Community & Land Use Planner

Onterris; Pittsburgh (Allegheny County); Hybrid; USD 50,000 - 60,000; Full time

Job summary

Onterris is seeking an early-career Brownfield Planning & GIS Specialist (0-4 years) to join our growing team in a remote/hybrid capacity within the Northern Appalachia region. The role focuses on transforming vacant properties through planning, GIS, and public engagement, with opportunities to work with local governments, property owners, developers, and environmental professionals.

The position supports redevelopment planning, grant applications, and stakeholder facilitation, requiring a

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Planning, Landscape Architecture, Architecture, Design from an accredited college or university.
• 0–4 years of applicable experience.
• Proficiency with AutoCAD, ArcGIS, ArcGIS Online, and/or StoryMaps.

Responsibilities

• Support community engagement and redevelopment planning, including coordinating stakeholder meetings and public workshops.
• Develop GIS databases, site inventories, and mapping products for brownfield properties and redevelopment opportunities.
• Create maps and visualizations to support assessments, planning, grants, and community initiatives.

Skills

AutoCAD

ArcGIS

ArcGIS Online

StoryMaps

Adobe Creative Suite

Microsoft Office

Driver’s License

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Planning, Landscape Architecture, Architecture, Design

Tools

AutoCAD

ArcGIS

ArcGIS Online

StoryMaps

Adobe Creative Suite

Microsoft Office

Job description

About Us

At Onterris, we build careers grounded in purpose,responsibilityand real-world impact.

“For Planet and Progress” is our north star that guides everything we do. We believe environmental responsibility and human progress are interconnected,interwovenand international. Our scientists, engineers, field teams,consultantsand professionals collaborate across disciplines and geographies, guiding industries and governments, ensuring that communities and environments thrive.

When you join us,you’renot just forging acareer,you’rejoining a movement. A movement for better thinking, smartersolutionsand lasting impact.

Together, we will advance our way of life and protect the integrity of our environment every step of the way.

ADay in theLife

Are you passionate about helping communities transform vacant, abandoned, or underutilized properties into places where people can live, work, and thrive? Do you enjoy combining mapping technology, planning, design, environmental stewardship, and public engagement to solve real-world challenges?

We are seeking an early-career Brownfield Planning & GIS Specialist (0-4 years of experience) to join our growing team. This position is ideal for a recent graduate or emerging professional with an interest in brownfield redevelopment, community planning, economic revitalization, sustainable development, and GIS analysis.

In this role, you’ll work directly on projects that help communities assess redevelopment opportunities, secure funding, engage stakeholders, and transform overlooked properties into catalysts for economic growth and neighborhood renewal. You’ll gain hands‑on experience working with local governments, property owners, developers, environmental professionals, and community organizations throughout Northern Appalachia. Whether you’re creating maps that identify redevelopment opportunities, supporting grant applications, or helping facilitate community visioning sessions, your work will contribute to projects that leave a lasting impact.

This is a remote/hybrid opportunity that, while requiring residency in our Northern Appalachia service area (West Virginia, eastern Ohio, or western Pennsylvania), will allow the employee to perform office tasks from a home office - with the support of our office and remote employee network. The work environment will vary greatly depending on the nature of assigned tasks, this position will occasionally involve local and out-of-state travel and may require work outside of normal business hours (evenings and weekends) as needed.

The employee will be supported in all aspects of their work. It should be noted that, while this is a remote position, daily interaction with colleagues, the public, clients, and/or subcontractors will be normal; adaptability and excellent written and verbal communication skills are required.

The annual salary range for this role is $50K to $60K commensuratewith experience, skills, and geographic location.

To thrive in this role,you’llbe comfortable taking ownership of the following responsibilities:

Community Engagement & Redevelopment Planning

Help communities create a shared vision for transforming challenging properties into community assets.

• Support public outreach efforts related to brownfield redevelopment and community revitalization initiatives.
• Coordinate and participate in stakeholder meetings, public workshops, focus groups, site tours, and community engagement activities.
• Assist with presenting redevelopment opportunities, planning concepts, and project recommendations to community leaders, property owners, and residents.
• Support participatory planning and design processes that ensure redevelopment strategies reflect local priorities.
• Prepare engagement materials, meeting summaries, and communication tools that help communities stay informed and involved throughout the planning process.

