Senior Associate Planner

Nelson\Nygaard Consulting Associates is seeking a highly organized, experienced, independent, and motivated senior-level staff member for our nationally recognized planning practice in the firm’s Seattle office. This is an outstanding opportunity for the right person to build upon our strong presence in the Pacific Northwest region while also having access to projects across the country.  

We are seeking an individual with at least six years of relevant experience and a strong interest in transit service planning, transit corridor planning, parking and transportation demand management, active transportation, and multimodal planning. You should have some background in developing sustainable strategies to improve community accessibility and mobility. People with a diverse set of transportation planning experiences are encouraged to apply.  

Nelson\Nygaard offers a dynamic and self-directed work environment that is fast-paced and supportive. This is your opportunity to work with one of the most innovative groups of planners and engineers in the United States, including highly talented junior and support staff and industry-leading principals. Our office culture is built upon diversity, creativity, and passion for the work we do. 

About Us 

For over 35 years, Nelson\Nygaard has led the transportation planning field with our values and innovation. We’ve always been guided by the principle of putting people first—designing transportation systems for people, not just cars. This principle also extends to how we operate as a firm.  

We were founded by two women who believed in the benefits of a more egalitarian workplace, where leadership and creativity can blossom at all levels and where diversity is a core strength. Today, we are 170 talented and dedicated people in 15 offices across the United States and Canada who continue to live by those values. What unites us at Nelson\Nygaard is the belief that transportation can change the world and our steadfast commitment to make the world more just, more sustainable, more connected, and more beautiful. 

About You 

• You’re resourceful, curious, communicative, and enthusiastic. 
• You’re passionate about how transportation can make the world a better, more equitable place.
• You bring energy and a commitment to your teams and clients to do great work, together.  

Responsibilities 

Our senior transportation planners focus on planning for municipalities, agencies, universities, and private clients, and lead project teams to develop and deliver solutions that address our clients’ challenges. The ideal candidate should have a broad range of transportation and urban planning experience and have successfully managed dynamic transportation planning projects and budgets. Depending on your skills and our project needs, responsibilities may include managing, supervising, and supporting several project teams, keeping project work on schedule and within budget, mentoring junior transportation planners, research, data collection and analysis, writing and editing technical and public-facing reports, developing presentations and outreach materials, and/or leading business development efforts and client communication. You will work both independently and as part of a team.  

Senior associate candidates should be able to share previous work examples and demonstrate significant expertise in a range of transit, multimodal, or active transportation planning and design topics such as transit service planning, long-range planning, multimodal planning and design, citywide or regionwide planning, parking and transportation demand management, transit station area planning, equity frameworks and analysis, community outreach, and stakeholder coordination. 

You will work closely with Nelson\Nygaard’s senior and junior staff in our offices throughout the country with a focus on your local office in Seattle.  

Qualifications and Requirements 

Above all, we are looking for someone who:  

• Has a passion for sustainable transportation planning
• Is an inquisitive self-starter and a natural problem solver
• Understands the connection between transportation and equity and is committed to incorporating equity, diversity, and inclusion into their work   
• Is interested in working with our diverse clients and communities across the U.S. and Canada to create more equitable, livable, and sustainable mobility systems through community-based efforts
• Has proven experience in managing projects within budget
• Works successfully with clients, members of the public, and project teams 
• Has a passion for advancing equity through community-based efforts, including engagement with BIPOC communities, and will demonstrate an ability to work effectively with diverse communities  

 

At a minimum, the candidate should meet the following qualifications: 

• At least 6 years of responsible experience in transportation planning, engineering, or design. 
• A bachelor’s degree in transportation planning, economics, public policy, engineering, or a related field. A master’s degree in one of these fields is preferred. Demonstrated experience or expertise in lieu of precise educational attainment may also meet this requirement. 
• Experience in business development (i.e., winning work); if you have public agency experience, grant writing and successful RFP development are applicable skills.
• Excellent written, verbal, and other communication skills, including facilitation of public workshops.
• The ability to manage projects on time and on budget.
• Advanced proficiency with Microsoft Excel, Word, and PowerPoint. Proficiency in GIS preferred.

The ideal candidate will be excited to take on the following opportunities: 

• Creatively solve transportation problems
• Demonstrate excellent written and verbal communications skills
• Serve as a project or task manager and manage projects within budget
• Work successfully with clients, members of the public, and project teams
• Outline and prepare successful proposals and reports
• Analyze a wide range of transportation data and manage the completion of technical analyses, feasibility studies, and other transportation reports
• Prepare and give effective presentations
• Participate in firmwide activities to ensure that we continue to build on our mission and core values
• Mentor and train junior staff 

Salary and Benefits 

Title placement and the annual salary range for this position depends on qualifications and years of experience.  

• Senior Associate I: $94,335 - $120,539
• Senior Associate II: $109,230 - $139,572

Benefits include medical, dental, and vision insurance; transit and bicycling commute benefits; a 401k program; life insurance; and paid time off. Additionally, we offer opportunities for in-person collaboration as well as remote work.

Applying for the Position 

To apply, please click on the 'Apply Online' link. Qualified and interested candidates must submit the following items:  

• Cover letter 
• Resume
• Work samples that highlight your skills. Please do not exceed 6 MB.  

At Nelson\Nygaard we believe that inclusion spurs creativity, and that innovation is born from an engaged culture of diverse people and ideas. By moving beyond barriers and stereotypes of gender, race, color, religion, national origin, ancestry, age, medical condition, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, and veteran status, we are committed to building an organization that reflects the diversity of the communities and clients we serve. We strongly encourage applications from Black, Indigenous, and People of Color, immigrants, LGBTQIA+ individuals, people with disabilities, and members of ethnic minorities. We’re committed to maximizing the diversity of our team and want to hear from anyone who is passionate about our work.  

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Nelson\Nygaard Consulting Associates, Inc. offers consulting services. The Company provides transit, paratransit and community transportation, traffic engineering, multimodal transportation, program and mobility management, and financial planning services. Nelson\Nygaard Consulting Associates serves customers in the United States.