Transportation Planner - Bus Rapid Transit

About the Department

Play a key part in the growth of the GoRaleigh Public Transportation System and become a member of the City of Raleigh’s Transit Division. The Transportation Planner will provide technical and project management support to long-range transit planning initiatives focused on implementing Raleigh’s Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) program of projects.

In this role, you’ll have the opportunity to collaborate with a multi-departmental team on Bus Rapid Transit, GoRaleigh’s largest capital infrastructure program. This role includes: implementing transportation solutions that expand multi-mobile options for transit users, participating in plan development promoting transit supportive land use, and collaborating with community members through various public outreach efforts. This position will provide support for the BRT projects including the planning, design and engineering of BRT. This role will lead community engagement for BRT and support coordination with internal and external stakeholders about project decisions. This position reports to the Transit Planning Manager overseeing the Wake BRT program of projects. 

About You:

We’re looking for a passionate public transit or planning professional to join the Transit Division. In this role, you’ll leverage your knowledge of transit services, planning, and operations to guide the planning, design, and implementation of transit capital infrastructure. If you are looking to make a difference in delivering public transportation options to the community, this role is for you!

Here is what you’ll bring:

• Effective communications: Strong written and verbal skills, including public speaking to explain complex technical details to residents and transit users

• Design and detail oriented: An eye for designing multimodal solutions with transit users in mind and detail oriented to provide key technical guidance to design and engineering consultants

• Strategic planning: Can look at the big picture and chart a path forward to implementing meaningful and effective projects

• Experience riding transit: Practice what you preach, having experience in being a transit user provides the best opportunity to understand challenges and develop solutions

• Research ability: Proactively researching project elements to ensure the best decisions are made throughout project design

About Us:

The City of Raleigh’s Transit Division seeks to provide quality public transportation to Raleigh and surrounding Wake County municipalities. Our goal is to increase mobility options and access for all users of the transit system. The Transit Division is within the larger Transportation Department and works alongside partner groups such as: Mobility, Strategy and Infrastructure; Vision Zero; Signs and Markings; and Traffic Signals to provide safe and effective transportation solutions for Raleigh. The City of Raleigh is a member of the National Association of City Transportation Officials (NACTO), and as an employee you will have access to member forums, webinars, and resources provided by NACTO.

Join our team of over 30 passionate public transit professionals keen on making an impact in both Raleigh and the greater Triangle region. We foster a collaborative, inclusive work environment, and we value perspectives and ideas from all to enhance the quality of our public transit services. 

Position Duties

The intent of this job description is to provide a representative summary of the major duties and responsibilities performed by employees in this job. Employees may be requested to perform job-related tasks other than those specifically presented in this description.

In this dynamic role, you’ll play a key part in supporting the development of transit capital infrastructure and contribute to a program increasing high-capacity mobility options within the region.

Here’s what you’ll do:

• Support the BRT program including the design and engineering of BRT corridor projects

• Participate in cross departmental teams evaluating first/last mile mobility challenges within the vicinity of the proposed BRT stations

• Deliver effective community engagement through a variety of means designed to meet the public where they are

• Collaborate with other departments, internal and external stakeholders, boards and committees, and the broader public to effectively communicate program and project updates

• Create maps and other visuals, lead website updates, and develop progress reports on transit improvement

• This position will be required to operate a City-owned vehicle

Minimum Qualifications

Education and Experience:

Bachelor's Degree in Planning, Urban Planning, Transportation Planning, Engineering, or related field; 1 to 3 years' experience in urban/regional planning, transportation planning, or related work
 
 OR

Any equivalent combination of training and/or experience that provides the required knowledge, skills and abilities may be substituted.

Licenses or Certifications:

• Valid North Carolina Class C Driver's License with a satisfactory driving record, or the ability to obtain within 60 days of hire

Other Qualifications

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

• Transit best practices, trends and emerging transit technologies. Firsthand transit experience is preferred but not required

• Project management principles and practices, including leading project tasks and initiatives

• Best practices in community engagement and survey design

• Principles and practices of strategic planning, long-range planning, critical thinking, and analysis

• Customer service principles

• Modern office practices and procedures including the use of standard office equipment and computer applications such as word processing, databases, and spreadsheet applications

• Relevant software applications including – but not limited to – Microsoft Office Suite, Adobe Suite, and ArcGIS

• Principles and applications of critical thinking and analysis

ADA and Other Requirements: 

Work Environment and Physical Effort: 

Sedentary: Exerting up to 10 pounds of force occasionally, a negligible amount of force frequently, and/or constantly having to lift, carry, push, pull, or otherwise move objects, including the human body. Sedentary work involves sitting most of the time. Jobs are sedentary if walking and standing are required only occasionally, and all other sedentary criteria are met. 

Work Environment: Work is typically performed in an office or similar indoor environment. Employees may occasionally work in an outdoor environment, street environment (near moving traffic) or in a vehicle. 

Work Exposures: Employees in this role will occasionally interact with individuals who are hostile or irate. 

City of Raleigh is an Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) employer. Accommodations for individuals with disabilities are provided upon request.