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Job Description
Position/Program Information
TYPE OF RECRUITMENT OPEN COMPETITIVE - EMERGENCY
APPLICATION FILING PERIOD
Applications will be accepted from Tuesday, August 12, 2025, at 8:00 a.m. (PT) until the needs of the service are met and is subject to closure without prior notice.
EXAM NUMBER
54430A-FR
The LA County Board of Supervisors has unanimously ratified a Proclamation of Local Emergency in response to the windstorms and wildfires , including the Palisades and Eaton Fires, that have devastated communities across the County. We are looking for qualified and passionate individuals to assist the County in mobilizing resources and support needed to help our residents recover and rebuild. If you are looking for a new career that will directly benefit the population of LA County, this may be the opportunity for you.
The Department of Regional Planning is seeking qualified candidates to fill emergency Regional Planner vacancies related to this unprecedented natural disaster.
Under the emergency order, applicants who meet the requirements may be hired for an initial period of up to 90 days, with an opportunity for permanent County employment.
Before the end of your initial work period, you will be assessed on your work performance. This assessment will be weighted 100%.
Those who successfully pass the assessment will be considered for permanent appointment to Regional Planner .
Essential Job Functions
Participates in the research, writing, and public engagement and discussion regarding the adoption of the County's general plan, area, coastal, community, and neighborhood plan policies, and other specialized plans and studies such as the County’s Sustainability Plan.
Participates in the research and drafting of zoning, subdivision, and other land use regulations.
Participates in the analysis of complex planning problems, the preparation of population and other planning projections, housing needs, and parking studies.
Responds in writing or orally to inquiries from the public on General Plan policy, and subdivision and zoning regulations.
Processes applications for subdivisions, zone changes, variances, and conditional use permits.
Evaluates applications for consistency with General Plan policy, and compliance with zoning and subdivision regulations.
Conducts field inspections, prepares staff reports and public notices, coordinates with other public agencies, and follows all other necessary procedures for public hearings.
Analyzes, reviews and prepares environmental documents including Initial Studies, Negative Declarations, and both the draft and final versions of the Environmental Impact Reports in compliance with the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA).
Explains County and State environmental regulations to the general public and project applicants.
Investigates and analyzes property ownership, recorded property ownership and zoning histories; gathers and consolidates data from public records and other sources to assist in the development of written staff reports in support of recommendations for official action.
Investigates violations of zoning regulations, and discusses alleged violations with property owners, complainants, community groups, the Board of Supervisors, County Counsel, the District Attorney, and other enforcement agencies, and may make court appearances.
Prepares and makes oral presentations of planning development applications, zoning and other planning related information to the Regional Planning Commission, and civic, community, governmental, professional, and other interest groups.
Prepares graphics, exhibits, maps, and other audio-visual illustrations to present findings and critical issues of planning studies in support of the department's recommendations.
Uses computer programs or planning applications to accept applications and process fees and prepare reports, maps, spreadsheets, data bases and/or graphics in carrying out planning activities.
Works collaboratively with other Sections and Divisions within Regional Planning, other County departments, and public and private organizations in coordinating project activities and resolving problems pertaining to planning matters related to the department such as homelessness, sustainability, climate change, and equity.
FIRE RECOVERY ASSISTANCE DUTIES:
Serves as a primary point of contact by staffing the public counter, hotline, and email to respond to inquiries from fire survivors regarding rebuilding procedures.
Operates/coordinates unmanned aircraft systems (drones) to support post-fire damage assessment and data collection.
Collaborates with community leaders to inform and guide property owners through the rebuilding process.
Conducts on-site evaluations to determine the feasibility of rebuilding on fire-damaged properties.
Participates in and facilitates public workshops to assist survivors with rebuilding application submittals.
Proactively identifies and enforces unpermitted land use activities during the rebuilding phase.
Investigates complaints related to unpermitted debris removal and construction, ensuring enforcement actions are taken when necessary.
Develops and implements innovative, efficient enforcement protocols in coordination with regulatory agencies.
