Urban Designer/Architect
City and County of San Francisco
Professional Area:
Urban Design
Location:
San Francisco, CA
5291 Planner III - Urban Designer/Architect
Salary: $41.71 - $50.70/hour; $7,230.00 - $8,788.00/month; $86,762.00 - $105,456.00/year
Application deadline: 10/14/15
Appointment Type:
Permanent Exempt (PEX), Full-Time appointment not to exceed three (3) years. This position is exempt from the Civil Service rules pursuant to San Francisco Charter Section 10.104-18 and serves at the discretion of Appointing Officer.
There is a potential that this position may be approved for Permanent Civil Service (PCS) in the future. If/When approved as a PCS position, the candidate selected for this position will be required to participate, be successful, and reachable in the 5291 Planner III examination and then selected through an open competitive process in order to be considered for Permanent appointment.
Introduction:
The San Francisco Planning Department has an opening for a 5291 Planner III to work on complex planning work relating to the design of the built environment in our Current Planning Division.
The San Francisco Planning Department plays a central role in guiding the growth and development in our City. The Department works with other City agencies and the community to help achieve great planning for a great city.
Our mission, under the direction of the Planning Commission, shapes the future of San Francisco and region by: generating an extraordinary vision for the General Plan and in neighborhood plans; fostering exemplary design through planning controls; improving our surroundings through environmental analysis; preserving our unique heritage; encouraging a broad range of housing and a diverse job base; and enforcing the Planning Code.
The Department serves a broad range of constituents, including the citizens of San Francisco, community organizations, elected and appointed policymakers, builders, architects, property owners, tenants, and advocacy groups. All rely on the City's General Plan and the Planning Code to achieve the City's development goals.
Current Planning staff help shape the physical development of the City. Planners are responsible for guiding projects through the building permit and land use entitlement process to ensure compliance with the San Francisco Planning Code, San Francisco’s General Plan, zoning regulations, and relevant design guidelines. Planners are responsible for reviewing project applications, processing Neighborhood Notifications for changes of use and residential expansions, implementing the historic preservation work program, and operating the Planning Information Center.
This is an opportunity to work in a dynamic, inter-disciplinary, and innovative department and share in our vision to make San Francisco the worlds’ most livable urban place – environmentally, economically, socially and culturally.
Position Description:
Under direction, the Planner III: Urban Designer/Architect performs complex planning work relating to the design of the built environment. This position is responsible for providing professional architectural and urban design review of development proposals; developing architectural and urban design guidelines for a variety of land uses and building types; developing and implementing strategies to educate the design profession of the standards expected of work in San Francisco; participating in design review advisory groups, advising Department Staff on technical knowledge of the Building Code, Green Building Ordinance, building material and construction methodology and cost; providing architectural design expertise to assist in the development of proposed long-range policy and planning initiatives regarding the built environment; and performing other duties as assigned.
Examples of Essential Duties:
- Participates in design review of development proposals;
- Coordinates updates to existing urban design and architectural design guidelines, and contributes to the development of new design guidelines, as needed;
- Provides urban design and architectural expertise in support of the Department’s work to strengthen the city’s sense of place and livability through concern for the city’s physical qualities;
- Assists in the coordination of, and participates in, the Department’s design review committees;
- Provides technical knowledge of the Building Code, Green Building Ordinance, building material and construction methodology and cost;
- Provides knowledge of the Planning Code as applied to existing and proposed development of all scales and types.
- Supervises or assists in the supervision of a planning group engaged in professional planning work and may act as project manager, if needed;
- Participates in or leads community workshops and public presentations;
- Responds to, educates and works closely with the public, the profession, other City agencies, policy makers, elected officials and other stakeholders; and
- Works collegially with team members, motivates and completes projects within a tight schedule.
Planner III’s may be required to attend meetings or participate in work-related activities outside of normal working hours (evenings and weekends) in various community locations. Some positions may require possession of a valid driver license, and may require specialized experience in order to perform department-specific planning duties.
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:
- Possession of a baccalaureate degree from an accredited four year college or university AND four (4) years (8,000 hours) of verifiable full-time-equivalent experience in an urban, city, and/or regional and/or other related planning environment (such as transportation planning, environmental planning, architecture or urban design); OR
- Possession of a master’s degree from an accredited college or university in City, Regional or Urban Planning, or a closely related field such as Architecture, Landscape Architecture, Geography, Urban Studies or Environmental Studies AND two (2) years (4,000 hours) of verifiable full-time-equivalent experience in an urban, city, and/or regional and/or other related planning environment (such as transportation planning, environmental planning, architecture or urban design).
Desirable Qualifications
The stated desirable qualifications may be used to identify job finalists at the end of the selection process when candidates are referred for hiring.
- Higher-level degree or certificate, or 4+ years of professional experience in urban design, place making, or related field concerning the design of the urban environment
- Registered Professional Architect
- Registered Professional Architect in the State of California
- Possession of LEED AP certification
- Knowledge of local (San Francisco) Building Code, Planning Code, and Design Guidelines
- 4+ years of practical experience in the design of residential and commercial buildings
- Experience in the creation and/or implementation of Design Guidelines, particularly those to be applied to urban environments.
- Knowledge of urban design principles, site and master planning, and transit-oriented design.
- Knowledge of best practices in building design, building materials, and structural requirements
- Ability to communicate with staff and representatives of business and public interest groups, organizations, individuals, and public officials in clarifying and interpreting planning policy and regulations
HOW TO APPLY:
Applications for City and County of San Francisco jobs are being accepted through an online process. Visit: http://www.jobaps.com/SF/sup/bulpreview.asp?R1=PEX&R2=5291&R3=066248 to register an account, and view this complete job announcement for application submission requirements.