Associate Planner

Salary : $93,828.80 - $113,380.80 Annually
Location : City of San Diego, CA
Job Type: Permanent, Full Time
Job Number: CS-T11735-202605
Business Area: N/A - Multiple Departments
Opening Date: 05/22/2026
Closing Date: 6/1/2026 11:59 PM Pacific


JOB INFORMATION


APPLICANTS ARE ENCOURAGED TO APPLY TO THE FOLLOWING RELATED RECRUITMENTS:

• Junior Planner
• Assistant Planner

Associate Planner positions develop and manage environmental, general, community, and urban plans; manage land use and land development projects; review and write environmental documents; prepare and coordinate processing of local, state, and federal permits; perform development permit review, landscape review and plan checks; review and analyze technical drawings, specifications, and reports; research, review, and prepare ordinances and policies; make presentations on environmental and planning issues at public hearings and meetings; review projects and advise citizens and developers during the application process to ensure compliance with City regulations; interpret regulations and requirements to the public; engage community members in the planning process; prepare planning reports; perform Geographic Information Systems (GIS) mapping; handle complex projects; perform site inspections; review and enforce plans and specifications; perform quality control for document preparation and submittals and coordinate with various City departments, as well as federal, state, and local agencies; monitor mitigation requirements for environmentally sensitive projects; perform proper documentation and reporting; lead the work of subprofessional staff; may manage contracts; and perform other duties as assigned.
NOTE:

• Eligible benefitted employees originally hired on or after July 10, 2021, will be automatically enrolled in the San Diego City Employees Retirement System (SDCERS).

MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS
You must meet the following requirements on the date you apply, unless otherwise indicated.
EDUCATION: Bachelor's Degree or equivalent education (i.e., minimum completed units = 120 semester/180 quarter).
NOTE:

• Additional qualifying experience may be substituted for education lacked on a year-for-year basis. One year of full-time experience = 30 semester/45 quarter college-level units.

EXPERIENCE: Two years of full-time professional-level planning experience. Qualifying professional-level experience must be in at least ONE of the following areas:

1. Prehistoric or historic archeology.
2. Historic preservation.
3. Environmental review or analysis.
4. Resource management.
5. Landscape planning or landscape architecture.
6. Environmental, general, and community planning.
7. Transportation planning.
8. Design, redevelopment, and capital improvement projects.
9. Zoning administration and enforcement.
10. Architecture and urban design.
11. Site planning.
12. Discretionary permit review and processing.

NOTES:

• A Master's Degree in Archeology, History, Urban Planning, Urban Studies or Urban Design, Architecture, Landscape Architecture, Historic Preservation, Economics, Geography, Geographic Information Systems, Public Administration, Life Science (e.g., Biology, Zoology, Ecology, Botany), Environmental Studies, or a closely related field may be substituted for a MAXIMUM of one year of the required experience.
• City of San Diego employees using Out-of-Class Assignment (OCA) experience to qualify must submit written documentation signed by their appointing authority or payroll specialist, detailing the work performed, dates, and total number of qualifying OCA hours. OCA experience without the required documentation will NOT be considered.

LICENSE: A valid California Class C Driver License may be required at the time of hire.

HIGHLY DESIRABLE:

• Certified Planner Certification issued from the American Institute of Certified Planners (AICP).
• College-level course work in Archeology, History, Urban Planning, Urban Studies or Urban Design, Architecture, Landscape Architecture, Historic Preservation, Economics, Geography, Geographic Information Systems, Public Administration, Life Science (e.g., Biology, Zoology, Ecology, Botany), Environmental Studies, or a closely related field.
• Conservation biology and/or Multiple Species Conservation Program (MSCP) experience.
• Experience supporting equitable public engagement for planning initiatives.
• California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) or National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) environmental documentation and compliance experience.
• Watershed or environmental plans.
• American Society of Landscape Architects membership.

REQUIRED DOCUMENTS (MUST SUBMIT WITH APPLICATION):

• Proof of degree/transcripts, if utilized to meet the minimum requirements.
• For City of San Diego employees, proof of Out-of-Class Assignment (OCA), if utilized to meet the minimum requirements.

Required documents should be attached electronically to your application. If you are unable to attach at the time of application submittal, you must submit them as soon as possible via fax: View phone number on click.appcast.io; or to the Employment Information Center: City of San Diego Personnel Department, 1200 Third Avenue - Suite 300, San Diego, CA 92101. Include your name and the title of the position for which you are applying.

