Planner I

Metro Associates; City of Rochester (NY); On-site; USD 52,000 - 68,000; Full time

Job summary

Metro Associates in Rochester, NY is seeking an eager Planner I to help deliver planning and community design projects. You will support multidisciplinary teams, contribute to research, mapping, graphics, and documentation, and assist with public engagement under guidance from senior staff.

This role offers growth in environmental planning, placemaking, and collaboration across disciplines, with exposure to municipal and private-sector projects and an emphasis on practical planning delivery.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in urban planning, Community Planning, Regional Planning, Urban Design, Environmental Planning, or a related field from an accredited university.
• Strong written, verbal, and visual communication skills.
• Proficiency with or demonstrated ability to learn ArcGIS / GIS.
• Proficiency with or demonstrated ability to learn Adobe Creative Suite, including Illustrator, InDesign, and Photoshop.
• Proficiency with or demonstrated ability to learn Microsoft Office, including Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook.
• Strong organizational, project management, and time-management skills.
• Ability to collaborate across disciplines, manage multiple assignments and priorities, and take ownership of assigned work.

Responsibilities

• Conduct research, data collection, basic analysis, and statistical tasks related to planning and community development projects.
• Analyze land use, zoning, development patterns, demographic information, transportation systems, and community conditions.
• Assist with comprehensive plans, master plans, corridor studies, community plans, development studies, and other planning initiatives.
• Support land use, urban design, community design, and placemaking recommendations through research, mapping, graphics, and other visual materials.
• Review and interpret zoning codes, development regulations, planning policies, and related ordinances, including support for municipal entitlement processes.
• Assist with SEQRA, EIS, NEPA, and related environmental planning documentation and research.
• Support public meetings, stakeholder meetings, workshops, advisory committees, surveys, presentations, reports, grant applications, and other project deliverables.

Skills

Communication skills

Multidisciplinary collaboration

Time management

Organizational skills

Education

Bachelor's degree in urban planning or related field

Master's degree in planning or related field

Tools

ArcGIS

Adobe Creative Suite (Illustrator, InDesign, Photoshop)

Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook)

SketchUp

Job description

Planner I - Rochester, NY

Rochester, NY offers a strong setting for planning and community design work, with ongoing needs around land use, neighborhood development, transportation, public spaces, environmental planning, and community revitalization. This role gives an early-career planner the opportunity to contribute to projects that shape the region's communities and built environment.

As a Planner I With our client, you will support multidisciplinary teams delivering planning, placemaking, community design, and environmental planning services for public- and private-sector clients. You will contribute to research, analysis, mapping, graphics, technical documentation, public engagement, and project coordination under the direction of Project Managers and senior professionals.

This is an opportunity to build practical planning experience while developing your technical, visual, communication, and project delivery skills. You will have visibility into a range of planning initiatives and work alongside professionals across disciplines while helping translate community and client goals into actionable plans.

What You'll Do

• Conduct research, data collection, basic analysis, and statistical tasks related to planning and community development projects.
• Analyze land use, zoning, development patterns, demographic information, transportation systems, and community conditions.
• Assist with comprehensive plans, master plans, corridor studies, community plans, development studies, and other planning initiatives.
• Support land use, urban design, community design, and placemaking recommendations through research, mapping, graphics, and other visual materials.
• Review and interpret zoning codes, development regulations, planning policies, and related ordinances, including support for municipal entitlement processes.
• Assist with SEQRA, EIS, NEPA, and related environmental planning documentation and research.
• Support public meetings, stakeholder meetings, workshops, advisory committees, surveys, presentations, reports, grant applications, and other project deliverables.

What We're Looking For

• Bachelor's degree in urban planning, Community Planning, Regional Planning, Urban Design, Environmental Planning, or a related field from an accredited university.
• Strong written, verbal, and visual communication skills.
• Proficiency with or demonstrated ability to learn ArcGIS / GIS.
• Proficiency with or demonstrated ability to learn Adobe Creative Suite, including Illustrator, InDesign, and Photoshop.
• Proficiency with or demonstrated ability to learn Microsoft Office, including Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook.
• Strong organizational, project management, and time-management skills.
• Ability to collaborate across disciplines, manage multiple assignments and priorities, and take ownership of assigned work.

Preferred Qualifications

• 2–5 years of relevant professional experience, with consideration given to candidates with strong internship, studio, or academic project experience.
• Master's degree in planning, Urban Design, or a related field.
• Experience with planning, urban design, community development, environmental planning, or public engagement.
• Experience with SketchUp or other 3D visualization software.
• Understanding of Smart Growth, walkability, mixed-use development, public realm, sustainable development, and community design principles.
• Experience with data visualization, mapping, graphic communication, and presentation development.