Freight Planner

Job Description

Will you use your energy and ideas towards making a difference?

Are you a pending or recent college graduate with a degree in one of the following areas:

Transportation planning, community development planning, regional planning, urban planning, civil/transportation/traffic engineering, environmental engineering, finance, business administration, supply chain management, data science, geography, economics, mathematics, or aviation (technology, management, or flight operations).

Look no further!!

The Systems Planning Bureau is seeking a Transportation Planner to join their Planning Team as the Freight Planner and help solve some of our greatest mobility challenges. This small but impactful team has the exciting task of planning for the future of Iowa’s transportation system, and this position has a critical role in statewide planning activities, supporting the Iowa DOT’s emphasis on mobility and our mission Making Lives Better Through Transportation .

To accomplish our Mission, the person selected for this position will demonstrate actions and behaviors guided by the Iowa Department of Transportation’s five CORE values: Safety First, People Matter, Customer Focused, Servant Leadership, and Integrity Without Exception .

Location: Ames, Iowa

Shift: Days, Monday through Friday, 8:00 am - 4:30 pm with flextime and telework available. Overnight travel is not regularly required.

What You’ll Do

As the Freight Planner your responsibilities will include assisting with the department’s multimodal freight transportation planning efforts.

Freight Planning Duties Include

• Assisting the Planning Team’s Freight Planning Coordinator with developing and implementing the State Freight Plan and State Rail Plan and coordinating the Iowa Freight Advisory Council.
• Developing freight and other transportation planning reports and analyzing social, economic, condition, performance, and other transportation trends as it relates to freight transportation.
• Maintaining and updating various spatial databases including freight facilities, rail lines, modal usage, commodity movements, infrastructure size and condition, safety, operating statistics, and performance measures.
• Assisting the Planning Team in updating and implementing the state’s long range transportation plan, as well as other modal and specialized/system plans.
• Completing various system screening analyses utilizing GIS and other geoprocessing tools.
  
  

Responsibilities will require presentations and discussions regarding transportation planning issues with internal departmental offices, state and federal agencies, and a variety of other stakeholders. This position will require excellent oral and written communication skills, as well as time management skills.

What Makes You Stand Out

• Strong technical skills, including Geographic Information Systems (GIS).
• Commitment to detail and professionalism.
• Ability to multitask, prioritize, and manage time efficiently.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• Goal-oriented, organized team player.
• Energy and passion for serving others.
  
  

Graduation from an accredited four-year college with a planning or closely related degree is preferred.

What We Offer YOU

• Competitive pay and benefits package including health, dental, flexible spending, and life insurance
• Insurance benefits start first of the month following 30 days of employment. 2025 health and dental insurance premiums can be found here .
• Opportunities for professional growth and development.
• Paid time off effective immediately - biweekly vacation, separate sick leave, accruals rollover on a yearly basis, and 9 paid holidays per year.
• Iowa Public Employee Retirement System (IPERS) Retirement Package with employer match
• Optional 401A plan with employer contributions.
• Employee Discount Programs from variety of vendors (vision, cellular, fitness, recreation, season passes, travel, counseling; legal, financial).
  
  

We encourage you to view more about the State of Iowa Employee benefits and costs at the State of Iowa Employee Benefits Website !

You have the freedom to flourish in Iowa – Apply today!

If you require a reasonable accommodation in completing any screening, interviewing, pre-employment testing, or otherwise participating in the selection process, please direct your request to the Affirmative Action & Equal Employment Opportunity (AA/EEO) Officer at: aa-eeo@iowadot.us

Reasonable accommodation such as: interpreter, translator, written materials, modified equipment / devices, ADA access, etc. This does not include scheduling needs.

Minimum Qualification Requirements

Applicants must meet at least one of the following minimum requirements to qualify for positions in this job classification:

• Graduation from an accredited four-year college or university with a degree in civil/transportation/traffic engineering, environmental engineering, finance, business administration, supply chain management, data science, geography, economics, mathematics, community development planning, regional planning, urban planning, aviation (technology, management, or flight operations), or transportation planning.
• A total of four years of education and/or full-time experience, where one year of full-time work experience in civil/transportation/traffic engineering, environmental engineering, finance, business administration, supply chain management, data science, geography, economics, mathematics, community development planning, regional planning, urban planning, aviation (technology, management, or flight operations), or transportation planning equals thirty semester hours of accredited college or university course work (as described in number one).
  
  

For additional information, please click on this link to view the job description.