SFO- Senior Airport Planner- Design and Construction

DO NOT APPLY HERE! PLEASE USE THE LINK TO APPLY

APPLY HERE- https://careers.sf.gov/role/?id=3743990011993687&trid=d3f90716-0dde-4424-b5f0-f412773ae5a8

Department: San Francisco International Airport
Job class: 5293-Planner IV
Salary range: $152,646.00 - $185,432.00
Role type: Permanent Civil Service What does this mean?
Hours: Full-time
Exam type: Position Based Test
Rule: Rule of 10
List type: Combined Promotive and Entrance

About:

This is a Position-Based Test conducted in accordance with CSC Rule 111A.

• Application Opening: Thursday, March 5, 2026
• Application Deadline: Apply immediately. Please be advised that interested applicants are encouraged to apply as soon as possible as this announcement may close at any time after 5:00 PM on Wednesday, March 18, 2026.
• Compensation Range: $152,646 - $185,432 Annually
• Recruitment ID: PBT-5293-162961

San Francisco International Airport (SFO) is a world-class, award-winning airport that served more than 54 million guests in Fiscal Year 2025. SFO offers non-stop flights to 60+ international cities on over 40 international carriers. The Bay Area's largest airport also connects non-stop with 80+ U.S. cities on 10 domestic airlines.

As an enterprise department of the City & County of San Francisco, SFO has a workforce of approximately 1,900 City employees. In Fiscal Year 2021, SFO generated more than 28,000 direct jobs and $6.1B in business activity.

SFO is more than an airport- we are a dynamic organization where employees collaborate with a wide range of stakeholders to support global travel, economic development, and public service. We are recognized as a leader in safety, environmental sustainability, and forward-thinking infrastructure, and continue to be at the forefront of transforming the travel experience.

Our Vision, Mission, and Core Values shape our culture and operations as we continue to build a supportive, purpose-driven workplace where all employees can thrive. Our mission is to deliver an airport experience where people and our planet come first.

Learn more about careers at SFO at flysfo.com, and follow us on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, LinkedIn, Bluesky and Threads.

Role description

The San Francisco International Airport (SFO) is hiring a Planner IV. Are you an experienced Planner with a passion for aviation? Do you have three (3) years of recent and verifiable experience with Federal Aviation Administration rules and regulations; orders; advisory circulars; and implementation requirements? Are you a team leader that enjoys managing tasks and assignments, and preparing complex aviation planning studies, reports, and briefings?

If so, SFO is searching for an outstanding candidate with a baccalaureate degree from an accredited college or university; AND with six (6) years of experience in city, urban, and/or regional planning, and/or related planning environment (such as transportation planning, environmental planning, architecture or urban design); AND three (3) years of experience working in an airport/aviation environment to join SFO's Airport Planning and Environmental Affairs (PEA) as a Senior Airport Planner – (Planner IV). See official job description for further details. Apply today!

Under general direction from the Director of Planning and Environmental Affairs, the Planner IV as a Senior Airport Planner, will manage tasks and assignments performed by Planner IIIs, Planner IIs and interns in the Airport Planning and Environmental Affairs (PEA), and the preparation of complex aviation planning studies, reports, and briefings in the areas delineated below. This position performs other additional related duties as assigned.

The essential duties and responsibilities of this position include:

• Assists with PEA's overall programs and functions, including development of project and contract budget, scopes, and schedules, and implementation of the division's strategic plan goals. Manages professional services procurement processes and associated contract scopes, schedules, and project/task budgets.
• Manages and directs major and complex planning and programming studies to advance Airport goals and objectives, and manage tasks and assignments performed by other staff Planners, administrative support staff, and technical consultants.
• Evaluates techniques to optimize Airport facilities to make more efficient use of Airport airside and landside resources and better program facility development to meet forecast demand. Such airport planning and programming studies includes passenger terminal planning, airfield and airspace capacity planning (including technology-related enhancements and demand management techniques), facility development and programming, aviation activity forecasting, and ground transportation. Airport planning studies must be prepared according to Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) orders and advisory circulars, and aviation industry trends.
• Drafts and/or reviews specialized studies relating to airport planning and/or development programming; analyzes large amounts of data to draw conclusions upon which policies and decisions may be based and recommendations founded by the airport, including in the areas of facility planning, capacity and slot policy, and lease and use agreement strategy.
• Addresses community, business and other groups to explain importance of maintaining airport land use compatibility in the airport environs, according to federal and state laws; promotes positive public relations to advance airport strategic goals and objectives; helps identify feasible solutions to issues; and represents and serves as liaison to outside agencies and communities, including but not limited to the FAA, local municipalities, and airlines/pilots.
• Reviews and analyzes market, financial, political feasibility of the Airport's capital improvements, development programs/projects and operation and maintenance activities. Prepares technical studies to assess the best use of Airport property, real estate assets and infrastructure/facilities.
• Manages the preparation of airport development plans, the Airport Layout Plan sets, aviation activity forecasts and other planning documents according to Federal Aviation Administration orders and advisory circulars. Prepares briefings on airport planning and programming projects for Airport leadership, internal staff, and external stakeholders.
• Interprets and explains legal, technical and procedural aspects of airport planning and associated FAA rules and regulations to stakeholders; prepares technical reports, correspondence, and presentations.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