SCREENING PROCESS
Please ensure all information is complete and accurate as the responses you provide on the supplemental questions will be reviewed using an automated evaluation system. If you are successful in this initial screening process, your application will be reviewed for applicable education, experience, and/or training to ensure all minimum requirements have been met. Successful candidates will be placed on a list which will be used to fill position vacancies during the next six months (180 days). For each vacancy, only those candidates with the most appropriate qualifications will be contacted by the hiring department for an interview.

SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION


PRE-EMPLOYMENT REQUIREMENTS: Employment offers are conditional pending the results of all screening processes applicable to this position, which may include the following: confirmation of citizenship or legal right to work in the United States; completion of a pre-employment medical review and exam (which may include drug and alcohol testing); reference checks; and fingerprinting. Fingerprints will be submitted to the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the California Department of Justice for a conviction record report. Certain positions may require additional screening processes, which may include a polygraph examination and/or background investigation. All of these processes must be successfully completed before employment begins. A positive test for alcohol, cannabis/marijuana, illegal drugs, or inadequately explained prescription drugs, or misrepresentation, falsification, or omission of pertinent facts in any step of the screening or selection process, may be cause for disqualification or termination of employment. Nothing in this job posting constitutes an express or implied contract for employment with the City of San Diego. Candidates must notify the Personnel Department of any change in their name, mailing address, email address, or phone number, otherwise they may miss employment opportunities.
Rev. 10 - May 22, 2026 (New Recruitment Date)
City employees may be eligible to participate in a benefit program including holidays, vacations, savings and retirement plans, health programs, and other benefits.


Eligible City employees initially hired or assuming office on or after July 10, 2021, with the exception of Police Recruits participating in the City's Police Academy, will participate in the City's Defined Benefit Plan administered by the San Diego City Employees' Retirement System (SDCERS).


Benefits may change due to employer-employee contract negotiations.

or review the
01


I understand that failure to respond to the following questions in the spaces provided may result in the rejection of my application. In addition, I may miss out on employment opportunities. Resumes are NOT reviewed for assessing the minimum requirements, qualifications will be determined from the answers provided to the supplemental questions.

• Yes
• No

02


Are you a current or former City of San Diego government/municipal employee?

• Current city employee
• Former city employee
• Current & former city employee
• None of the above

03


If you have previously worked or are currently working for the City of San Diego, please enter your PERNR.
04


The minimum age for this job is 18, unless you are 17 and a high school graduate. Do you meet the minimum age requirements for this job?

• Yes
• No

05


Are you meeting the education requirement with a Bachelor's Degree or equivalent education (i.e., minimum completed units = 120 semester/180 quarter)? NOTE: Attach proof of degree/transcripts to your application.

• Yes
• No

06


Do you possess a Master's Degree in Archeology, History, Urban Planning, Urban Studies or Urban Design, Architecture, Landscape Architecture, Historic Preservation, Economics, Geography, Geographic Information Systems, Public Administration, Life Science (e.g., Biology, Zoology, Ecology, Botany), Environmental Studies, or a closely related field? NOTE: Attach proof of degree/transcripts to your application.

• Yes
• No

07


If you are using a combination of experience and education to qualify, which of the following best describes your level of education?

• 0 to 29 semester/44 quarter units
• 30 semester/45 quarter units to 59 semester/89 quarter units
• 60 semester/90 quarter units to 89 semester/134 quarter units
• 90 semester/135 quarter units to 119 semester/179 quarter units
• 120 semester/180 quarter units or more

08


How many years of full-time professional-level planning experience do you have?

• None
• Less than 1 year
• 1 year to less than 2 years
• 2 years to less than 3 years
• 3 years to less than 4 years
• 4 years to less than 5 years
• 5 years to less than 6 years
• 6 years or more

09


In which of the following areas do you have full-time professional-level planning experience?

• Prehistoric or historic archeology.
• Historic preservation.
• Environmental review or analysis.
• Resource management.
• Landscape planning or landscape architecture.
• Environmental, general, and community planning.
• Transportation planning.
• Design, redevelopment, and capital improvement projects.
• Zoning administration and enforcement.
• Architecture and urban design.
• Site planning.
• Discretionary permit review and processing.
• None of the above.

10


Describe your full-time professional-level planning experience in the areas you indicated in question #9. For each area, specify from which employer the experience was gained, your title, level of responsibility, percent of time spent on each area, and the total length of your experience. If you do not have any experience in a specific area, write "None."
Required Question