Washing Metropolitan Area Transit Authority’s Office of Planning is hiring a planner for its Regional Planning branch.
The open position is within the Regional Planning (REGP) program area in Metro’s Office of Planning. The REGP program area focuses on developing and executing the Authority’s long-range regional transit system plan and advocating for Metro’s short and long-term infrastructure and operational needs at local, regional, and state levels, with an emphasis on ensuring integration of Metro’s plans across all the ongoing planning activities in the region.
Planners in this position manage long-range planning projects, prepare technical reports/presentations, represent Metro at project stakeholder meetings, and analyze/recommend regional transit policy. The successful candidate will possess extensive capabilities in regional planning, possess strong communications skills, and be able to represent Metro across the region.
The applicant will be particularly skilled at translating highly technical information into written documents, graphics, and presentations that are easily digested by a wide range of audiences. Knowledge in the areas of regional transportation planning and forecasting, the metropolitan planning process, transit funding options and considerations, and project evaluation and alternatives analysis is strongly preferred.
Job Description
Posting/Position Details:
All WMATA posted job openings are available through 11:59 pm/est the night before the noted Close Date. To ensure successful submission of application applicants are encouraged to apply well before this cut-off. The noted Close Date is the date on which the posting is automatically removed from the website as of 12:00am at which time submission of an application is no longer possible. (WMATA reserves the right to remove postings at any time without notice as business needs demand.)
Minimum Qualifications:
Graduation from an accredited college or university with a Bachelor’s Degree in Economics, Transportation or Urban Planning or a related field. Six years experience in the transportation or economics industry with emphasis on transportation system analysis, economic and forecasting analysis and business planning.
Or, an equivalent combination of education and experience.
Medical Group:
Ability to satisfactorily complete the medical examination for this job, and to perform essential job functions either with or without reasonable accommodation.
Job Summary/Duties:
This is a professional position which requires comprehensive analysis of transportation economics and policies. Role is responsible for researching, compiling and analyzing urban and transportation data needed to address and solve intricate problems regarding WMATA’s transit operations and for identifying methods of financing WMATA’s operating and capital needs, and possibly its construction needs. The role is also required to prepare technical reports and provide projections on future transit demand, tax incidence and socio-economic trends and conduct cost/benefit analysis of regional transit development and policy strategies. Incumbent also required to conduct analyses on new service and entrepreneurial proposals and has latitude for independent judgment and action within established guidelines.
Serve at the liaison with planning agencies and related commissions of the local jurisdictions on land use planning and the impact on WMATA’s transportation system.
Conducts negotiations on Metro facility and site designs with jurisdictional staff in support of Metro joint development opportunities.
Manages development of concept plans and technical reports to support transit and access expansion, and joint development opportunities. Ensures production of drawings, technical reports, presentation materials to document design concepts.
Analyzes applicable local state and federal laws and regulations including land use plans, zoning ordinances and subdivision regulations in support of real property acquisition and disposition.
Serves as a project leader for researching, compiling and analyzing demographic and socio-economic data and trends that affect transportation demand, such as, employment, population, auto ownership, parking and other relevant data.
Researches and analyzes various innovative methods of alternative financing and funding sources to finance the operating and capital requirements of WMATA.
Serves as a project leader to conduct cost/benefit analysis of the impact of WMATA and its services on the Washington metropolitan area.
- Assesses the costs and benefits of new transportation services and entrepreneurial services that may be developed by WMATA.
- Identifies and evaluates proposals to reduce and contain cost and increase the effectiveness and efficiency of WMATA services as well as methods of increasing ridership.
- Examines the need and potential benefits of development at Metrorail stations and at other facilities owned by WMATA.
- Develops, modifies and utilizes operating cost models to assess the long term cost of WMATA services. Provides these data as inputs to the region’s financially constrained long range plan.
- Develops and assesses the impact on transit operations, ridership and revenues and capital needs of various strategies proposed by the region as Transportation Control Measures (TCMs).
- Works in a regional context and maintains a liaison role with the MWCOG, state Departments of Transportation, and local governments on various regional issues and studies that may affect transit service.
- Acts as WMATA’s liaison to the Technical Committee and other subcommittees to the MWCOG.
- Represents WMATA on Major Investment Studies conducted throughout the region and other projects of a special nature related to the expansion of the transit system.
- Prepares technical reports and makes presentations to the Board of Directors and its subcommittees and various agencies and organizations external to WMATA.
Evaluation Criteria:
Consideration will be given to applicants whose resumes demonstrate the required education and experience. Applicants should include all relevant education and work experience.
Evaluation criteria may include one or more of the following:
- Personal Interview
- Skills Assessments
- Verification of education and experience
- Criminal Background Check
- Credit history report for positions with fiduciary responsibilities
- Successful completion of a medical examination including a drug and alcohol screening
- Review of a current Motor Vehicle Report
Closing:
Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority, a Federal contractor, is an Equal Opportunity / Affirmative Action employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability, or protected veteran status.
This posting is an announcement of a vacant position under recruitment. It is not intended to replace the official job description. Job Descriptions are available upon confirmation of an interview.
The job description and information on how to apply can be found here: http://www.wmata.com/careers/ and the job code is 141283.