Planner III - Austin Planning - Demographics & Data Division

City of Austin; Austin (TX); On-site; USD 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

The City of Austin's Planning Department seeks a Planner III for the Demographics & Data Division to perform professional planning work across zoning, urban, transportation, and site planning.

The position emphasizes data analysis, demographic research, and reporting using GIS tools, dashboards, and related software, with duties including presenting findings to boards, commissions, and the public to inform policy and development decisions.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Planning, Geography, Social Science, Landscape Architecture, or related field and 3 years planning experience.
• Graduate coursework can substitute for experience per policy.
• Experience may substitute education up to 4 years.

Responsibilities

• Perform professional planning work including zoning, urban, transportation and site planning.
• Analyze data to discover patterns and prepare information reports and drafts of regulations and ordinances.
• Provide technical advice to citizens and coordinate meetings between consultants, public, and city staff.
• Review plats and site plans for compliance with policy codes and standards; review traffic impact analyses.

Skills

Planning principles

Oral and written communication

Data analysis

Demographics statistics

Policy interpretation

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Planning or related field

3 years planning experience

Tools

ArcGIS Pro and ArcGIS Online

Dashboards / Experience Builder / StoryMaps

R data analysis

Socrata/Open Data portals

Job description

Planner III - Austin Planning - Demographics & Data Division

Job Details

• locations: Permitting and Development Center (PDC)
• time type: Full time
• job requisition id: JR105389

About This Position

The Austin Planning Department's mission is to provide equitable, people-centered planning services and shape an Austin where everyone can thrive.

Job Description

Planner III

Purpose

Under general direction, perform professional planning work for the City including zoning, urban, transportation and/or site planning.

Duties, Functions and Responsibilities

• Researches information as requested and/or needed. Analyzes data to discover patterns and/or discrepancies.
• Writes information reports. Writes/drafts legal documents, i.e. contracts, regulations, ordinance amendments, resolutions, etc.
• Answers citizen questions and provide assistance. Speaks as City representative before boards, commissions, public groups, etc.
• Reviews plats and site plans for compliance with policy codes, ordinances, standards, etc. Reviews traffic impact analyses.
• Provides technical advice and assistance to citizens, contractors, departments, management, etc. Coordinates meetings between consultants, public, etc. and city staff. Coordinates division/section activities with other divisions/sections.
• Interprets/explains/enforces city policies and procedures, building/land development codes specifications, ordinances, etc.
• Conducts field checks to verify correctness of data. Reviews and evaluates various reports and studies. Maintain project files and records.
• Develops short/long range plans.
• Seeks/evaluates/recommends purchase of city property. Monitor contract expenditures.
• Plans and develops survey instruments, i.e. questionnaires, rating scales, etc., and methodology for use.
• Utilizes and modifies computer models and statistical packages for planning application.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Must possess required knowledge, skills, abilities, and experience and be able to explain and demonstrate, with or without reasonable accommodations, that the essential functions of the job can be performed.
• Knowledge of the principles of community and urban planning.
• Knowledge of federal and state laws relating to planning and urban development.
• Knowledge of planning techniques.
• Knowledge of city practice, policy and procedures.
• Skill in oral and written communication.
• Skill in handling multiple tasks and prioritizing.
• Skill in use of computers and related software.
• Skill in planning and organizing.
• Skill in collecting, tabulating and analyzing demographics statistics.
• Ability to work under the pressure of rigid and/or short work cycle.
• Ability to apply statistical tools to data.
• Ability to maintain a degree of confidentially.
• Ability to give public presentations..
• Ability to explain and enforce city policies.
• Ability to develop and maintain current knowledge in procedural, ordinance, charter and changes in current job practices.
• Ability to work with frequent interruptions and changes in priorities.
• Ability to establish and maintain good working relationships with other city employees and the public

Minimum Qualifications

• Graduation with a Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college with major coursework in Planning, Geography, Social Science, Landscape Architecture, or a planning related field, plus three (3) years of experience in planning related work.
• Twelve (12) semester hours of relevant graduate college course work may substitute for six (6) months of required experience with a maximum substitution of two (2) years.
• Experience in planning related work may substitute for the education up to the maximum of four (4) years.

Licenses and Certifications Required

None.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with ArcGIS Pro and ArcGIS Online, including Dashboards, Experience Builder, and StoryMaps
• Experience using R for data cleaning, analysis, and automation
• Knowledge of US Census Bureau data products such as the Decennial Census and American Community Survey, and methods for accessing data via the Census API
• Experience publishing and maintaining data on Tyler Technologies/Socrata Open Data Portals