Prepares and submits state and federal grant applications to secure funding for fire recovery and rebuilding initiatives.
Researches and analyzes property ownership, recorded documents, and zoning histories to support rebuilding eligibility and compliance.
Prepares visual materials-including maps, graphics, and exhibits-to effectively communicate findings and key issues to the Board of Supervisors, Regional Planning Commission, and other decision-making bodies.
Utilizes digital planning tools and software to accept applications, review fee waiver requests, and generate reports, maps, databases, and visual updates on rebuilding progress.
Works collaboratively with other Regional Planning sections, County departments, and public/private stakeholders to coordinate project activities and resolve issues related to fire recovery efforts.
Requirements
MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS:
Option I: A bachelor's degree * i n Urban or Regional Planning from an accredited four-year college or university.
Option II: A bachelor's degree * from an accredited four-year college or university, with specialization in Environmental Studies, Geography, Urban Studies, Public Administration, Public Policy, Landscape Architecture, Architecture, or Urban Design with 15 semester or 22.5 quarter units of upper division courses in Urban or Regional Planning, Cartography, Urban Geography and/or Environmental Planning.
Option III: A bachelor's degree* from an accredited four-year college or university and one year of urban or regional planning experience.
LICENSE:
A valid California Class C Driver License or the ability to utilize an alternative method of transportation when needed to carry out job-related essential functions.
PHYSICAL CLASS: II - Light. This class includes administrative and clerical positions requiring light physical effort that may include occasional light lifting to a 10 pound limit and some bending, stooping, or squatting. Considerable ambulation may be involved.
SPECIAL REQUIREMENT INFORMATION:
*In order to receive credit for any degree such as a Bachelor's, Master's, or course work, you MUST include a legible copy of the official diploma, official transcripts, or official letter from the accredited institution which shows the area of specialization with your application at the time of filing or within seven (7) calendar days from application submission. Candidates expecting to qualify under Option II, MUST provide a copy of their official college transcript to indicate the course work.
Additional Information
EXAMINATION CONTENT:
Under the emergency order, applicants who meet the requirements may be hired for an initial period of up to 90 days, with an opportunity for permanent County employment.
Before the end of your initial work period, you will be assessed on your work performance. This assessment will be weighted 100%. Those who successfully pass the assessment will be considered for permanent appointment.
APPLICATION AND FILING INFORMATION
Applications must be submitted online only and will be reviewed for interview consideration on an ongoing basis. If you have not been contacted within 60 days and the recruitment remains open or reopens for filing, we encourage you to submit a new application. This will allow you to reaffirm your interest and update any relevant information.
INSTRUCTIONS FOR FILING ONLINE
Applications must be filed online by clicking on the green "Apply" button located on the top right corner of the screen.
Applicants must complete and submit their online applications and upload required documents (e.g. Official Transcripts, Resume, etc.) as attachment(s) during application submission, or send by email to drphr@planning.lacounty.gov within 7 calendar days from date of application submission. Indicate the Exam Title on the subject line when sending required documents by email.
Fill out your application completely. The acceptance of your application will depend on whether you have clearly shown that you meet the Minimum Requirements. Provide any relevant education, training, and experience in the spaces provided so we can evaluate your qualifications for the job. For each job held, provide the name and address of your employer, your job title, beginning and ending dates, and description of work performed. If your application is incomplete, it will be rejected.
Many important notifications will be sent electronically to the email address provided on the application, so it is important that you provide a valid email address. Please add swilliams@planning.lacounty.gov as well as noreply@governmentjobs.com and info@governmentjob.com to your email address and list of approved senders to prevent email notification from being filtered as span/junk/clutter mail.
You have the ability to opt out of emails from LA County. If you unsubscribe, you will not receive any email notification for any examination for which you apply with Los Angeles County. Regardless of whether you choose to unsubscribe, you can always check for notifications by logging into governmentjobs.com and viewing your profile inbox, which saves a copy of all emailed notices.
