Senior Park Planner

Salary : $125,665.50 - $152,756.31 Annually
Location : Santa Rosa, CA
Job Type: Full-Time
Job Number: 26/06-1254-O
Department: Regional Parks Department (RPK)
Opening Date: 06/17/2026
Closing Date: 7/1/2026 11:59 PM Pacific
Bargaining Unit: 05


Position Information
The Sonoma County Regional Parks Department is seeking a passionate, knowledgeable, and motivated Senior Park Planner to join their team!
Starting salary $60.21/hour ($125,665/year) and a competitive total compensation package!*

Join Our Team

At Regional Parks, we are passionate about the outdoors, public lands, and parks. We love helping people get outside, have fun, and be healthy. Sonoma County Regional Parks includes more than 50 parks and beaches from Petaluma to Gualala and Sonoma to Bodega Bay. Many offer wild landscapes and miles of trails. Others feature sports fields, playgrounds, boat launches, and campgrounds. Regional Parks also manages the County's largest ocean marina. As a Senior Park Planner, you will be enthralled by Sonoma County's rolling hills, rugged coastline, and meandering rivers while contributing to their stewardship.

The Senior Park Planner position operates with a high level of knowledge and understanding of park planning and project administration. As a Senior Park Planner, you will be responsible for leading a project delivery team, as well as reviewing and approving complex and sensitive park projects throughout Sonoma County. Additional responsibilities include:

• Managing complex park projects, including master plans and construction bid documents
• Soliciting and negotiating consultant services, contracts for services, and evaluating and rating proposals
• Supervising construction and planning projects
• Coordinating land acquisition processes with landowners, title companies, appraisers, and other agencies
• Preparing plan graphics, drawings, sketches, and color renderings
• Attending and presenting public meetings
• Leading a team of Planners

As an ideal candidate, you will possess many of the following:

• Strong project management skills, including managing public park projects
• Experience in bidding, monitoring, and coordinating construction and planning projects
• Excellent analytical, negotiating, and problem-solving skills
• Advanced knowledge of Microsoft Office, AutoCAD, and Adobe
• Working knowledge of public funding procedures, land acquisitions, zoning, natural resources, and regulatory permitting
• Excellent communication, writing, and presentation skills to effectively interact with various audiences
• The ability to build effective relationships amongst staff, external agencies, and the community

What We Offer

Working at the County of Sonoma offers expansive opportunities for growth and development, the ability to be a part of a challenging and rewarding work environment, and the satisfaction of knowing you're working to better our communities. You can also look forward to flexible work arrangements and excellent benefits* including:

• Salary Advancement - A salary increase after 1,040 hours (6 months when working full-time) for good work performance; eligibility for a salary increase for good performance every year thereafter, until reaching the top of the salary range
• Paid Time Off - Competitive vacation and sick leave accruals, 12 paid holidays, and an additional 8 floating holiday hours per year
• County Paid Health Premium Contributions - 100% premium contribution for the majority of employee-only and employee + family health plan options
• Post-Retirement Health Reimbursement Arrangement - County contributions to help fund post-retirement employee health insurance/benefits
• Retirement - A pension fully integrated with Social Security
• Paid Parental Leave - May be eligible for up to 8 weeks (320 hours) after 12 months of County employment
• Additional Benefits - Excellent dental, vision, disability, life insurance, employee assistance program, professional development, and more
• Student Loan Debt Relief - County employees may be eligible for through the U.S. Department of Education

*Salary is negotiable within the established range. Benefits described herein do not represent a contract and may be changed without notice. Additional information can be found in the and our


This recruitment is being conducted to fill a Senior Park Planner position in the Sonoma County Regional Parks Department. This employment list may also be used to fill future full-time, part-time, or extra-help (temporary) positions as they occur during the active status of the list. Qualified County employees who wish to be considered for future positions should consider applying to this recruitment.
Application submissions require the Supplemental Questionnaire to be completed.

Minimum Qualifications
Experience and Education: Any combination of experience, training, and education that would provide an opportunity to acquire the knowledge and abilities listed herein. A typical way to qualify is:

At least three years of professional level experience in park planning, planning, architecture, civil engineering, or landscape architecture;

AND

Graduation or completion of a certification program from an accredited college or university in planning, architecture, landscape architecture, civil engineering, or a related field.