Brownfield Redevelopment & GIS Analysis

Use GIS, research, and planning tools to identify redevelopment opportunities and support community revitalization efforts.

• Develop and maintain GIS databases, site inventories, and mapping products related to brownfield properties and redevelopment opportunities.
• Create maps and visualizations that support brownfield assessments, redevelopment planning, grant applications, and community planning initiatives.
• Assist in identifying redevelopment opportunities, site constraints, environmental considerations, infrastructure needs, and market conditions.
• Support community-wide brownfield inventories and site prioritization efforts.
• Analyze demographic, economic, housing, transportation, and land use data to inform redevelopment strategies.
• Prepare site profiles, redevelopment exhibits, StoryMaps, and other visual communication materials.

Neighborhood-Scale and Site-Specific Reuse Planning and Design

• Supporting the design process to create neighborhood-scale brownfields area-wide plans and site-specific reuse plans through processes
• Collaborating with multidisciplinary teams to design effective, efficient remedial solutions that comply with federal, state, and local regulations.
• Evaluate and advise redevelopment options based on zoning and ordinance restrictions; assist communities with making amendments to local rules and regulations as needed for productive redevelopment (i.e., updating zoning).

Stakeholder and Public Engagement

• Promoting engagement opportunities and program efforts through outreach efforts including: web promotion, program marketing, and other methods of outreach.
• Facilitating communication and collaboration among stakeholders, including property owners, developers, government agencies, community groups, and the public through in-person and virtual meetings, neighborhood workshops, site tours, community surveys, and focus groups.
• Presenting planning and design information and project updates to diverse audiences, ensuring transparency and promoting community involvement in decision‑making processes.
• Assistance with implementing participatory design processes where stakeholder and community engagement efforts are clearly integrated into design outcomes.
• Assistance with coordinating meeting logistics, such as managing meeting invitations, RSVP response tracking, agenda preparation, room setup, etc.
• Assistance with note taking and engagement follow up activities

Other

• Keeping up-to-date and current on industry trends by completing formal training, reviewing professional publications, and attending professional workshops.
• Practicing safe work practices by following all Company safety rules and OSHA regulations, including attendance at all required safety training programs.
• Participating in continuous improvement programs and providing support to team efforts.
• Performing other duties as assigned.

YourExpertise andSkills

These requirements reflect the knowledge,skillsand abilities that help you do your best work here.

Skills

• Exhibit discretion and good judgement; always maintaining confidentiality.
• Ability to self-schedule, and the self‑discipline to work without daily in‑person supervision.
• Good communication skills with the ability to interact professionally with diverse stakeholders both virtually and in‑person.
• Ability to work independently and as part of a multi‑disciplinary team.
• Creative and adaptable; ability to pivot and respond to developing needs.
• Commitment to environmental stewardship and sustainable development practices.
• Passion for revitalizing communities and enhancing environmental quality.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Planning, Landscape Architecture, Architecture, Design, or related field, from an accredited college or university.
• 0 - 4 years of applicable experience.
• Proficiency with technical software such as AutoCAD, ArcGIS, ArcGIS Online, and/or StoryMaps.
• Proficiency with Adobe Creative Suite.
• Working knowledge of Microsoft Office Suite.
• Valid Driver’s License and ability to pass Motor Vehicle Records review.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with community engagement tools such as Survey123, Social Pinpoint, etc.
• Experience working with State and/or federal funding programs.
• Experience working with brownfield properties.
• Graphic design capabilities.
• Ability to create and manage social media content.

Onterris is a leading global environmental solutions company partnering with organizations to solve complex challenges where environmental pressures, regulatory expectations and operational risks intersect. Guided by our mission to advance the way of life without compromising the integrity of our environment, we believe environmental responsibility and human progress are fundamentally connected. Our scientists, engineers, field teams and consultants apply systems thinking that unites science, data and practical expertise to deliver solutions that strengthen our clients’ resilience, mitigate risk and protect the air, water and soil that sustain communities, while uncovering responsible paths forward for planet and progress. For more information, visit www.onterris.com.

We are an equal opportunity employer and encourage applications from people of all backgrounds. We acknowledge that these experiences and perspectives help to enrich our teams and contribute to our ongoing success. We are committed to providing access and reasonable accommodation in our employment for all applicants. For US residents, click here to learn more.