven work to life. Now, we need passionate, innovative talent like you. Let’s build a Seattle that works for everyone—together!

Position Overview:

SDOT’s Transportation Operations Division has an exciting opportunity for an experienced and collaborative Senior Transportation Planner. As part of the team leading the charge on Seattle’s Vision Zero initiative to end traffic deaths and serious injuries on city streets by 2030, this position will play a lead role in developing highly complex and visible transportation projects, policies, and program initiatives that support the department’s safety goals. This includes leading the research, implementation, and evaluation of traffic safety policies and countermeasures. This highly collaborative role will work with diverse teams of planners, engineers, designers, and subject matter experts across the City to oversee the implementation of a broad portfolio of safety strategies. This position reports to the Vision Zero Planning Lead.

Examples of duties

• Support the development of SDOT’s Vision Zero work plan and safety strategies for citywide implementation.
• Assist with research, development, pilot implementation, evaluation, documentation, and policy development of traffic safety countermeasures for Vision Zero program adoption. This includes facilitating regular and special policy review meetings in coordination with technical teams and subject matter experts.
• Support the development of Vision Zero reporting and planning efforts, including the development Vision Zero progress reports and action plan updates.
• Lead traffic safety analyses and apply the results to inform the prioritization and implementation of Vision Zero projects.
• Lead and support the project development (early planning) of Vision Zero safety corridors and spot improvements based on best practices and engineering standards.
• Coordinate and facilitate inclusive public engagement processes for complex and highly visible safety projects, including leading workshops, stakeholder briefings, and community presentations as well as developing written outreach materials.
• Monitor the scope, schedule, and budget of safety projects and support ongoing project design and construction activities from kickoff through delivery.
• Review and analyze the safety needs of City capital projects and develop scope recommendations and implementation strategies that enhance safety for all road users.
• Monitor and support SDOT’s portfolio of Vision Zero projects that need scope development, have partnership commitments, or require funding assistance.
• Support the development of competitive grant applications that advance SDOT’s safety priorities, and lead the implementation of awarded grant-funded projects.
• Lead the development and evaluation of safety strategies and actions identified in Seattle’s Vision Zero Action Plan.
• Support department-wide understanding and adoption of Vision Zero by developing and delivering internal trainings and guidance materials that enhance staff capacity to integrate safety and Safe System principles into their work.
• Assist SDOT’s staff and leadership with other items as assigned, including community requests, data analysis, policy reviews, new program development, ETC.
• Support department goals in social justice and transportation equity in keeping with the City’s Race and Social Justice Initiative and Transportation Equity Framework.

Qualifications

Minimum Qualifications:

• Requires a minimum of three (3) years transportation planning or development experience.
• A Bachelor's Degree in Engineering, Transportation Planning, Urban Planning or related field.

OR: A combination of education and/or training and/or experience which provides an equivalent background required to perform the work of the class.

Successful candidates will possess many of these additional qualifications or be able to demonstrate comparable experience and expertise:

• A passion for transportation safety, mobility justice, and climate justice.
• Understanding of the Safe System Approach to transportation safety.
• A deep commitment to racial justice and social equity.
• Demonstrated ability to independently set workload priorities, monitor budgets, and collaborate with multidisciplinary teams, and experience working with demanding and competing deadlines.
• Effective written and oral communication skills with the ability to communicate effectively with diverse audiences.
• Ability to analyze data, define problems, identify potential solutions, develop implementation strategies, and evaluate outcomes.
• Ability to work well with others, to listen, and to be part of a team.
• Proficient with GIS (to create maps and conduct analyses) and MS Office.

Work Environment/Physical Demands:

• Work is typically performed in a normal City/office environment with hybrid options at this time.

Supplemental information

Please attach both a cover letter and resume to your application.

Failure to do so will result in your application not being considered.

Offers of employment are contingent on verification of information provided by the applicant as part of the application process, including background check.

This hiring process involves a background check of conviction and arrest records in compliance with Seattle's Fair Chance Employment Ordinance, SMC 14.17. Applicants will be provided with an opportunity to explain or correct background information.

Please note this job advertisement 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.

The full salary range for this position is $60.55 - $70.40 per hour.

The City of Seattle offers a comprehensive benefits package including vacation, holiday, and sick leave as well as medical, dental, vision, life and long-term disability insurance for employees and their dependents.

More information about employee benefits is available on the City's website at: https://www.seattle.gov/human-resources/benefits.

Who May Apply: This position is open to all candidates that meet the minimum qualifications. The City of Seattle values diverse perspectives and life experiences. Applicants will be considered regardless of race, color, creed, national origin, ancestry, sex, marital status, disability, religious or political affiliation, age, sexual orientation, or gender identity. The Department encourages people of all backgrounds to apply, including people of color, immigrants, refugees, women, LGBTQ+ people, people with disabilities, veterans and those with diverse life experiences.

Accommodations for people with disabilities are provided on request.

The City is a Drug Free Workplace.