Special Projects and Data Lead, School Safety

Department of Transportation; New York (NY); Hybrid; USD 76,000 - 87,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Public Service Loan Forgiveness

Remote work up to 2 days per week

Job summary

Department of Transportation in New York City seeks a City Planner to advance the School Safety program, conduct geospatial analysis, and develop maps to guide policy and street design near K-12 schools. The role supports Vision Zero goals and cross-agency collaboration across five boroughs.

Responsibilities include coordinating with school officials and community boards, presenting findings, and leading data-driven planning for the 15‑mile School Slow Zone initiative.

Qualifications

• A baccalaureate degree from an accredited college or university and two years of satisfactory full‑time experience in city planning; or
• Graduate education in city planning, urban planning, urban design, architecture, landscape architecture, transportation engineering, public administration, economic development or related fields may substitute for experience on the basis of 30 graduate semester credits from an accredited college for one year of experience. However, all candidates must have a baccalaureate degree.

Responsibilities

• Plan, coordinate, monitor, and evaluate School Safety work program using geospatial data and maps.
• Lead planning, data analysis, and coordination tasks for the School Slow Zone program.
• Prepare and deliver presentations to school officials, Community Boards, and other stakeholders.
• Develop Street Improvement Projects near schools to enhance pedestrian safety and mobility.

Skills

Excel

ArcGIS

GIS maps

PostGIS

QGIS

Python

SQL

Adobe Creative Suite

GIS tools

Education

Baccalaureate degree in City Planning or related field

Tools

Microsoft Office (Access, Excel)

ArcGIS

Job description

To be considered for this position, the candidate must be serving permanently in the title of City Planner, be reachable on the civil service list, or be eligible under the 55a program.

The Transportation Planning and Management Division (TPM) is responsible for the safe, efficient, and environmentally responsible movement of people and goods on the City’s streets, supporting the larger goals of economic and social vitality for people living, working, and doing business in New York City. The Division’s responsibilities include planning, street design, technical analysis, signs, transit development, freight mobility and markings, ensuring the safety of motor vehicle occupants, pedestrians, and cyclists. The Research, Implementation, and Safety unit (RIS) is a multi-disciplinary team dedicated to making the streets of New York City safer for all users as part of Vision Zero, a citywide policy striving to eliminate serious injuries and fatalities from traffic crashes.

DOT seeks a candidate to serve as Special Projects and Data Lead on the School Safety group in RIS. School Safety is responsible for improving safety near K-12 schools throughout New York City. The group redesigns streets next to schools with a goal of reducing child injuries, improving safety and accessibility, and encouraging non-motorized transportation in all five boroughs. School Safety advises NYC agencies and private parties on school siting and various policy and street design issues related to youth safety and school operations. The unit manages all curb regulations and signage next to NYC K-12 schools, including the School Slow Zone program.

The selected candidate will use geospatial data and analysis to plan, implement, coordinate, monitor, and/or evaluate the School Safety work program. The candidate will conduct analysis and develop maps to contribute to project prioritization, program design, implementation, and evaluation. The candidate will make recommendations on program policies and procedures, provide authoritative interpretation of complex problems, and create maps to aid in internal planning exercises. Furthermore, the candidate will take a lead on all planning, data analysis, and coordination tasks associated with the School Slow Zone program and help the team deliver on the ambitious goal of Mayor Mamdani’s administration to install a 15-mile-per-hour School Slow Zone next to every K-12 school in NYC by the end of 2029.

The candidate will also be responsible for developing Street Improvement Projects to improve safety in the vicinity of schools. Tasks will involve planning, research, design, traffic analysis, project management, implementation coordination, and field work. The selected candidate will also be required to perform community outreach, including meeting with school officials, Community Boards, inter-and intra-agency members, and other stakeholders, as well as preparing and giving presentations to various groups.

The Department of Transportation’s (DOT) mission is to provide for the safe, efficient, and environmentally responsible movement of people and goods in the City of New York and to maintain and enhance the transportation infrastructure crucial to the economic vitality and quality of life of our primary customers, City residents.

Additional Information

To be considered for this position, the candidate must be serving permanently in the title of City Planner, be reachable on the civil service list, or be eligible under the 55a program.

For information on upcoming NYC Civil Service Exams https://www.nyc.gov/site/dcas/employment/how-can-you-find-upcoming-exams.page.

Work Location

55 Water Street, New York, NY 10041

Hours/Shift

35 hours / 8:00 am to 5:00 pm

Salary

Note: Less than 2 yrs. City Service - New Hire Rate: $75,777, 2 or more yrs. City service - Minimum Incumbent Rate: $87,144.

Remote Work

This position may be eligible for remote work up to 2 days per week, pursuant to the Remote Work Pilot Program agreed to between the City and DC37.

Note: New hires must reside in NYC for the first two years of employment. Appointments are subject to OMB approval.

CITY PLANNER - 22122

Minimum Qualifications

1. A baccalaureate degree from an accredited college or university and two years of satisfactory full‑time experience in city planning; or

2. A satisfactory combination of education and/or experience that is equivalent to “1” above. Graduate education in city planning, urban planning, urban design, architecture, landscape architecture, transportation engineering, public administration, economic development or related fields may be substituted for experience on the basis of 30 graduate semester credits from an accredited college for one year of experience. However, all candidates must have a baccalaureate degree.

Special Qualification Requirements

Assignment Level III

To be eligible for placement in Assignment Level III, individuals must have, after meeting the minimum requirements, one additional year of professional experience as described in "2" above.

Assignment Level IV

To be eligible for placement in Assignment Level IV, individuals must have, after meeting the minimum requirements, two additional years of professional experience as described in "2" above.

Preferred Skills

Proficiency in Excel and ArcGIS is required. Experience creating and maintaining GIS maps and spatial data files and proficiency with associated software programs, including but not limited to ArcGIS, QGIS, PostGIS, Adobe Creative Suite, Microsoft Office (Access, Excel), SQL, Python and/or other languages is strongly preferred. Familiarity with traffic calming, urban design, pedestrian‑oriented design, complete streets, and traffic engineering is strongly preferred. Excellent writing, editing, and oral presentation skills are necessary.

55a Program

This position is also open to qualified persons with a disability who are eligible for the 55-a Program. Please indicate at the top of your resume and cover letter that you would like to be considered for the position through the 55-a Program.

Public Service Loan Forgiveness

As a prospective employee of the City of New York, you may be eligible for federal loan forgiveness programs and state repayment assistance programs. For more information, please visit the U.S. Department of Education’s website at https://studentaid.gov/pslf/.

Residency Requirement

New York City residency is generally required within 90 days of appointment. However, City Employees in certain titles who have worked for the City for 2 continuous years may also be eligible to reside in Nassau, Suffolk, Putnam, Westchester, Rockland, or Orange County. To determine if the residency requirement applies to you, please discuss with the agency representative at the time of interview.

Additional Information

The City of New York is an inclusive equal opportunity employer committed to recruiting and retaining a diverse workforce and providing a work environment that is free from discrimination and harassment based upon any legally protected status or protected characteristic, including but not limited to an individual's sex, race, color, ethnicity, national origin, age, religion, disability, sexual orientation, veteran status, gender identity, or pregnancy.