Nature of Work

Requires extensive computer work requiring keyboarding and prolonged sitting and working off a flat screen monitor to perform strategic and planning affairs analysis, analyze, manipulate, and generate reports; ability to work effectively with managers, co-workers, contractors and other personnel; and ability to identify issues and problem solve.

How to qualify

1. Education:
Possession of a baccalaureate degree from an accredited college or university; AND

2. Experience:
Six (6) years of experience in city, urban, and/or regional planning, and/or related planning environment (such as transportation planning, environmental planning, architecture or urban design.); AND

Special Condition:

Three (3) years of recent and verifiable experience in airport/aviation planning, including airport facilities planning, airport master planning, airfield/airspace planning, aviation demand forecasting, and environmental planning/permitting (i.e. CEQA and NEPA environmental approvals; and permitting from U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, California Department of Fish and Wildlife, Regional Water Quality Control Board, and Bay Conservation and Development Commission)

The above minimum qualifications reflect special conditions associated with the position(s) to be filled. They may differ from the standard minimum qualifications associated with this classification.

Substitution:
Possession of Master's degree from an accredited college or university in City, Regional or Urban Planning, Architecture, Landscape Architecture, Geography, Urban Studies or Environmental Sciences may substitute for one (1) year of the required experience.

Desirable Qualifications

The stated desirable qualifications may be used to identify job finalists at the end of the selection process when candidates are referred to hiring.

• Six (6) years of experience in airport/aviation planning.
• Possession of Bachelor's or Master's degree from an accredited college or university in Political Science or Aviation Management.
• Knowledge of the principles and practices of Federal and State environmental laws, Federal Aviation Administration rules and regulations, orders, advisory circulars, and implementation requirements.
• Ability to collect, analyze and interpret data pertaining to strategic and operational airport facility impacts of proposed projects and programs.
• Ability to lead specialized planning studies and to manage internal staff and consultant work.
• Ability to speak effectively and deal tactfully with the public, governmental officials, professional and technical persons and employees.
• Ability to write clear and concise technical documents.
• Ability to facilitate Airport policy discussions relating to airport planning and capacity issues and to represent the Airport's interests at industry conferences.
• Ability to develop administrative procedures and budgets and supervise the work of other employees and contracted consultants.

Applicants must meet the minimum qualification requirement and special condition by the final filing date unless otherwise noted.

One year full-time employment is equivalent to 2,000 hours (2,000 hours of qualifying work experience is based on a 40 hour work week). Any overtime hours that you work above 40 hours per week are not included in the calculation to determine full-time employment.

Verification of Education and Experience
Every application is reviewed to ensure that you meet the minimum qualifications as listed in the job ad. Review SF Careers Employment Applications for considerations taken when reviewing applications.

Applicants may be required to submit verification of qualifying education and experience at any point during the recruitment and selection process. If education verification is required, information on how to verify education requirements, including verifying foreign education credits or degree equivalency, can be found at https://careers.sf.gov/knowledge/experienceeducation/.

Note: Falsifying one's education, training, or work experience or attempted deception on the application may result in disqualification for this and future job opportunities with the City and County of San Francisco.

Selection Procedures

After application submission, candidates deemed qualified must complete all subsequent steps to advance in this selection process, which includes the following:

Oral/Performance Examination (Weight: 100%):

Applicants who meet the minimum qualifications will be invited to participate in an oral examination designed to measure their relative knowledge, ability and skill levels in job related areas. Written assessment type, or other performance-based exercises may be utilized. Candidates will be placed on the eligible list in rank order according to their final passing score.

