Job Description

Posting number: 202601420

Department: Office of Transportation

Job classification: SENIOR PLANNER

Posting type: Open

Categories: Transportation

Summary

Advance Active Transportation. Shape the Future of Mobility.

The Opportunity

The City of Palo Alto's Office of Transportation invites experienced transportation planners to bring their expertise, creativity, and commitment to community impact as our next Associate Planner, Planner or Senior Planner.

In these roles, you’ll lead strategies that make it safer, easier, and more appealing for students and families to walk, bike, and roll. You will blend technical planning, program design, and public engagement to improve mobility, support sustainability goals, and enhance quality of life across Palo Alto.

If you are passionate about transforming transportation systems and delivering measurable results, this is your opportunity to drive meaningful change in a city that leads by example.

These roles may require flexible scheduling, including occasional evenings and weekends for community events.

Depending on applicant qualifications, position(s) may be filled at the appropriate level/salary of:

• Associate Planner ($112,299.20 - $137,321.60 Annually)
• Planner ($119,870.40 - $146,619.20 Annually)
• Senior Planner ($138,091.20 - $168,958.40 Annually)

More than one position(s) may be filled from this posting.

About the Roles:

Associate Planner:

• Guide SRTS initiatives for secondary schools
• Create and implement youth-focused transportation programs
• Analyze transportation patterns and propose effective solutions
• Prepare and present reports to city leadership and community groups
• Work with schools, city departments, and external partners
• Contribute to Palo Alto's long-term transportation and climate action strategies

Planner:

• Develop and deliver K–12 pedestrian and bicycle safety programs, curricula, campaigns, and educational materials.
• Build and maintain partnerships with schools, PTAs, community organizations, and other stakeholders to advance active transportation.
• Recruit, train, and support school champions, volunteers, and community partners.
• Evaluate and improve programs through data analysis, performance measurement, planning, and reporting.
• Support transportation and infrastructure improvements by gathering community input, updating Walk and Roll Maps, and collaborating with engineering teams.
• Pursue funding and innovation through grant development, pilot programs, and forward-thinking strategies to expand program impact.

Senior Planner:

• Lead our Safe Routes to School team, coordinating with schools, transportation agencies, and advocacy groups.
• Develop innovative strategies to enhance safety for student pedestrians, cyclists, and transit users.
• Present to City Council, commissions, and to the public, shaping the future of Palo Alto's transportation landscape.
• Manage complex projects, contracts, and consultants.
• Write grants to secure funding for cutting-edge transportation initiatives.

About Us:

The Office of Transportation is a recognized leader in sustainable mobility and innovation. Our team develops programs and projects that make Palo Alto’s streets safer, more accessible, and future-ready.

We focus on:

• Implementing Safe Routes to School education and infrastructure improvements
• Advancing mode shift strategies that reduce congestion and emissions
• Delivering multi-modal transportation solutions through regional collaboration
• Using data-driven approaches and community input to guide decision-making

Here, planners are empowered to pilot creative solutions, apply best practices, and make a visible impact. To learn more about our Office of Transportation, please click HERE.

Why Work for the City of Palo Alto?

Palo Alto is the birthplace of Silicon Valley, where innovation meets public service. As a full-service city with its own utilities, airport, and public safety, we combine resources and vision to deliver excellence. When you join our team, you’ll find:

A High-Trust Environment – Your expertise is respected and your ideas matter.

Tangible Impact – Your work directly improves safety, health, and sustainability for the community.

Growth and Learning – We invest in your development through training, conferences, and professional networks.

What You’ll Do

Benefits Highlights

• CalPERS Pension– Lifetime retirement income with up to 100% of your highest salary.
• Fully Paid Medical, Dental & Vision– Coverage for you and eligible dependents.
• Six Weeks Paid Parental Leave.
• Up to $10,000/year in Childcare Assistance.
• Generous Time Off– Up to 200 hours of vacation plus 13 paid holidays.
• Commuter Perks– Unlimited Bay Area transit with Clipper BayPass, including Caltrain, BART, VTA, MUNI, and more
• Memorandum Of Agreements between the City and its employee groups.

Apply today and help create a safer, healthier, and more connected Palo Alto for generations to come.

Examples of duties

Associate Planner:

• Prepares environmental assessments on projects submitted for City approval.
• Assists in the evaluation of projects submitted for Architectural Review Board (ARB) review.
• Prepares and assembles materials for Architectural Review Board or Planning Commission packets.
• Checks plans of new single-family homes and remodels for zoning compliance.
• Prepares reports, which include all necessary research, on projects submitted to the City for approval that require Planning or Transportation Division evaluation.

For full Associate Planner job description, please click HERE.

Planner:

• Prepares environmental assessments and environmental impact reports on projects submitted for City approval.
• Evaluates the design of projects submitted for Architectural Review Board (ARB) review.
• Oversees the preparation of packet material for the ARB.
• Evaluates and prepares reports on projects submitted for Planning or Transportation Division approval including projects requiring variances, conditional use permits, site and design approval, nonconforming use extensions, subdivisions and other types of projects requiring some form of discretionary Planning or Transportation Division approval.
• Prepares reports on special planning transportation studies for the ARB, Planning Commission, City Council, appointed committees and other City staff.

For full Planner job description, please click HERE.

Senior Planner:

• Supervises preparation of environmental impact reports on projects submitted for City approval.
• Evaluates the design of large, complex projects submitted for Architectural Review Board (ARB) review.
• Prepares reports, including coordinating the work of other staff members, on special planning or transportation studies for the Architectural Review Board, Historic Resources Board, Planning Commission, City Council, appointed committees and other City staff.
• Assists in plan preparation, coordination, monitoring and other activities related to the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) and other federal, state and local housing programs.
• Prepares revised elements to the Comprehensive Plan.

For full Senior Planner job description, please click HERE.

Qualifications

Sufficient education, training and/or work experience to demonstrate possession of the following knowledge and skills, which would typically be acquired through:

Associate Planner:

• Bachelor's degree in Urban Planning, Environmental Studies or related field from an accredited college or university

and

• Two years of related experience in urban, conservation, or transportation planning

Special Requirements:

• Possession of a valid California Driver's License.

Planner:

• Bachelor's degree in Urban Planning or related field from an accredited college or university. and
• Three years of suitable professional experience in urban or transportation planning.

Senior Planner:

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

and

• Five years of suitable professional experience in urban planning (or substitute for up to two years of experience a master's degree in planning or a related field).

Special Requirements:

• Possession of a valid California Driver's License.

Supplemental information

The Selection Process:

• Applicants will receive recruitment status notifications via email. Governmentjobs.com account also has notification status updates.
• Applicants will be screened throughout the posting process, and highly qualified candidates may be invited to interview at any time after the posting closes.
• The screening process for this position typically may include a virtual recorded interview and/or panel interviews preceding final interviews with the hiring manager or their designee.

Our online application system is provided by NeoGov. If you have problems while applying online, please contact NeoGov's Live Applicant Support at (855) 524-5627 between 6:00 AM and 5:00 PM Pacific Time, Monday - Friday.

This position is represented by Service Employee International Union (SEIU).

Compensation (SEIU): Comprehensive compensation plan, to learn more click HERE.

The City of Palo Alto is an Equal Opportunity Employer. In compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, the City will provide reasonable accommodation to qualified individuals with disabilities and encourages both prospective and current employees to discuss potential accommodations with the employer.