Plan to submit your online application well in advance before the deadline as you may be required to verify your email address. This only needs to be done once per email address, and if you already have a job seeker account on govermentjobs.com/careers/lacounty .gov
you can verify at any time by logging in and following the prompts. This is to enhance the security of your online application and to ensure you do not enter an incorrect email address.
SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBER LANGUAGE
Please include your Social Security Number for record control purposes. Federal law requires that all employed persons have a Social Security Number .
COMPUTER AND INTERNET ACCESS AT LIBRARIES
For candidates who may not have regular access to a computer or the internet, applications can be completed on computers at public libraries throughout Los Angeles County.
FAIR CHANCE EMPLOYER
The County of Los Angeles is a Fair Chance employer. Except for a very limited number of positions, you will not be asked to provide information about a conviction history unless you receive a contingent offer of employment . The County will make an individualized assessment of whether your conviction history has a direct or adverse relationship with the specific duties of the job, and consider potential mitigating factors, including, but not limited to, evidence and extent of rehabilitation, recency of the offense(s), and age at the time of the offense(s). If asked to provide information about a conviction history, any convictions or court records which are exempted by a valid court order do not have to be disclosed.
NO SHARING USER ID AND PASSWORD
All applicants must file their applications online using their own user ID and password. Using a family member or friend's user ID and password may erase a candidate's original application record.
ANTI-RACISM, DIVERSITY, AND INCLUSION (ARDI) The County of Los Angeles recognizes and affirms that all people are created equal and are entitled to all rights afforded by the Constitution of the United States. The Department of Human Resources is committed to promoting Anti-racism, Diversity, and Inclusion efforts to address the inequalities and disparities amongst race. We support the ARDI Strategic Plan and its goals by improving equality, diversity, and inclusion in recruitment, selection, and employment practices.
CONTACT INFORMATION:
Department Contact Name: Savanna Williams
Deparment Contact Phone: (213) 974-6488
Department Contact Email: Drphr@planning.lacounty.gov
ADA COORDINATOR PHONE: (213) 974-6488
TELETYPE PHONE : (213) 617-2292
CALIFORNIA RELAY SERVICES PHONES: (800) 735-2922
For detailed information, please click here -
ABOUT THE COMPANY
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Los Angeles County
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With a population of more than 10 million people and 88 cities, Los Angeles County has more residents than any county in the nation.
With more than 10 million residents, Los Angeles County is the most populous county in the nation. As the largest employer in Southern California, over 100,000 employees in more than 36 Departments provide vital public services as diverse as law enforcement, property assessment, public health protection, water conservation, cultural activities and many more.
As one of the Top 10 Government Services Employers, as named by Forbes Magazine, the County of Los Angeles provides those committed to a career in public service with boundless opportunities, a platform for professional and personal growth and the ability to truly make a difference in people's lives.
A career with the County means you will have the chance to be a part of building and providing services for an amazingly diverse population of citizens. From helping families in need to fighting fires to keeping our beaches clean, the County of Los Angeles provides an environment where you can touch and enrich lives everyday.
A career path in the County is truly that – a path. Many of those in our County family begin and end their careers here in two very different places. You may start out as an Administrative Assistant in Public Works and find yourself a few years later as a Manager in the Department of Community and Senior Services. While many County employees remain on the same career path in one department for their entire careers, others move between departments or take advantage of training and other opportunities to find new careers within the County.
The path you take is up to you. As a Los Angeles County employee, the opportunities – and the possibilities - are limitless.
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Depending on the requirements of their department and position, some employees may have the option to craft a work schedule that accomplishes their mission, while providing flexibility, including 4/40 workweeks and other options.
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From the harbor at Marina del Rey to the forests of the Antelope Valley, big cities, small municipalities and rural communities – there are opportunities to work for the County wherever you roam and wherever you call home.
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Career Development
The County encourages all employees to take advantage of the many training and development opportunities available.
Outstanding Benefits
The County offers its employees one of the strongest public-sector benefits packages in the nation.
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