Preservation Planner (Internal Applicants Only)

King County; Seattle (WA); Hybrid; USD 75,000 - 100,000; Full time

Job summary

King County is seeking a Preservation Planner within the Historic Preservation Program (HPP) in the Department of Natural Resources and Parks. The role focuses on safeguarding historic resources through regulatory review, GIS management, and stakeholder collaboration.

The position offers hybrid work and opportunities to lead planning efforts with local cities and private developers. You will help ensure compliance with local, state, and federal regulations, maintain the HRI inventory, and

Qualifications

• Proven ability to research and interpret historic resources and policies.
• Experience applying federal, state, and local preservation regulations.
• Skilled in using GIS for mapping and data management.

Responsibilities

• Review projects for impacts to above-ground historic and cultural resources.
• Prepare written reports documenting historic characteristics and eligibility.
• Maintain GIS-based historic resources inventory and support data sharing with WISAARD.
• Coordinate preservation planning services and develop educational workshops.
• Represent the program in planning processes and integrate preservation priorities.

Skills

Research & analysis

GIS & ArcGIS

Regulatory compliance

Data management

Communication & trainings

Stakeholder collaboration

Education

Master’s degree in historic preservation or planning

Tools

ArcGIS

WISAARD

King County Historic Resources Inventory

Job description

Internal Applicants Only This position is open only to current King County Employees.

Are you passionate about preserving the region’s rich cultural heritage? As part of the Department of Natural Resources and Parks (DNRP) Director’s Office, this is an exciting opportunity to join the dynamic team in King County’s Historic Preservation Program (HPP). In this role, you will help safeguard King County’s historic built environment by reviewing a wide range of projects for potential impacts to above-ground historic and cultural resources. You will apply your knowledge of local, state, and federal preservation regulations and actively participate in regulatory processes to support the county’s compliance efforts. Additional responsibilities include maintaining the county’s GIS-based historic resources inventory, leading preservation planning activities for King County and partner cities, and developing outreach and educational initiatives that encourage community engagement in preservation. This position also offers growth opportunities, including expanding your expertise in identifying regional cultural resources, strengthening GIS and data management skills, and building connections across the environmental, cultural resource management, and historic preservation fields.

About the Role:

King County regularly undertakes new capital, maintenance, and land acquisition projects, many of which have the potential to affect above-ground historic properties and archaeological resources. This ongoing activity creates a strong and steady demand for HPP’s cultural resources review services, as well as a need for continuous training to help new County staff understand the laws and policies that guide the treatment of these resources. In close collaboration with HPP’s archaeologist, you will play a key role in managing this high volume of project review requests and supporting staff training efforts. Your work will help ensure County agencies meet the requirements of the King County Executive Policy on Cultural Resources and comply with all applicable local, state, and federal environmental regulations related to cultural resources.This position follows a hybrid work model, blending remote and in-person work.

About the Team:

HPP is a small, collaborative team within the Department of Natural Resources and Parks (DNRP), an agency dedicated to fostering sustainable communities and a healthy natural environment through its four divisions: Wastewater Treatment, Solid Waste, Parks and Recreation, and Water and Land Resources. We partner closely with DNRP staff as they steward more than 26,000 acres of parks and natural lands, restore critical habitat, protect farmland, build water-quality facilities, and more. Guided by our mission to identify, document, preserve, and steward the county’s significant historic and archaeological resources, serving all people and communities in King County, HPP manages the work of the King County Landmarks Commission, leads educational programs, and provides preservation and cultural resource review services for County agencies, 24 local cities, private developers, and property owners.

Commitment to Equity, Racial and Social Justice:

King County, named after Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., is a diverse and vibrant community that represents cultures from around the world. We prioritize equity, racial and social justice, making it a foundational and daily expectation for all employees. As a Preservation Planner, you will actively apply these principles in all aspects of your work. Learn more about our commitment at http://www.kingcounty.gov/equity.

