Welcome to CUPPA Careers!

The College of Urban Planning and Public Affairs at UIC is the University of Illinois System's home for the study of public policy and contemporary urban challenges. We are CUPPA.

In the heart of Chicago, we offer degrees in fields of study that can change your life and change the world. CUPPA students and alumni are uniquely skilled to build and transform sustainable urban neighborhoods and communities and to address the challenges presented in the 21st century. Find our more about our Bachelors, Masters, and Doctorate degrees at cuppa.uic.edu.

Follow our job postings below and our national job tweets at @CUPPACareers. For student internships and student opportunities, head to the CUPPA Student Opportunities Blog

Have a job or internship to post? Send an email with the title, location, job description, and contact information to cuppa@uic.edu

Senior Planner (Land Use), NYC Economic Development Corporation’s Land Use Planning Department

Who: NYC Economic Development Corporation’s Land Use Planning Department 

What: Reporting to a Vice-president in the Land Use team you will manage project approval processes and provide technical expertise to our Neighborhood Strategies, Transportation, Real Estate and Capital Projects departments in everything that shapes the future of our city from zoning regulations, City Environmental Quality Review and Uniform Land Use Review Procedure. Your project portfolio could include projects from anywhere in the 5 boroughs with diverse project goals that could include providing quality job opportunities, climate change resiliency, affordable housing, public open space or transportation improvements.

Responsibilities:

  • Manage a portfolio of multiple project approvals involving a range of local, state and federal actions including land use approvals, environmental reviews and other required permits
  • Build consensus-based solutions with regulatory and partner agencies and maintain working trust-based relationships with external agency regulators
  • Ability to prepare and review technical applications in zoning, environmental review and other land use regulations, and provide technical expertise related to those regulations to project teams
  • Create and deliver presentations, memos and other materials that effectively communicate project recommendations, decision points and/or findings to various audiences (e.g., senior NYCEDC staff, partner agencies, external stakeholders)
  • Contribute problem solving and critical thinking to all stages of a project from formulation, through public approvals to implementation
  • Manage consultants to ensure quality products are delivered on-schedule, including managing budgets and Minority/Women Owned Business Enterprise goals
  • Proactively manage critical milestones of long-term timelines to ensure complex projects are delivered on-time, and anticipate and flag to senior staff if projects are not on schedule
  • Interface with development partners, regulatory agencies, elected officials and community groups
  • Work with interdisciplinary teams in the preparation of Requests For Proposals, and the development and implementation of site specific and area-wide planning initiatives
  • Attend public meetings and hearings on NYCEDC projects, present projects and report back to team on status

  • Qualifications:

  • 3 or more years of professional experience in planning the regulation of land development in fields involving regulatory approvals of zoning plans, land sub-division, environmental review, public entitlement approvals, transportation and economic development plans
  • Master’s degree in Planning or a related field, or 2 additional years of experience
  • Extensive knowledge of New York City zoning, planning issues, environmental regulations and environmental review procedures is required  
  • Ability to use spreadsheet and presentation applications such as Excel, PowerPoint, GIS
  • Demonstrated ability to manage complex projects involving multiple public and private parties
  • Teamwork and problem-solving skills, a willingness to accept responsibility, ask tough questions, and have a solutions-oriented approach
  • Ability to organize and prioritize among competing needs and opportunities
  • Anticipate and resolves problems as they arise
  • Ability and experience to effectively collaborate with internal and external stakeholders.
  • Strong interpersonal, written, verbal and analytical skills required
  • New York City residency is required within 180 days of hire
  • As of August 2, 2021, all new hires must be vaccinated against the COVID-19 virus as defined by the CDC, unless they have been granted a reasonable accommodation for religion or disability
Apply here.