Principal Planner

Salary : $128,603.67 - $176,200.41 Annually
Location : Riverside
Job Type: Regular
Job Number: 26-74809-02
Department: TLMA Planning
Division: Administration
Opening Date: 07/21/2026
Closing Date: 8/4/2026 11:59 PM Pacific


For questions regarding this position, please contact the Recruiter listed in the Supplemental Information section.

ABOUT THE POSITION
The County of Riverside's Transportation and Land Management Agency (TLMA) Planning Department has an exciting opportunity for a Principal Planner.

Under general direction, assists in planning, organizing and managing a group of professional and support personnel in a specialized planning section or district office; performs other related duties as required.

The Principal Planner classification is allocated and characterized by the responsibility of managing and coordinating the activities of a major section within a planning division, a combination of smaller planning sections, a district office, or an outreach program. Incumbents direct these activities through subordinate personnel and report to the Planning Director or other management level position. The Principal Planner is distinguished from the Planning Director in that the latter manages the Planning Department.

Key Responsibilities:
• Managing the implementation of the Cabazon Community Plan, guiding projects and initiatives through the public hearing and approval processes and into implementation.
• Lead post-entitlement planning efforts and collaborate with internal and external stakeholders to attract new development, businesses, and investment to Cabazon.
• Identify economic development opportunities.
• Identify opportunities for construction of new infrastructure.
• Perform a variety of planning assignments and other related duties as assigned.

The ideal candidate will possess:
• Exceptional community engagement skills.
• Knowledge of housing production strategies.
• Knowledge of available housing grant and funding opportunities.

Meet the Team!
The Planning Department is responsible for Riverside County's General Plan, a comprehensive long-range plan intended to guide the growth and development of unincorporated areas within the County. This department formulates growth management plans and zoning for the County.
EXAMPLES OF ESSENTIAL DUTIES
• Plan, organize, direct, and coordinate, directly or through subordinate lead personnel, the activities of a major section within a planning division, a combination of smaller planning sections, a district office, or participate in the development and review of division policies and goals, particularly as they affect the assigned section.
• Review and evaluate existing programs for overall effectiveness and efficiency in meeting division and section goals, initiating action for operational improvements as necessary.
• Review studies of ordinance amendments, policies and staff reports to ensure thoroughness of analyses, consistency with County requirements and legal compliance.
• Represent the department on committees and before civic and community groups, other County Departments, governmental agencies, environmental regulatory and permitting agencies, stakeholders, and the public; confer with property owners, developers and their representatives regarding the applicability and impact of County policies, ordinances and other regulations related to property development.
• Confer with staff regarding problems and progress in their functional areas and provide technical and administrative direction; interview and recommend the selection of prospective employees.
• Coordinate and assign personnel within the section; plan and conduct staff development and in-service training programs in operational procedures, and policy; review and evaluate the performance of subordinate personnel.
• Work with staff of other departments and regional and state agencies to exchange or clarify information used in developing regional land use and operating work plans; coordinate the design and execution of projects to ensure consistency.
• Compile data regarding section workloads, staffing levels and priorities for input in the department's program budget.
• Prepare, or delegate preparation of, reports and recommendations to all levels of County hearing bodies, including Director's Hearing, Planning Commission and Board of Supervisors.
• Make presentations to the Board of Supervisors, Planning Commission and other local, regional and state agencies on activities being conducted within the section as needed; respond to difficult public relations problems, investigate complaints or requests and recommend resolutions.
• Coordinate efforts to draft new ordinances and review existing ordinances pertaining to the Planning Department, as needed.
• Participate in the analysis of proposed or adopted legislation to determine the potential or actual impacts to the County, on implementation.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

Education: Graduation from an accredited college or university with a bachelor's degree in planning, transportation planning, public administration, geography (with related course concentration), architecture, environmental sciences, landscape architecture, or a closely related field. (Additional qualifying experience may substitute for the required education on the basis of one year of full-time experience equaling 30 semester or 45 quarter units of the required education.)

