Park Planner I

Salary : $85,091.88 - $103,437.67 Annually
Location : Santa Rosa, CA
Job Type: Full-Time
Job Number: 26/06-1251-O
Department: Regional Parks Department (RPK)
Opening Date: 06/01/2026
Closing Date: 6/15/2026 11:59 PM Pacific
Bargaining Unit: 05


Position Information
Do you have a passion for improving and using parks in Sonoma County?
Join Regional Parks as a Park Planner I!
Starting salary $40.77/hour!
Regional Parks is currently recruiting for Park Planner positions at either the I or II levels. If you are interested in being considered at the different levels of this opportunity, you must apply to the separate concurrent recruitments being conducted for each level.

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 Park Planner, you will be enthralled by Sonoma County's rolling hills, rugged coastline, and meandering rivers while contributing to their stewardship. About the Position


Working in the office and the field, Park Planners perform work to assist with conducting park planning studies to design and expand parks, park facilities, structures, and trails in unincorporated Sonoma County. As a Park Planner I, you will work with existing staff in planning, establishing, and expanding park space in Sonoma County. Your responsibilities will include:

• Learning to coordinate the land acquisition process with landowners, title companies, appraisers, and related agencies
• Assisting in conducting preliminary field investigations of proposed parks and recreation sites to assess suitability and potential usage
• Gathering information and evaluating public demand and usage needs, potential fiscal resources, and environmental requirements
• Preparing plan graphics, sketches, and color renderings
• Performing public bidding, construction, and consultant contracting
• Assisting in determining size, configuration, access mode, and basic design of proposed parks

As the ideal candidate, you will possess:

• Experience assisting with budgeting and estimating costs for park projects
• Excellent communication skills, both in writing and when presenting to the public
• Project management experience
• Strong analytical and problem-solving abilities, as well as attention to detail
• Knowledge of site planning and facility design
• Intermediate Microsoft Office skills
• Experience with AutoCAD and Adobe
• The ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with diverse groups and individuals

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
• Career Advancement - With time and good performance, the opportunity for advancement to Park Planner II ($50.68 - $61.59/hour)
• 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


The Regional Parks Department is currently recruiting to fill two full-time Park Planner positions at either the I or II levels. This Park Planner I 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


Any combination of training and experience which would likely provide a candidate with the stated knowledge and abilities. A typical example would be completion of major course work in planning, architecture, landscape architecture or related field.

License: Possession of a valid driver's license at the appropriate level including necessary special endorsements, as required by the State of California to perform the essential job functions of the position.

The positions advertised on this announcement do not require possession of a valid California Driver's License.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

Knowledge of: park planning principles, techniques and terminology; principles, methods and techniques of land use and environmental and site planning; basic recreational planning principles; basic park development processes and procedures; basic construction procedures; principles and practices of park design and landscaping.

Ability to: establish and maintain effective working relationships with other employees, public officials, private consultants, contractors and the public; research, gather, organize and analyze information; write and speak persuasively; 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: KK

HR Technician: NM
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 your combination of training and experience qualify you for this position. This typically includes completion of major coursework in planning, architecture, landscape architecture, or a related field.
For education, include your degree(s) and/or the names of relevant courses completed.
05


Please describe your experience designing park and landscape projects. Include the types of projects you worked on, your specific roles and responsibilities, and the outcomes of those projects.
06


Please describe your experience delivering public presentations to stakeholder groups. Include your role, the methods or tools you used to present, the target audience, and the size of the group.
Required Question