Transportation Planner III

Salary : $81,382.29 - $135,637.01 Annually
Location : FAIRFAX (EJ03), VA
Job Type: FT Salary W BN
Job Number: 25-00431
Department: Transportation
Opening Date: 03/01/2025
Closing Date: 3/21/2025 11:59 PM Eastern
Pay Grade: S28
Posting Type: Open to General Public

Job Announcement

Since 1977, the Fairfax County Department of Transportation (FCDOT) has served the Fairfax County community by enhancing mobility, safety, and the quality of life of residents, businesses, and visitors through planning, coordinating, funding, implementing, and sustaining a multimodal transportation system. FCDOT is seeking an innovative, strategic, and highly qualified Transportation Planner to support Fairfax Connector and Fastran bus service. The position will utilize advanced transit applications and techniques to plan, analyze, and improve bus service. The position will also perform advanced transportation planning and analysis to assist in multimodal transportation studies and incorporate recommendations into the five to ten-year Transit Strategic Plan. In the rapidly evolving public transportation sector, this position offers a unique opportunity to design, plan, and provide world-class transit services in the national capital region.

Responsibilities include:

• Collecting relevant Fairfax Connector and Fastran operational, service, and passenger data.
• Analyzing data using transit scheduling applications, such as Trapeze or HASTUS-equivalent, and advanced transit scheduling methodologies.
• Developing plans and recommendations to improve transit services, including route modifications and service expansions, for Board of Supervisors' approval.
• Coordinating all route and scheduling issues with the county's private transit operations service provider.
• Developing forecasts, coordinating medium and long-term transit planning projects, and incorporating same into system-wide studies or plans, such as the Ten-Year Transit Strategic Plan.
• Developing service planning materials for and coordinating public outreach efforts related to transit planning and service changes; preparing presentations for advisory groups, technical working committees, briefings for senior leadership and/or elected officials, and other audiences, as required to meet specific audience needs.
• Collaborating with internal and external partners to increase Fairfax Connector and Fastran ridership and improve service quality.
• Coordinating transit service planning with federal, state, and regional rail and other transit service providers to ensure resources are effectively allocated to maximum benefit.
• Developing grant applications and other documentation to obtain funding and/or request reimbursement for Fairfax Connector and Fastran services; analyzing fiscal impact of transit service plans and changes.
• Serving as a subject matter expert and responding to customer inquiries regarding transit planning and service changes.
• Attending project-related meetings and workshops, both in-person and virtual, including occasional evenings and weekends.
• Coordinates with other divisions within FCDOT to review site plans and development proposals to assess impacts to Fairfax Connector service and/or plans.
• Performing other duties as assigned and required, including responding to inclement weather, incidents and/or other emergencies.

For more information on the Fairfax County Department of Transportation, please click
Employment Standards

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:

(Click on the aforementioned link to learn how Fairfax County interprets equivalencies for "Any combination, experience, and training equivalent to")
Graduation from an accredited four-year college or university with a bachelor's degree in civil engineering, urban, regional or transportation planning, or a closely related field; plus four years of professional experience in civil engineering, urban, regional or transportation planning, or a closely related field.
CERTIFICATES AND LICENSES REQUIRED:
Valid driver's license

NECESSARY SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS:
The appointee to this position will be required to complete a criminal background check and driving record check to the satisfaction of the employer.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:

• Master's degree and four years of professional experience in urban, regional, or transportation planning, or a closely related field.
• Strong analytic and technical skills, as well as experience in fixed-route/fixed-schedule transit planning and scheduling.
• Experience in developing, coordinating, and implementing transit plans, schedules, projects, and/or programs for a transit system comparable to Fairfax Connector.
• Experience in coordinating with Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority, Virginia Department of Transportation of Transportation, Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transportation, Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority, Federal Transit Administration, or other governmental agencies.
• Experience reviewing site plans, development proposals, and corridor studies.
• Strong computer skills and experience with TBEST, Trapeze or HASTUS-equivalent, and Remix.
• Strong organizational, time management, and project management skills, including ability to coordinate multiple projects, prioritize, and meet established deadlines.
• Strong written/oral communication skills and experience serving as a subject matter expert for, presenting to, and engaging with elected officials, staff, and the community.
• Strong interpersonal skills and demonstrated ability to establish and maintain positive working relationships.
• Desire to advance a collaborative and supportive culture.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS:
Work is generally sedentary. However, employee may be required to do some walking, standing, bending and carrying of items under five pounds in weight. Field work must be able to operate a motor vehicle. All duties performed with or without reasonable accommodations.

SELECTION PROCEDURE:
Panel interview and may include exercise.

The population of Fairfax County is very diverse where 38.7% of residents speak a language other than English at home and we encourage candidates bilingual in English and a foreign language to apply to this opportunity.

Fairfax County Government prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, pregnancy, childbirth or related medical conditions, age, marital status, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetics, political affiliation, or military status in the recruitment, selection, and hiring of its workforce.

Reasonable accommodations are available to persons with disabilities during application and/or interview processes per the Americans with Disabilities Act. TTY 703-222-7314. EEO/AA/TTY.