Experience: Four years of professional environmental planning, land use planning and/or transportation planning experience which must have included performing at least two kinds of the following planning activities associated with a planning agency: comprehensive, regional, area, or community planning; plan/proposal review; general plan amendments; zoning, land division; information services; urban renewal; planning administration or transportation planning. One year of experience must have been in a lead or supervisory capacity. (A master's degree in planning or transportation planning, or a closely related field may substitute for the one year of the required supervisory experience.)

Other Requirements:
License/Certificate: Possession of a valid California Driver's License is required. This position involves travel to various locations throughout the county to visit various project sites and attend meetings.

Knowledge of: The principles of good organization and decision making, management and supervision; the principles, methods and procedures applicable to land use or transportation planning activities; the physical, social, environmental, and economic implications of land use or transportation planning; local, state and federal legislation governing land use development and transportation planning activities; research methods; general plan elements and factors that must be considered in evaluating land use or transportation proposals for consistency with these elements; the organizational structure and jurisdiction of governmental agencies involved in the planning process.

Ability to: Manage and coordinate the work of subordinate planners; plan and conduct any necessary training for subordinate staff; motivate and evaluate the work performance of subordinate personnel; collect and analyze data, generate and evaluate alternatives, reach logical conclusions, and formulate consistent recommendations; compose clear and thorough study reports and recommendations; orally present study findings and recommendations to a variety of public groups and governmental bodies; work effectively with the general public and community and governmental boards and commissions; ability to interpret and apply laws and regulations pertaining to planning projects and cases.

SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION
Who May Apply:

This recruitment is open to all applicants.
Application Status
How to confirm your application was received or check on the status of your application, log-in to , click on your name in the upper right corner, and click on "Applications & Status."

Sign Up for Job Alerts Go to , click on "Careers," click on "County Job Openings," and click on "Subscribe to Job Alerts" icon.
General Information
If you have any questions regarding this posting, please contact Vanessa Diaz Beaird at or View phone number on click.appcast.io. Please allow 1-2 business days for a response to general inquiries.
APPLICATION INFORMATION

Veteran's Preference
The County has a Veterans Preference Policy applicable to new hires. To qualify, attach the required documents to your job application. Documents include a copy of your (or your spouse's) Member-4 Form DD-214 indicating dates of service. For spousal preference, and as applicable, the following documents: a copy of your marriage certificate, spouse's death certificate, a letter of spouse's disability and/or letter of service-related death (if available) from the U.S. Veteran's Administration. For privacy reasons, it is recommended that you remove your social security information from the document(s). A Human Resources Representative will review the materials and determine if you qualify for veterans' preference. For complete details and documentation requirements, please review the Veterans Preference Policy, C-3 here:
Reasonable Accommodations
The County of Riverside is committed to providing reasonable accommodation to applicants as required by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Fair Employment and Housing Act (FEHA). Qualified individuals with disabilities who need a reasonable accommodation during the application or selection process should contact the recruiter for the position noted above. For additional information and/or to obtain the appropriate form for requesting a reasonable accommodation, please visit the Disability Access Office web page located at:
Proof of Education
If using education to qualify or when requested by the recruiter, upload a copy of any license(s), official/unofficial transcript(s), degrees, and/or related employment documents to your NeoGov account at the time of application and before the closing date. Official or unofficial transcripts will be accepted.