Possession of a valid Certificate of Registration as a Landscape Architect issued by the California Architects Board is desirable.

License: Possession of a valid driver's license at the appropriate level including necessary special endorsements, as required by the State of California, may be required upon assignment to perform the essential job functions of the position.
The position advertised on this announcement does not require possession of a valid California Driver's License.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

Considerable knowledge of: park planning terminology, principles and techniques; recreational planning principles; principles, methods, and techniques of land use and environmental and site planning; State and Federal accessibility guidelines; theory, principles, practices, and legal issues of landscape architecture as applied to the preparation of designs, plans, specifications, and cost estimates; the technical review procedures and requirements of design studies, permits, and the public bidding process.

Working knowledge of: land acquisition, land transfer, and zoning principles; public project funding principles, programs, and procedures; construction practices and building code requirements; regulatory permits, California Environmental Quality Act and National Environmental Policy Act; park development processes and procedures; practices and methods of contract preparation and administration; basic computer applications in MS Office suite; Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and software, such as AutoCAD, typically used in planning and design.

Ability to: serve as a subject matter expert and technical resource; lead and review the work of other park planners on assigned projects; effectively train staff; communicate interpersonally, orally and in writing in an effective and persuasive manner; establish and maintain effective working relationships with other employees, public officials, community groups, regulatory agencies, contractors, consultants, recreational interest groups, and the general public; prepare landscape designs; review completed plans and specifications; inspect projects under construction; prepare clear and concise reports and recommendations; research, gather, organize and analyze information; present recommendations and alternative proposals.

Selection Procedure & Some Helpful Tips When Applying

• Your application information and your responses to the supplemental questions are evaluated and taken into consideration throughout the entire selection process.
• You should list all employers and positions held within the last ten years in the work history section of your application. Be as thorough as possible when responding to the supplemental questions.
• You may include history beyond ten years if related to the position for which you are applying. If you held multiple positions with one employer, list out each position separately.
• Failure to follow these instructions may impact your competitiveness in this process or may result in disqualification.

Please visit to review more detailed information about the hiring process, including the application process, examination steps, and department selection process.

Application submissions require the Supplemental Questionnaire to be completed.

Responses to supplemental questions will be scored using position-specific criteria. Please provide specific and detailed responses of a reasonable length to allow for a thorough assessment of your qualifications. Responses that state, "See Resume" or "See Application" may be considered insufficient and therefore may not be scored.

The selection procedure will consist of the following examination:

An Application and Supplemental Questionnaire Appraisal Examination (weight 100%) will be conducted to evaluate each applicant's application and supplemental questionnaire for satisfaction of minimum qualifications (pass/not pass); and for educational coursework, training, experience, knowledge, and abilities which relate to this position. Personally identifiable information (PII) is removed from the standard application fields and applicable attachments. This PII blind screening practice redacts a candidate's personal information that could potentially influence or bias the scoring process. Personal information includes the applicant's name, former last name, address, phone number, email, driver's license number, school name, education start and end dates, age, date of birth, gender, and race. This PII blind screening practice helps contribute to a fair and equitable examination process.

Each applicant will be evaluated based on the following criteria:

• Relevance of work history, related experience, and achieved level of education and/or training as described in the application and responses to the supplemental questions.

Candidates demonstrating possession of the minimum qualifications will be placed on an employment list in order of most qualified to least qualified based on the achieved score received in the Application and Supplemental Questionnaire Appraisal Examination which evaluates the education, training, experience, skills, knowledge, abilities, and other qualifications that you demonstrate in your application and/or response to the supplemental questionnaire. Please be aware that resumes and cover letters are not typically evaluated in the Application and Supplemental Questionnaire Appraisal Examination. Scores may be adjusted based on such factors as the number of candidates, anticipated vacancies, past practice, and natural breaks in the scores achieved by this group of candidates.
Additional Information

A background investigation is required prior to employment. Candidates referred to departments for a selection interview are typically required to sign authorization and release forms enabling such an investigation. Failure to sign prescribed forms will result in the candidate not being considered further for that vacancy. Reference information will not be made available to candidates.

Additional requirements, such as successful completion of a physical exam, drug screen, etc., may apply, depending on the duties and responsibilities of the position. If you receive a conditional job offer for the position, the requirements upon which the offer is contingent will be outlined in the conditional job letter. You may also review the to determine the requirements for this position.
How to Apply

Applications are accepted online at Paper applications may be submitted by person, fax View phone number on click.appcast.io), email, or through the mail. All applications and appropriate supplemental information as outlined in the job announcement must be received by the time and date specified on the first page of this job announcement. Applications received after the recruitment closes will not be accepted.

