Description

The Montgomery County Planning Department is seeking a Transportation Planner I with experience in data collection and analysis, managing, updating, and maintaining the highway and transit network geodatabase used to support the application of the Department's regional travel demand forecasting model, and managing, updating and maintaining pedestrian and bicycle geodatabases using ArcGIS tools to support the application of the Department's Pedestrian Level of Comfort and Bicycle Level of Traffic Stress analyses.
Montgomery Planning is part of The Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission (M-NCPPC). For over 95 years, M-NCPPC has had a national reputation for excellence in planning, and today serves a culturally diverse population of over one million people on the border of Washington, D.C. in Montgomery County. We provide county-wide planning functions including long range planning, as well as reviews of development applications in diverse built environments of downtown urban districts, suburban communities, and agricultural areas. We have pioneered nationally modeled programs in agricultural preservation, inclusionary housing, and transit-oriented design. To learn more about who we are and what we do, we encourage you to watch this brief video here and visit our website at www.montgomeryplanning.org.
This is a highly detail-oriented position requiring strong quantitative, GIS applications, geodatabase management, and specific computer programing skills. Familiarity with basic transportation planning techniques, transit operations, and travel demand forecasting models is desired.
The salary range listed above represents the earning potential for this position. Salary is commensurate with experience. This position is eligible for a sign-on bonus (external candidates only).

Examples of Important Duties

• Manages, updates, and maintains the highway and transit network geodatabases using ArcGIS tools to support the application of the Department's regional travel demand forecasting model.
• Manages, updates, and maintains the pedestrian and bicycle geodatabases using ArcGIS tools to support the application of the Department's Pedestrian Level of Comfort and Bicycle Level of Traffic Stress analyses.
• Compiles information obtained from the regional Metropolitan Planning Organization, state Department of Transportation, transit agencies, consultants, local governments, and other sources needed to develop transportation networks.
• Prepares analyses of key data sets, such as land use/demographic data, household travel surveys, and on-board transit surveys.
• Develops applications and prepares maps using GIS software for planning projects.

• Familiarity with principles and practices of transportation engineering or planning, or related field; strong computer programming skills; basic techniques of statistics, quantitative methods, and techniques as applied to transportation planning; sound knowledge of research methods; ability to express ideas clearly and concisely orally and in writing and to establish and maintain effective working relations with other employees, officials, and the public; good judgment; ability to learn new techniques and software packages.
• Strong skills using ArcGIS, MS Access, MS Visual Studio, relational database management systems, and scripting languages (e.g., Python and Visual Basic) are required. Strong working knowledge of statistical analysis packages; electronic spreadsheets; word processing; computer graphics and programming languages/frameworks (e.g., the .NET, R, and Python) is preferred. Basic knowledge of Bentley’s Cube Voyager transportation modeling software is desirable.
• Ability to read, analyze, and interpret technical memoranda and Department procedures and user manuals; write memoranda documenting work efforts; effectively present information and respond to questions in a workgroup setting; follow instructions and work program requirements; and work effectively in a team environment and communicate with supervisor and co-workers.
• Ability to interpret a variety of instructions furnished in written, oral, diagram, or schedule form.

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor’s Degree in Planning, Geography, Architecture, Parks and Recreation, Transportation, Urban Design, Engineering, Environmental Science, Public Policy, Economics or any related field.
• An equivalent combination of education and experience may be substituted, which together total four (4) years.
• Valid driver's license (depending on area of assignment) in accordance with both State and Commission rules and regulations. Driver’s license must be unencumbered by restrictions, revocations, suspensions, or points that could limit the employee’s ability to drive Commission vehicles or perform driving duties required by the position of assignment.

Supplemental Information

Class/Specification: Planner I