Compensation: $26.92 per hour, plus benefits
Close Date: Open until filled

Learn more about this position and apply today on Yakima County Career Page.

Job Description:

There is one opening with the Yakima County Public Services-Planning Division. This position provides professional planning and technical assistance to the general public and those applying for development projects; reviews projects for compliance with adopted comprehensive plans, policies and regulations; develops comprehensive plans, policies and regulatory options for consideration by managers; participates in special studies and public education efforts related to land use, environmental and natural resource planning issues.

This recruitment may be used to fill future vacancies that occur within 90 days of the closing of this position. (This excludes Yakima County Sheriff’s Office and Department of Corrections)

Experience and Training:

  • Bachelor’s degree in Planning, Natural Resources Management, Geography, Environmental Sciences or a related field and one year of planning experience including related internships.
  • Masters’ Degree may substitute for experience.

Required:

  • A valid WA Drivers’ License at time of appointment.

Preferred:

  • Ability to speak and understand Spanish.
  • Experience working with WA State land use and environmental law.

This is a Yakima County Clerical, Trades and Professional Bargaining Unit position.

Equipment Used:

  • GIS workstation
  • PC and laptop
  • GPS unit; calculator
  • Phone and other office equipment
  • Motor vehicle.

Working Conditions:

Work is performed in an office and/or field environment and may require exposure angry customers and citizen groups.  Requires frequent driving and local travel for site analysis and attendance at night meetings.

Requires:

Field work, lifting, pulling, pushing, reaching, standing, walking, climbing, hearing, talking, visual acuity, ability to multitask, confidentiality, ability to work under pressure, ability to articulate and communicate information in conversations, ability to follow written and verbal instructions.

Medium Work:

Exerting up to 50 pounds of force occasionally, and/or up to 20 pounds of force frequently, and/or up to 10 pounds of force constantly to move objects or work out in the field.

Knowledge:

  • Principles and practices of local government planning
  • Structure and form of plans, laws and ordinances involved in planning, environmental and natural resource management
  • Terminology, laws, rules, and regulations related to public planning
  • Natural systems functions and field methods inventory work methods
  • Fundamental mathematics and statistical methods
  • Applicable federal, state and local planning policies, laws, regulations, ordinances, codes principles and practices related to land development; State and local land use planning laws related to area of assignment
  • Research and analytical methods for planning projects including scientific methods and field practices for gathering data
  • Principles of site impact analysis for development projects
  • Principles of geography and geomorphology, cartography
  • Presentation and meeting facilitation including use of GIS and other technology for displaying, analyzing and evaluating research data
  • U.S. Census Geography, survey methods, and/or legal descriptions
  • Principles of site impact analysis for development projects
  • Customer service techniques and team building concepts. 

Skills:

  • Using personal computers, GIS workstations, laptops, GPS units e-mail, internet and related software applications, operating basic office equipment, scanners, plotters; public address systems and audio-visual presentation equipment
  • Researching, gathering, organizing and analyzing statistics and other information from a variety of sources and media and writing reports
  • Interpreting and applying complex and inter-related laws, codes and legislation
  • Collecting, organizing and maintaining case notes of progress and compliance
  • Organizing, evaluating, preparing and presenting effective reports, maps and graphics using GIS, analytical software and statistical methods
  • Giving presentations and facilitating meetings and events
  • Complying with laws, codes, ordinances and regulations
  • Establishing and maintaining effective interpersonal relationships with County and other officials, at all organizational levels and with the public
  • Effective oral and written communications to accurately exchange or convey information and to receive work direction.