MPO Transportation Planner

MPO Transportation Planner

The City of Burlington, North Carolina, is seeking candidates for the position of Transportation Planner within the Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) Division of the Burlington Planning Department. This role will report to the MPO Administrator and involve providing technical and professional transportation planning assistance to both the Burlington-Graham Metropolitan Planning Organization (BGMPO) and the City of Burlington. The BGMPO consists of local and regional transit agencies and includes twelve local governments across Alamance, Guilford, and Orange Counties.

Job Description

About us:
Since 1973, the Burlington-Graham Urban Area Metropolitan Planning Organization (BGMPO) has partnered with the North Carolina Department of Transportation and local officials to enhance transportation planning for Burlington, Graham, Mebane, and surrounding areas. The MPO coordinates the use of Federal transportation funds for streets, highways, bridges, public transit, and pathways, while also developing long-range plans, providing data to local governments, prioritizing projects for the Transportation Improvement Program, and facilitating public involvement in the planning process. The MPO is a Division of the Planning Department that is responsible for the land use management and regulations pertaining to development and growth in the City of Burlington and its Extra-Territorial Jurisdiction.

What You Will Do
This individual will assist the Burlington-Graham Urban Area Metropolitan Planning Organization (BGMPO) in achieving its goals through important planning projects for member governments. This position offers valuable experience in a fast-paced, collaborative office environment. You will manage various assignments, including data analysis, intermodal studies, and daily metropolitan transportation planning activities. This shared role supports local and regional transportation initiatives.

Examples of Duties

Geographic Information System (GIS) And Data Management

• Maintains and develops GIS data for the MPO Metropolitan Transportation Plan and Comprehensive Transportation Plan, including shapefiles, geodatabases, and associated datasets.
• Creates custom data layers using CommunityViz databases.
• • Processes data requests from City departments and MPO partner agencies.

Performance Monitoring and Compliance:

• Monitors regional transportation performance targets to ensure compliance with state and federal regulations.
• Completes transportation planning elements such as the Intermodal Management System, Highway Performance Management System, and Transit Operations Database Management.

Communication and Reporting:

• Translates complex technical information for non-technical audiences.
• Prepares and disseminates reports, correspondence, memos, meeting minutes, and forms.

Public Engagement and Outreach:

• Designs effective marketing materials, graphics, and charts to support public engagement and Transportation Demand Management initiatives.
• Develops population projections, generates transit system network maps, and analyzes spatial data using transit planning software.

Professional Development and Collaboration:

• Attends meetings, conferences, seminars, workshops, and training sessions to stay informed about regional, state, and federal requirements.
• Coordinates with planning staff from partner agencies to align on goals and initiatives.

Administrative and Operational Support:

• Provides staff support for TCC, TAC, MPO subcommittees, and public meetings.
• Maintains and updates content for the BGMPO website.
• Conducts data collection and analysis, manages intermodal special studies, and supports metropolitan transportation planning activities.
• Assists with the daily operations and functions of the MPO

Qualifications

Core Knowledge Areas:

• Transportation Planning and Public Administration: Comprehensive understanding of the principles and practices involved in transportation planning and public administration.
• Geographic Information Systems (GIS): Proficient in GIS applications and their role in transportation planning and analysis.

Specialized Expertise:

• Land Use and Environmental Laws: In-depth knowledge of transportation, land use planning, and environmental regulations.
• Development Procedures: Familiarity with local government development review processes and record-keeping systems.

Technical Proficiency:

• Software Expertise: Skilled in a variety of computer applications, including:
• General Tools: Microsoft Office Suite, Google Earth, Adobe.
• Specialized Applications: TransCad, Remix, and GIS platforms.
• Policy Knowledge: Well-versed in NCDOT and FHWA policies and guidelines.

Professional Availability:

• Flexible Scheduling: Available to attend evening meetings and weekend public engagement events as required.

Minimum Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s Degree in Planning, Transportation Planning, Public Administration, Engineering or related fields and at least one year of relevant work experience or an equivalent combination of education, training, and experience in transportation planning.
• Proficiency with ESRI/ArcGIS, Microsoft Office and Google products is preferred.
• Valid Driver’s License.
• Master’s Degree in Planning, Public Administration, Engineering or related fields and relevant work experience is preferred.

Supplemental Information

Physical Requirements and Working Conditions

• Work is normally light work with occasional periods of vigorous activity, including walking over uneven ground, standing stooping, and crouching.
• Visual acuity to review written correspondence and other documents, prepare and analyze data and figures, and exposure to a computer terminal is required.
• An employee must possess the ability to hear and talk.
• The employee will be predominantly subject to inside environmental conditions with some activities occurring outside in oftentimes adverse environmental conditions.
• Ability to maintain flexible hybrid telecommute work schedule including evenings and weekends.

FLSA Status: Exempt

Inclement Weather Classification: Non-Essential

Benefits for full-time employees of the City of Burlington (with the exception of full-time sworn police officers) are as follows:

• Paid vacation and sick leave
• Ability to transfer North Carolina local government earned sick leave.
• Paid holidays for New Year’s Day, Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Good Friday, Independence Day, Labor Day, Veterans Day, Memorial Day, Thanksgiving, and Christmas
• Enrollment in the Local Government branch of the North Carolina State Retirement System
• Enrollment in Empower 401k
• Health and dental insurance coverage for employee and children; spouses may be added to the policy if they are not offered coverage at their own place of employment
• Voluntary enrollment in a Flexible Spending Plan
• Life insurance
• Long-term care insurance
• Other voluntary insurances and deferred compensation plans