The County of Sonoma values diversity and is dedicated to creating a workplace environment that provides individuals with a sense of belonging. We are committed to having a diverse workforce that is representative of the communities we serve. The County is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer where all aspects of employment are based on merit, competence, performance, and business need.

HR Analyst: JT

HR Technician: VH
Important Note: Benefits described herein do not apply to Extra Help positions.

County of Sonoma Benefits: General*

These are some of the excellent benefits the County offers:

Paid Time Off: Competitive vacation accrual and sick leave accruals; additional management leave annually; 12 paid holidays, and an additional 8 floating holiday hours per year; and may be eligible for up to 8 weeks (320 hours) of Paid Parental Leave after 12 months of County employment.

Health Plan: Choose from nine health plans (three HMOs, three deductible HMOs, and three HSA-qualifying plans) with a generous County contribution to the premium (the contribution amount varies by bargaining unit). For more information, please see the appropriate MOU.

Retirement: Fully integrated with Social Security. For more information regarding eligibility, retirement contributions, and reciprocity with prior public service, please visit


IRS 457 Plan: Pre-tax employee contribution up to the IRS annual maximum.

Retiree Medical: County contribution to a Health Reimbursement Arrangement to help fund post-retirement employee health insurance/benefits.

Student Loan Debt Relief: County employees may be eligible for through the U.S. Department of Education.

Plus, excellent dental, vision, disability, life insurance, professional development, and more.

For answers to specific questions regarding the employment process and more details about benefits or retirement, please contact Human Resources at View phone number on click.appcast.io. Additional details about benefit and compensation packages can be found in the MOUs located at For specific information about health and welfare benefits, including plan options, coverage, and premium amounts, go to or contact the Human Resources' Risk Management-Benefits Office at or View phone number on click.appcast.io.

*Important Notes: Benefits described herein do not represent a contract and may be changed without notice.
01


How did you first learn about this opportunity?

• Careers in Government
• College or University
• County of Sonoma Human Resources Office
• DiversityJobs
• Employee of Sonoma County
• Facebook
• Glassdoor
• GovernmentJobs.com
• Indeed
• Instagram
• Job Fair
• Latino Service Providers
• LinkedIn
• Los Cien
• Press Democrat
• sonoma-county.org/
• Start Here!
• X (Twitter)
• Veterans Services Office
• Women's Organization or Group
• Other Internet Site
• Other Publication

02


Please indicate if you would also be interested in future part-time or extra-help (temporary, intermittent, or seasonal employment) positions should they become available. Check all that apply.

• I would also like to be considered for future part-time positions
• I would also like to be considered for future extra-help positions
• I am only interested in full-time positions

03


This eligible list may be used for future bilingual (English/Spanish) positions. Please indicate if you are interested in bilingual positions and your level of proficiency.

• Yes, I have basic (conversational) English/Spanish bilingual skills
• Yes, I have fluent (reading, writing, and conversational) English/Spanish bilingual skills
• No, I do not have English/Spanish bilingual skills, and/or I do not wish to be considered for a bilingual position

04


For this question and all subsequent questions, please provide sufficient information to allow for a thorough evaluation of your qualifications. Responses to supplemental questions will be scored using specific criteria and may be reviewed by hiring managers.

Please describe how you meet the minimum qualification for this position, which typically includes a combination of:

• Three or more years of professional-level experience in park planning, planning, architecture, civil engineering, or landscape architecture; AND
• Graduation or completion of a certification program from an accredited college or university in planning, architecture, landscape architecture, civil engineering, or a related field

For work experience, include job titles, employer(s) name, employment dates (mm/yy - mm/yy), and a description of your primary duties for each position. For education, include your degree(s)/certification(s) and the names of relevant courses completed.
05


Please describe your experience with project management. Highlight experience related to the following areas:

• Bidding and procurement for construction, landscape, or planning projects
• Construction and landscape monitoring
• Land acquisition and zoning processes

06


Please describe a complex project in which you led that required multi-departmental and/or outside agency coordination. Include your role, any challenges you faced, and the outcome of the project.
Required Question