What You Will Be Doing:

• Review projects submitted by County agencies, interlocal cities, and private developers for potential impacts to above-ground historic and cultural resources, using historic maps, aerial photographs, the King County Historic Resources Inventory (HRI), Washington’s WISAARD system, and other research tools.
• Conduct research, field investigations, and evaluations of potentially significant properties; prepare written reports that document historic characteristics and determine eligibility for listing in local historic registers.
• Maintain the County’s GIS-based above-ground historic resources inventory (HRI) and archaeological/ethnographic place inventory; recommend and oversee database improvements to enhance functionality and data-sharing with WISAARD.
• Coordinate preservation planning services for interlocal cities, develop and participate in educational workshops and trainings, and provide analysis and technical guidance to strengthen local planning documents and preservation efforts.
• Serve as HPP’s strategic planning lead by representing the program in the County’s comprehensive planning process and integrating preservation priorities into broader planning initiatives.

Qualifications You Bring:

• Demonstrated ability to research, analyze and interpret information related to the historic built environment, including historic buildings, structures, sites, districts and objects.
• Ability to gather information from historic resources inventories, including King County’s Historic Preservation Viewer and Washington State’s WISAARD database, and use ArcGIS for mapping and data management.
• Working knowledge of federal, state, and local preservation regulations, and experience applying these regulatory processes, including Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act, SEPA, and relevant local ordinances.
• Skilled in applying quantitative and qualitative analysis to evaluate data that supports cultural resource review decisions and landmark eligibility determinations.
• Strong communication skills, including preparing clear, concise written reports; delivering trainings and workshops; presenting in public settings; and explaining technical information to diverse audiences.
• Knowledge of architectural history, landscape history, and/or community history relevant to the Pacific Northwest and Puget Sound region.
• Skilled in building collaborative relationships and cultivating partnerships that support shared goals and strengthen community understanding of historic preservation and cultural resource stewardship.

Competencies You Bring:

• Decision Quality: Making good and timely decisions that keep the organization moving forward.
• Cultivates Innovation: Creating new and better ways for the organization to be successful.
• Plans and Aligns: Planning and prioritizing work to meet commitments aligned with organizational goals.
• Collaborates: Building partnerships and working collaboratively with others to meet shared objectives.
• Self-Development: Actively seeking new ways to grow and be challenged using both formal and informal development channels.

It Would Be Great if You Also Bring:

• Master’s Degree in historic preservation, planning, architecture, architectural history, or a closely related field.
• Meets the National Park Service Professional Qualifications Standards (36 CFR Part 61) for Architectural History, Architecture, or Historic Architecture.
• Demonstrated ability to apply the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards and Guidelines for Preservation Planning, as listed on the National Park Service (NPS).

Working Conditions:

• Work Location: The DNRP Director’s Office team works in a hybrid model, with days in the office as well as telecommuting. The ratio of remote to onsite work will be dependent on business needs and is subject to change. The primary onsite location is King Street Center, 201 S. Jackson, Seattle, Washington 98104. King County has a robust collection of tools and resources to support working remote. The individual selected for this opportunity will join an innovative and progressive team that is redefining how we work as we transition to the department's hybrid environment. Employees will be provided with a County-issued laptop and must maintain a home workspace with an internet connection where they can reliably perform work and remain available and responsive during scheduled work hours.
• Work Schedule: This full-time position works a 40-hour work week. This position is exempt from the overtime provision of the Fair Labor Standard Act (FLSA) and is not overtime eligible.
• Union Representation: This position is not represented by a union.

Discover More About DNRP:

Visit our website, explore an interactive map of our recent accomplishments and check us out at Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), LinkedIn, TikTok, Instagram, YouTube and Keeping King County Green News.

King County's Vision, Mission, and ACTIVATE Values unite us.

King County serves residents with a relentless sense of urgency, delivering on commitments with transparency and accountability. We are action-oriented, creative problem solvers who collaborate across roles, engage directly with communities, and challenge the status quo to achieve meaningful impact. As a unified team, we uphold high ethical and stewardship standards, embrace change, stay curious, and continuously improve. Across all interactions, we listen first, act quickly, and stay aligned as a team to earn and sustain public trust. Learn more about our Vision, Mission, and ACTIVATE Values here and visit our Why work at King County page here.

King County is an Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Employer

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Our EEO policy applies to all employment actions, including but not limited to recruitment, hiring, selection for training, promotion, transfer, demotion, layoff, termination, rates of pay or other forms of compensation.