Senior Transportation Planner (TPS4)

State of Washington•Skagit County – Other, WA

2d•Hybrid

About The Position

The Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) is seeking a skilled planning professional to serve as the Senior Transportation Planner in its Northwest Region – Mount Baker Area (MBA) office. This position will act as the Community Engagement Lead for MBA Complete Streets Pre-Design efforts, collaborating with Project Engineering Offices, special studies, corridor development plans, the HEAL Act, and other assigned planning functions. Key responsibilities include developing work plans, community engagement plans, analyzing data, creating reports, and facilitating meetings with internal and external partners. The role also involves leading MBA's coordination of land use/transportation decisions and community engagement to shape multimodal transportation solutions and strategies for current and future growth. As MBA's land use specialist, this position is responsible for developing and implementing an annual work program to monitor land use actions, transportation study progress, and projects of local and regional planning jurisdictions and agencies. This role requires coordination with WSDOT Headquarters and other WSDOT Regions on statewide multimodal transportation plans, highway corridor analysis, studies, and other planning efforts. The position demands independent judgment, the ability to manage multiple projects under tight deadlines, and effective collaboration with stakeholders, technical staff, and tools to identify needs and alternatives, making recommendations aligned with WSDOT's mission, vision, and goals.

Requirements

Experience leading or supporting community engagement initiatives consistent with the HEAL Act.
Ability to develop inclusive community engagement plans that integrate community feedback into project development and delivery.
Strong understanding of how transportation, land use, housing, infrastructure, community design, climate, mobility, and environmental considerations interact within local, regional, and statewide planning settings.
Ability to evaluate techniques and data, identify trends, evaluate potential impacts and implications for WSDOT, and make well-supported recommendations.
Experience working collaboratively on multi-disciplinary teams to complete planning-related analyses or studies.
Strong ability to work effectively with internal and external partners.
Ability to communicate complex transportation or technical data clearly through written, visual, and verbal methods to diverse audiences.
Actively demonstrates a commitment to learning and growth.
Takes action to meet the needs of others.

Nice To Haves

Experience designing and leading complex stakeholder, partner agency, Tribal, community, or public engagement strategies associated with transportation planning, project delivery, or policy initiatives.
Experience reviewing, developing, or supporting comprehensive plans, housing, land use, transportation elements, municipal codes, land use applications, environmental review documents, or local implementation guidance.
Ability to understand and apply Washington’s Growth Management Act, State Environmental Policy Act, comprehensive planning requirements, regional transportation planning frameworks.
Ability to apply or learn Washington-specific planning requirements and guidance in state, regional, or local planning contexts.
Proficiency in Microsoft Office and Adobe InDesign for professional document and visual material design.
Proficiency in ArcGIS for mapping, spatial analysis, and data visualization in support of community engagement and planning efforts.

Responsibilities

Develop, coordinate, and implement inclusive community engagement plans and strategies to support multimodal planning and Complete Streets project delivery.
Strategize, prepare, coordinate, and oversee community engagement activities, including travel to events multiple times per week during certain project phases.
Develop and implement an annual work program for monitoring land use and transportation policy plans and implementation progress of local, regional, and state jurisdictions and agencies.
Independently review and provide technical assistance and coordination on land use, transportation, and development regulations.
Organize and facilitate the collection of oral and written comments and testimony to support WSDOT policies and procedures with internal and external partners and subject matter experts.
Collect and analyze transportation, land use, socio-economic, environmental, and other data.