If your education was completed outside of the United States, you will need to provide a copy of your Foreign Education Equivalency evaluation from a member of the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services () or Association of International Credential Evaluators, Inc. ().
Work Authorization Requirement
Applicants must be legally authorized to work in the United States at the time of application. The County of Riverside does not participate in visa sponsorship programs, including H1-B visas, and will not provide sponsorship for any employment-based visas.
Equal Opportunity Employer
The County of Riverside is an Equal Opportunity Employer. It is the policy of the County of Riverside to provide equal employment opportunities for all qualified persons. All applicants will be considered without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, gender expression, marital status, ancestry, medical condition (cancer and genetic characteristics), genetic information, or denial of medical and family care leave, or any other non-job-related factors.
Pre-Employment
All employment offers are contingent upon successful completion of pre-employment requirements including a criminal background investigation, which involves fingerprinting. (A felony or misdemeanor conviction may disqualify the applicant from County employment). A pre-employment physical examination and background check may be required.
Probationary Period
As an Approved Local Merit System, all County of Riverside employees, except those serving "At Will," are subject to the probationary period provisions as specified in the applicable Memorandum of Understanding, County Resolution, or Salary Ordinance. Temporary and Per Diem employees serve at the pleasure of the agency/department head.
General Information
Current County of Riverside and/or current employees of the hiring department may receive priority consideration. Qualified candidates may be considered for future County vacancies.
Job postings may close without notice based on application volume. Submit your complete application by the recruitment close date; no late applications are accepted. Ensure all relevant experience/education is reflected on your application/resume, as a failure to demonstrate position requirements may disqualify applicants. A description of job duties directly copied from the job classification or job posting will not be considered.
Please read and follow any special application instructions on this posting. Click the ' Apply ' link located on this page to submit your application. For additional instructions on the application process, examinations, Veteran's preference, pre-employment accommodation or other employment questions, please refer to our web site,
If you are experiencing technical problems, you may contact the governmentjobs.com applicant support desk Monday through Friday, 6 am to 5 pm Pacific Time at View email address on click.appcast.io or toll-free View phone number on click.appcast.io.
BENEFIT PROGRAM: SEI

MEDICAL/DENTAL/VISION INSURANCE: A choice of different medical, dental and visions plan are available to elect. The County provides a Flexible Benefit Credit contribution as governed by the applicable SEIU Memorandum of Understanding to contribute towards the cost of these plans.

Note: Employees on assignment through the Temporary Assignment Program (TAP) receive different benefits. See the list
MISCELLANEOUS RETIREMENT : County of Riverside has three retirement Tiers through the California Public Employees' Retirement System (CalPERS).

• Tier I (Classic Member - Formula 3% @ 60): Applicable to current and former County of Riverside local miscellaneous employees hired prior to 08/24/2012 and did not withdraw CalPERS contributions. The employee contribution is eight (8%) percent.
• Tier II (Classic Member - Formula 2% @ 60): Applicable to local miscellaneous employees 1) hired after 08/23/2012 through 12/31/2012; 2) Previously employed with another CalPERS contracting public agency or a reciprocal retirement system, with a break in service of less than six months between the separation date with the previous employer and the appointment date with the County of Riverside. The employee contribution is seven (7%) percent.
• Tier III (PEPRA New Member - Formula 2% @ 62): Applicable to CalPERS local miscellaneous new members hired on or after the implementation of the Public Employees' Pension Reform Act of 2013 (PEPRA) which took effect January 1, 2013. Effective July 1, 2023 employee contributions are 7.25% and will increase to 7.75% effective July 1, 2024.

A new member is defined as any of the following:

1. A new hire who enters CalPERS membership for the first time on or after January 1, 2013, and who has no prior membership in any California Public Retirement System.
2. A new hire who enters CalPERS membership for the first time on or after January 1, 2013, and who was a member with another California Public Retirement System prior to that date, but who is not subject to reciprocity upon joining CalPERS.
3. A member who first established CalPERS membership prior to January 1, 2013, and who is rehired by a different CalPERS agency after a break in service of greater than six (6) months.

CalPERS refers to all members that do not fit within the definition of a new member as "classic members".

Contribution rates are subject to change based on the County of Riverside annual actuarial valuation.
Note:

This summary is for general information purposes only. Additional questions regarding retirement formulas can be sent to or by calling the Benefits Information Line at View phone number on click.appcast.io,
Option 2.

If you have prior service credit with another CalPERS agency or within agencies, please contact CalPERS at View phone number on click.appcast.io to determine which retirement tier would be applicable to you. CalPERS is governed by the Public Employees' Retirement Law. The Retirement Law is complex and subject to change. If there's any conflict between this summary and the law, the law will prevail over this summary.

