Position: Transportation Planner/Analyst
Location: Oakland, CA; Metropolitan Transportation Commission
Salary: $37 - $48 hourly DOQ, plus attractive benefits package
Apply By: Open Until Filled
Description:
Over the past decade, the Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC) has continually enhanced its capabilities in the field of performance-based planning and programming. This approach relies upon rigorous forecasting and analysis to inform policy decisions, highlighting regional transportation investments and land use strategies that help to achieve critical sustainability goals. The necessity of incorporating performance analysis into planning and programming decisions has only been strengthened under MAP-21, the current federal transportation legislation.

Working for Local Government Services and assigned to the Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC), the person in this position will work with the Planning Section to support ongoing efforts to enhance the monitoring of on-the-ground performance, as well as to assist in the development of the next long-range transportation plan using performance-based methodologies.

Typical assignments consist of:
Under the supervision and direction of a Senior Transportation Planner/Analyst and the Planning Section Director, the Transportation Planner/Analyst will:
• Support ongoing performance monitoring and data visualization efforts as part of the Vital Signs initiative, both by analyzing data and by communicating trends to a broader audience.
• Evaluate integrated transportation and land use scenarios for Plan Bay Area 2040 using a wide variety of performance measures (including transportation, land use, economic, and environmental metrics) in collaboration with modeling staff from major regional agencies to inform development of regional policies and programs.
• Assess regionally significant transportation projects and programs using performance-based quantitative and qualitative methodologies, including but not limited to benefit-cost analysis and economic impact analysis, and air quality/climate impact analysis.
• Conduct policy and program analysis in support of Plan Bay Area 2040 development and implementation.
• Support MTC implementation of MAP-21 federal performance requirements, including, but not limited to, visioning, target-setting, data analysis, and reporting efforts.
• Represent MTC at meetings, review written reports and memoranda prepared by project staff, and make presentations before MTC committees, executive staff, and other agencies; support ongoing stakeholder committees focused on performance analysis; conduct general liaison, problem solving, and correspondence handling.

The Ideal Candidate:
The ideal candidate will have a bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university in an appropriate discipline, such as transportation planning, transportation engineering, city, regional planning, civil engineering, public policy, economics, or a related subject. Must have a minimum of one year of current, progressive and verifiable professional experience in: transportation planning, policy analysis, transportation engineering, or another field related to the position.

A Master’s degree or one year of graduate work in a discipline directly related to the position may be substituted for the required education & experience. Additional professional work experience is preferred

Knowledge of: performance measurement, performance assessment, or performance monitoring either academic or professional is a plus.

Qualifications and Experience;
Ability to:
• Work with large and diverse data sets. Knowledgeable about databases
• Research and analyze complex and technical issues
• Document and translate technical analyses for policy makers and lay audiences; Apply data to practical uses for achieving broad policies.
• Carry assignments through to completion, on time and with minimal supervision.
• Represent MTC and develop consensus among local agencies
• Prepare correspondence, reports, and presentations to a wide variety of audiences
• Prioritize and undertake multiple tasks and work independently

Required skills:
• A detailed understanding of the regional planning framework;
• An advanced knowledge of Microsoft Excel;
• The ability to work independently and to conduct research;
• An understanding of statistical & economic methods and techniques;
• An ability to develop reports and presentations for both general and technical audiences.

Desired skills:
• Knowledge of project evaluation or performance assessment methodologies (including benefit-cost analysis);
• Knowledge of programming languages (e.g. R or Python);
• Experience working with Tableau or other similar data visualization systems;
• Expertise in public outreach activities.

Benefits and Compensation:
The chosen candidate will be employed through Local Government Services (LGS), a Joint Powers Agency. The salary for the Service Administrator is $37.00 to $48.00 per hour (depending upon qualifications,). Local Government Services offers an attractive benefits package including:

Insurance – Employer-paid premiums up to a certain limit for medical, dental, vision, as well as life insurance at one times annual salary.

Retirement Plan – LGS is subject to California Pension Reform and has two pension plans. The plan employees will receive will be based on the individual's historical pension plan membership: either the 2@55 plan or the 2@62 plan as required by law.

Leaves – Vacation, sick leave, and administrative leave:
• Vacation of 12 days/year.
• Holidays of 10 days/year.
• Sick leave of 6 days/year accrued.
• Administrative leave of 1 day/year.
Other negotiable benefits include:
• A transportation stipend.

This is a full-time assignment, project-based position.

For information about MTC, see its website at www.mtc.ca.gov.

To Apply:
If you are interested in this outstanding opportunity, please submit an online application via CalOpps at https://www.calopps.org/profile_agency.cfm?id=74. This positions is Open Until Filled. Resumes will be screened according to the qualifications outlined in this brochure. The most qualified candidates will be invited to an interview. A select group of candidates will be asked to provide references once it is anticipated that they may be finalists. A background check to verify information supplied in the application materials will be conducted following candidate notification. For questions, please do not hesitate to call 650-587-7313 or email roppenheim@rgs.ca.gov.

The Organization:
MTC is comprised of four agencies in one:
MTC — Created by the Legislature in 1971, is the transportation planning, coordinating, and financing agency for the 9-county San Francisco Bay Area. MTC distributes over $1 billion per year in local, state, and federal funds to transportation projects and services.
BATA — Created by the Legislature in 1998 responsible for administering all toll revenue from the seven state-owned bridges. BATA has a has issued over $9 billion in toll revenue bonds to finance bridge, highway, and transit construction projects over the next several years.
SAFE — Created by the Legislature in 1988, Partnering with Caltrans and the CHP on Freeway Incident Management. The SAFE program includes overseeing the Bay Area’s highways with a total budget in excess of $15 million and the operation of over 2,600 roadside call boxes and 80 roving tow trucks on region’s network of call boxes and the Freeway Service Patrol.
BAIFA — a joint exercise of powers authority formed for the purpose of planning, developing and funding transportation and related projects.