Associate Planner

Salary : $119,979.47 - $145,835.79 Annually
Location : Los Altos City Hall, CA
Job Type: Full-Time Regular
Job Number: 202300187
Department: Development Services
Opening Date: 11/24/2025
Closing Date: Continuous
Bargaining Unit: LAMEA

Description
Join a team that's shaping the future of Los Altos The City is seeking a motivated and detail-oriented Associate Planner to help guide thoughtful development, enhance community spaces, and support sustainable growth through collaboration and innovation.

ABOUT THE POSITION

The City of Los Altos is seeking a knowledgeable and motivated Associate Plannerto join our Development Services department. This position plays a key role in reviewing development applications and providing exceptional customer service to residents, developers, and design professionals. The Associate Planner will manage projects from concept through completion, prepare reports and presentations for public meetings, and collaborate closely with other City departments to support high-quality, sustainable development throughout Los Altos.
ABOUT THE DEPARTMENT

The Development Services Department of the City of Los Altos serves as a unified center for planning, building, engineering, and inspection services dedicated to enhancing our community's physical fabric and quality of life. Our team works proactively to guide private development and public improvements to ensure safe, sustainable, and attractive built environments. The Associate Planner will be part of a dynamic department that values professionalism, responsiveness, collaboration, and a customer-centric approach to service delivery.

IDEAL CANDIDATE

We are looking for a candidate who:

• Possesses three or more years of municipal planning experience and holds a bachelor's degree in urban planning, architecture, or a closely related field.
• Demonstrates strong skills in permit review, code interpretation, and policy implementation.
• Exhibits excellent written and oral communication, including preparation of reports and presentations for public bodies.
• Thrives in a customer-service oriented, fast-paced public agency setting with a high level of professionalism, initiative, and integrity.

ABOUT THE RECRUITMENT

This position will remain open until filled with a first review of applications on January 19, 2026. This recruitment may be used to fill the current vacancy as well as future positions in this or other divisions. The selection process will consist of an evaluation of each applicant's training and experience based on the application materials and responses to supplemental questions. Candidates whose backgrounds best match the position requirements will be invited to participate in a virtual interview panel.
Examples of Duties
Management reserves the right to add, modify, change, or rescind the work assignments of different positions and to make reasonable accommodations so that qualified employees can perform the essential functions of the job.

• Regularly confer with and advise architects, builders, attorneys, contractors, engineers, and the public regarding City development policies, procedures, and standards.
• Review development applications and building permits for conformance with appropriate regulations, policies, procedures, and standards.
• Conduct site inspections.
• Perform weekly shifts at the public counter, answering general inquiries in-person, by phone, or email.
• Manage electronic application intake, distribution, and monitoring of planning applications and other permits reviewed by the division via the City's software programs.
• Administers the City's General Plan, Zoning Ordinance, and other adopted plans and guidelines.
• Prepare reports, correspondence, exhibits and presentations about the above and related functions.
• Assist other staff on complex development or policy planning projects, and other duties as assigned.

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Minimum Qualifications
Any combination of training and experience that would provide the required knowledge, skills, and abilities is qualifying. A typical way to obtain the required qualifications would be:

EXPERIENCE:

• Minimum of three years of experience in municipal planning, or an equivalent combination of education and experience, with a master's degree substituting for one year of the required experience.

EDUCATION:

• Graduation from an accredited college or university with an undergraduate or graduate degree in urban planning, architecture, or a closely related field.

Supplemental Information
PHYSICAL DEMANDS AND WORK ENVIRONMENT

Must possess mobility to work in a standard office setting and use standard office equipment, including a computer. Vision to read printed materials and a computer screen, and hearing and speech to communicate in person, before groups, and over the telephone. This is primarily a sedentary office classification although standing and walking between work areas may be required. Finger dexterity is needed to access, enter, and retrieve data using a computer keyboard, or typewriter keyboard, and to operate standard office equipment. Positions in this classification occasionally bend, stoop, kneel, reach, push, and pull drawers open and closed to retrieve and file information. Employees must possess the ability to lift, carry, push, and pull materials and objects up to 25 pounds.
EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER

The City of Los Altos is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate in employment on the basis of a person's race, religious creed, color, national origin, ancestry, mental or physical disability, medical condition, marital status, sex, age or sexual orientation. Candidates with a disability, which may require special assistance in any phase of the application or testing process, should advise City of Los Altos upon submittal of application. Documentation of the need for accommodation must accompany the request.
LIMITATIONS AND DISCLAIMER

The above job description is meant to describe the general nature and level of work being performed; it is not intended to be construed as an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties and skills required for the position. All job requirements are subject to possible modification to reasonably accommodate individuals with disabilities. Some requirements may exclude individuals who pose a direct threat or significant risk to the health and safety of themselves or other employees.

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01

Please indicate your highest level of education completed:

• High School Diploma or Equivalent
• Associate's Degree
• Bachelor's degree in Urban Planning, Public Administration, Geography, Architecture, Environmental Studies, or a related field
• Master's degree in Urban Planning, Public Administration, Geography, Architecture, Environmental Studies, or a related field
• None of the Above

02

How many years of professional planning experience do you have in a public agency, consulting firm, or similar environment?

• No Related Experience
• Less than 1 year
• 1-2 years
• 3-4 years
• 5 or more years

03

Please describe your experience with one or more of the following: current or long-range planning, reviewing development applications, zoning administration, environmental review, or policy planning. Provide specific examples of the types of projects you've worked on and your role in each.
04

Do you currently possess an American Institute of Certified Planners (AICP) certification or any other relevant professional credential?
Required Question

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