#LI-JY1
Merit Positions

Fairfax County is proud to offer employees an attractive and comprehensive benefits program, including the following:

• Medical/Vision/Dental Insurance Coverage
• Group Term Life Insurance
• Long Term Disability
• LiveWell Program
• Flexible Spending Programs
• Paid Leave (annual, sick, parental, volunteer activity, and more!)
• Paid Holidays
• Contributory Retirement Plan
• Deferred Compensation
• Employee Assistance Program
• Employees' Child Care Center
• Commuter Benefit Program
• Continuous Learning Opportunities

NOTE: Fairfax County Government is a qualifying employer under the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program. For more information about the PSLF program: https://studentaid.gov/manage-loans/forgiveness-cancellation/public-service

For additional details please visit the
Non-Merit Positions

Non-Merit Benefit Eligible: scheduled to work a minimum 1,040 hours and no more than a maximum of 1,560 hours in a calendar year.

• Medical/Vision/Dental Insurance Coverage
• Flexible Spending Program
• Deferred Compensation

Temporary: scheduled to work a maximum of 900 hours in a calendar year.

• No benefits

01

What is the highest level of education that you have completed?

• Less than 12th grade
• High school diploma or GED
• Some college
• Associate's degree
• Bachelor's degree
• Master's degree
• Doctorate degree

02

If you answered "Some college" for the highest level of education completed, please indicate the number of quarter or semester hours you have completed towards a degree.

• Less than 45 quarter hours
• 45 to less than 90 quarter hours
• 90 to less than 135 quarter hours
• 135 to less than 180 quarter hours
• 180 or more quarter hours
• Less than 30 semester hours
• 30 to less than 60 semester hours
• 60 to less than 90 semester hours
• 90 to less than 120 semester hours
• 120 or more semester hours
• Not applicable

03

Please indicate your area(s) of study or major(s)/minor(s) towards a degree. Check all that apply.

• Civil engineering
• Urban planning
• Regional planning
• Transportation planning
• Other (related field)
• Other (non-related field)
• Not Applicable

04

If you answered "Other (related field)" or "Other (non-related field)" for the previous question, please list all of your majors and minors. If this question does not pertain to you, or you do not have a degree, enter "Not applicable".
05

Do you currently possess a valid driver's license?

• Yes
• No

06

How many years of full-time equivalent professional experience in civil engineering, urban, regional or transportation planning, or a closely related field do you possess?

• None
• Less than one year
• One to less than two years
• Two to less than three years
• Three to less than four years
• Four to less than five years
• Five to less than six years
• Six to less than seven years
• Seven to less than eight years
• Eight years or more

07

How many years of full-time equivalent professional experience do you have reviewing, analyzing, evaluating, or planning transit services and facilities?

• None
• Less than one year
• One to less than two years
• Two to less than three years
• Three to less than four years
• Four to less than five years
• Five to less than six years
• Six to less than seven years
• Seven to less than eight years
• Eight years or more

08

How many years of full-time equivalent professional experience do you have developing fixed-route schedules?

• None
• Less than one year
• One to less than two years
• Two to less than three years
• Three to less than four years
• Four to less than five years
• Five to less than six years
• Six to less than seven years
• Seven to less than eight years
• Eight years or more

09

How many years of full-time equivalent professional experience do you have implementing transit services changes?

• None
• Less than one year
• One to less than two years
• Two to less than three years
• Three to less than four years
• Four to less than five years
• Five to less than six years
• Six to less than seven years
• Seven to less than eight years
• Eight years or more

10

How many years of full-time equivalent professional project management experience do you possess?

• None
• Less than one year
• One to less than two years
• Two to less than three years
• Three to less than four years
• Four to less than five years
• Five to less than six years
• Six to less than seven years
• Seven to less than eight years
• Eight years or more

11

How many years of full-time equivalent professional experience do you have analyzing real-time tracking data and using Intelligent Transit Services technology?

• None
• Less than one year
• One to less than two years
• Two to less than three years
• Three to less than four years
• Four to less than five years
• Five to less than six years
• Six to less than seven years
• Seven to less than eight years
• Eight years or more

12

How many years of full-time equivalent professional experience do you have analyzing the fiscal impact of transit service plans and changes?

• None
• Less than one year
• One to less than two years
• Two to less than three years
• Three to less than four years
• Four to less than five years
• Five to less than six years
• Six to less than seven years
• Seven to less than eight years
• Eight years or more

13

How many years of full-time equivalent professional experience do you have developing grant applications for transit services?

• None
• Less than one year
• One to less than two years
• Two to less than three years
• Three to less than four years
• Four to less than five years
• Five to less than six years
• Six to less than seven years
• Seven to less than eight years
• Eight years or more

14

How many years of full-time equivalent professional experience do you have preparing written reports and other communication to be used for community groups, elected officials, and/or senior-level leadership?

• None
• Less than one year
• One to less than two years
• Two to less than three years
• Three to less than four years
• Four to less than five years
• Five to less than six years
• Six to less than seven years
• Seven to less than eight years
• Eight years or more

15

Do you have experience using any of the following transit planning software? Check all that apply.

• Trapeze
• HASTUS
• Transit modeling (TBEST)
• Other
• None of the above

16

If you selected "Other" for the previous question, please list the transit planning software. If this is not applicable to you, enter "Not applicable".
17

Do you have direct professional experience coordinating with the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority, Virginia Department of Transportation, Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transportation, Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority, Federal Transit Administration, or other governmental agencies?

• Yes
• No

18

This position will be required to attend project-related meetings and workshops, both in-person and virtual, including occasional evenings and weekends. Are you able and willing and able to attend?

• Yes
• No

Required Question