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Assistant/Associate Planner
City of Goleta / Goleta, CA
Posted on: August 7, 2025
Application Deadline: 8/11/2025 11:59 PM Pacific
Job Description
The City of Goleta invites qualified applicants to apply for Assistant/Associate Planner to fill one (1) vacancy in the Planning & Environmental Review Department. Placement may be at either the Associate or Assistant Planner level, depending on qualifications.
IDEAL CANDIDATE
Assistant Planner
The ideal candidate will be an energetic, thoughtful, and collaborative team member. Further, this person will have the equivalent to a Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university with major course work in urban planning, geography, environmental design, or a related field. One year of related planning experience is also necessary.
Associate Planner
The ideal candidate will be energetic, an analytical and seasoned professional that has good judgement, and can work independently. Further, this person will have the equivalent to a Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university with major course work in urban planning, geography, environmental design, or a related field. Three years of progressively responsible professional planning experience is also necessary, preferably within a local government environment.
ABOUT THE POSITION
This recruitment is to fill one (1) vacancy in the Current Planning Division. The qualifications and experience of the selected candidate will determine whether the person is hired as an Assistant Planner or as an Associate Planner.
Under general supervision, both position levels will perform a variety of technical and professional level duties necessary to review and analyze a project to determine the proposal consistency with the City’s adopted General Plan policies, applicable zoning regulations, and the California Environmental Quality Act. Further, the work of both positions include but are not limited to providing information and assistance on planning-related matters to the public and other City staff members; making presentations to local decision-makers; writing staff reports associated with assigned projects that can range from routine to moderately difficult in scope and public interest.
The Assistant Planner is distinguished from the Associate Planner by the latter’s ability to work more independently and by the increased complexity of assignments, scope, and independent judgment exercised in the performing of the assigned work.
Required Experience / Skills / Education
- QUALIFICATIONS GUIDELINESEducation, Experience and TrainingAny combination of experience and training that would likely provide the required knowledge and abilities is qualifying. A typical way to obtain the knowledge and abilities would be:
Education:
- Equivalent to a Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university with major course work in urban planning, geography, environmental design, or a related field.
Experience:
- Assistant Planner: One year of related planning experience.
- Associate Planner: Three years of progressively responsible professional planning experience, preferably within a local government environment.
Knowledge and Abilities
Knowledge of:
- Urban planning principles and practices, laws, ordinances, rules, and regulations.
- The California Environmental Quality Act, Subdivision Map Act, California Coastal Act, site planning and architectural design principles.
- Recent developments, current literature, information sources related to municipal urban planning and zoning.
- Community trends and market analysis techniques.
- Research techniques in field of urban planning.
- Pertinent federal, state and local laws, codes and regulations.
- Application of land use, physical design, environmental, and/or social concepts to the planning process.
- Terminology, symbols, methods and techniques used in planning and map drafting, math concepts.
- Modern office methods, practices, procedures and equipment, including computer hardware and software necessary for word processing, graphic presentation, mapping, and database management.
- Methods and techniques of effective technical report preparation and presentation.
- Safe driving principles and practices.
Ability to:
- Perform responsible and complex current and long-term planning assignments.
- Interpret and apply federal, state, and local laws, codes, regulations, policies, procedures, and standards pertaining to the planning process.
- Plan, organize and coordinate planning activities.
- Interpret maps, site and building plans and specifications; research, analyze and summarize planning data.
- Analyze problems, identify alternative solutions, project consequences of proposed actions, and provide recommendations.
- Make presentations of ideas and recommendations to staff, the City Council, Planning Commission, Design Review Board. advisory committees, and other official groups; prepare clear and visual displays; present ideas persuasively.
- Prepare clear and concise reports, correspondence and other written materials; plan and organize work.
- Exercise sound judgment.
- Plan, organize and execute assignments with minimal supervision and direction and within established deadlines.
- Work effectively and tactfully with dissatisfied citizens; deal constructively with conflict and develop effective resolutions.
- Understand and carry out verbal and written instructions; express ideas clearly and concisely verbally and in writing; read, understand, and apply complex materials.
- Instruct others in work procedures and provide specific project direction.
- Establish and maintain professional and cooperative working relationships with those contacted in the course of work.
- Use a computer and utilize software applications such as, word processing, spreadsheets, database management, and graphics presentations as required by the duties of the assignment.
Special Requirements
- Possession of a valid Class “C” California driver’s license and a satisfactory driving record may be required.
Application Instructions
To apply: https://www.governmentjobs.com/careers/goletaca/jobs/5020246/assistant-associate-planner?pagetype=jobOpportunitiesJobs