DEFERRED COMPENSATION: Voluntary employee contribution with a choice between two 457 deferred compensation plan options.

VACATION ACCRUAL (Bi-Weekly Accrual):
0 < 3 year = 80 Hours (10 Days)
4 < 9 years = 120 Hours (15 Days)
10 or more years = 160 Hours (20 Days)

Maximum Vacation leave accumulation is 480 hours.


SICK LEAVE: Four (4) hours Sick Leave accrual per pay period with unlimited accrual.
HOLIDAYS: Normally 12 paid holidays per year.

BEREAVEMENT LEAVE: Allowed 5 days (3 days are County paid; 2 additional days can be taken from accrued Sick Leave balance).

BASIC LIFE INSURANCE: Equal to one times annual base salary not to exceed $50,000 of term life coverage. Premiums are paid by the County. Additional Supplemental Life plan is available for employee purchase.

DISABILITY:


Employees contribute to State Disability Insurance (SDI), which provides wage replacement benefits for individuals who are unable to work due to non-work-related illness, injury, or pregnancy. SDI also includes Paid Family Leave Benefits. The wage replacement rate is determined by current law, offering 60-70% of the wages earned during the SDI eligibility period.
Additionally, employees receive employer-paid Long-Term Disability Benefits, which cover 66.67% of pre-disability earnings, up to a maximum of $10,000 per month. There is a 365-day waiting period before these benefits become active. Employees may coordinate these benefits with other available leave balances to receive up to 100% of their regular pay.

POST RETIREMENT MEDICAL CONTRIBUTION: A monthly contribution is made by the County towards retiree health insurance offered through the County as governed by the applicable SEIU Memorandum of Understanding.

OTHER: There may be other benefit provisions as specified in the applicable Memorandum of Understanding. Please contact the recruiter listed on the job posting directly for more information.
01


Are you a current regular or temporary employee with the County of Riverside?

• Yes
• No

02


Do you possess a valid California Driver's License?

• Yes
• No

03


What is the highest level of education you have from an accredited college or university in planning, transportation planning, public administration, geography (with related course concentration), architecture, environmental sciences, landscape architecture, or a closely related field?(Additional qualifying experience may substitute for the required education on the basis of one year of full-time experience equaling 30 semester or 45 quarter units of the required education.)

• None of these
• Less than 30 semester or 45 quarter units
• At least 30 semester or 45 quarter units
• At least 60 semester or 90 quarter units
• At least 90 semester or 135 quarter units
• At least 120 semester or 180 units
• I have my Associates degree
• I have my Bachelors degree
• I have my Masters degree
• I have my Doctorate degree

04


How many years of experience do you posses performing professional environmental planning, land use planning and/or transportation planning? (Include details on your resume/application)

• No Experience
• Less than 1 year
• 1 year or more, but less than 2
• 2 years or more, but less than 3
• 3 years or more, but less than 4
• 4 years or more, but less than 5
• 5 years or more, but less than 6
• 6 years or more, but less than 7
• 7 years or more, but less than 8
• 8 years or more

05


How many years of professional planning experience do you have in a lead or supervisory capacity? (Include details on your resume/application)

• No Experience
• Less than 1 year
• 1 year or more, but less than 2
• 2 years or more, but less than 3
• 3 years or more, but less than 4
• 4 years or more, but less than 5
• 5 years or more, but less than 6
• 6 years or more

06


Which of the following areas do you have professional planning experience in that is associated with a planning agency? (Select all that apply to you)

• None of these apply to me
• Comprehensive, regional, area, or community planning
• Plan/proposal review
• General plan amendments
• Zoning, land division
• Information services
• Urban renewal
• Planning administration or transportation planning

07


Do you have professional experience engaging with diverse community stakeholders, such as residents, community organizations, property owners, developers, businesses, or public agencies? (Include details on your resume/application)

• Yes
• No

Required Question