Note: Only those applicants meeting the minimum qualifications requirement and special condition will be notified of the exact date, time and place to report for the Oral Examination. Applicants who meet the minimum qualifications requirement and special condition are not guaranteed to advance through all of the steps in the selection process.

Transportation Security Administration (TSA) Security Clearance: Candidates for employment with the San Francisco Airport Commission are required to undergo a criminal history record check, including FBI fingerprints, and Security Threat Assessment in order to determine eligibility for security clearance and may be required to undergo drug/alcohol screening. Per Civil Service Commission Rule Section 110.9.1, every applicant for an examination must possess and maintain the qualifications required by law and by the examination announcement for the examination. Failure to obtain and maintain security clearance may be basis for termination from employment with the Airport Commission.

Eligible List/Score Report:

A confidential eligible list of applicant names that have passed the civil service examination process will be created and used for certification purposes only. An examination score report will be established, so applicants can view the ranks, final scores and number of eligible candidates. Applicant information, including names of applicants on the eligible list, shall not be made public unless required by law. However, an eligible list shall be made available for public inspection, upon request, once the eligible list is exhausted or expired and referrals resolved. The eligible list/score report resulting from this civil service examination process is subject to change after adoption (e.g., as a result of appeals), as directed by the Human Resources Director or the Civil Service Commission.

The duration of the eligible list resulting from this examination process will be six (6) months and may be extended with the approval of the Human Resources Director.

To find Departments which use this classification, please see Position Counts by Job Codes and Departments..

Certification:

The certification rule for the eligible list resulting from this examination will be Rule of Ten (10). The hiring department may administer additional position-specific selection procedures prior to making final hiring decisions.

Terms of Announcement and Appeal Rights:

Applicants must be guided solely by the provisions of this announcement, including requirements, time periods and other particulars, except when superseded by federal, state or local laws, rules or regulations. Clerical errors may be corrected by the posting the correction on the Department of Human Resources website at https://careers.sf.gov/.

The terms of this announcement may be appealed under Civil Service Rule 111A.35.1. The standard for the review of such appeals is 'abuse of discretion' or 'no rational basis' for establishing the position description, the minimum qualifications and/or the certification rule. Appeals must include a written statement of the item(s) being contested and the specific reason(s) why the cited item(s) constitute(s) abuse of discretion by the Human Resources Director. Appeals must be submitted directly to the Executive Officer of the Civil Service Commission within five business days of the announcement issuance date.

What else should I know?

Additional Information Regarding Employment with the City and County of San Francisco:

Information About the Hiring Process

Conviction History

Employee Benefits Overview

Equal Employment Opportunity

Disaster Service Worker

ADA Accommodation

Veterans Preference

Seniority Credit in Promotional Exams

Right to Work

Copies of Application Documents

Diversity Statement

Applicants will receive a confirmation email from notification@careers.sf.gov that their online application has been received in response to every announcement for which they file. Applicants should retain this confirmation email for their records. Failure to receive this email means that the online application was not submitted or received.

Where to Apply
All job applications for the City and County of San Francisco must be submitted through our online portal. Please visit https://careers.sf.gov/ to begin your application process. Computers are available for the public (9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Monday through Friday) to file online applications in the lobby of the Dept. of Human Resources at 1 South Van Ness Avenue, 4th Floor and at the City Career Center at City Hall,1 Dr. Carlton B. Goodlett Place, Room 110.

Ensure your application information is accurate, as changes may not be possible after submission. Your first and last name must match your legal ID for verification, and preferred names can be included in parentheses. Use your personal email address, not a shared or work email, to avoid unfixable issues.

Applicants will receive a confirmation email from notification@smartrecruiters.com that their online application has been received in response to every announcement for which they file. Applicants should retain this confirmation email for their records. Failure to receive this email means that the online application was not submitted or received.

Exam Analyst Information: If you have any questions regarding this recruitment or application process, please contact exam analyst Charlene Cun at Charlene.Cun@flysfo.com.

Recruitment ID: PBT-5293-162961

The City and County of San Francisco encourages women, minorities and persons with disabilities to apply. Applicants will be considered regardless of their sex, race, age, religion, color, national origin, ancestry, physical disability, mental disability, medical condition (associated with cancer, a history of cancer, or genetic characteristics), HIV/AIDS status, genetic information, marital status, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, gender expression, military and veteran status, or other protected category under the law.