The City of Tacoma's Planning and Development Services Department is looking to hire a part-time intern to provide support for the City of Tacoma's Comprehensive Planning Program in the Long Range Planning Division. Under the supervision of staff, this position will play a vital role in supporting various initiatives within the Comprehensive Planning Program. This position offers a unique opportunity to gain hands-on experience in long range planning and community engagement, focusing on several key projects including the Periodic Update of the City’s Comprehensive Plan, One Tacoma. Additionally, this position will assist in updates to the Critical Areas Preservation code, the South Tacoma Groundwater Protection District (STGPD) code, as well as contribute to Picture Pac Ave Subarea Plan, Tideflats Subarea Plan and Home in Tacoma initiatives.
The Comprehensive Planning Intern will directly support the City's mission to provide high-quality, innovative and cost-effective municipal services that enhance the lives of our citizens, the quality of our neighborhoods, and the access and awareness of historic resources.
The goal of the Planning and Development Services Department is to guide community growth and development in a manner that protects environmental resources, enhances quality of life, promotes distinctive neighborhoods and a vibrant downtown, and involves citizens in the decisions that affect them. For more information about the department, go to www.cityoftacoma.org/planning
The internship will offer a unique and highly desirable opportunity to contribute to multiple Long-Range Comprehensive planning projects. It is anticipated that this internship will support the Periodic Update of the City’s Comprehensive Plan: One Tacoma. The Comprehensive Plan update provides an opportunity for an intern to engage in an area of their specific interest and skillset, with elements including: Urban Form; Design + Development; Environment + Watershed Health; Housing; Economic Development; Transportation; Parks + Recreation; Public Facilities + Services; Container Port; Historic Preservation; Engagement, Administration + Implementation; and Downtown. Specifically, the intern will have opportunities to contribute to outreach and events programming; learn about community and multi-stakeholder action planning; and work closely with advisory committees and other City departments. The intern will also gain a knowledge and understanding of key public processes that help shape and approve these comprehensive planning initiatives, these include public processes through bodies such as the Planning Commission and City Council. Additionally, the position will provide an opportunity to learn from staff and conduct independent research, contribute to policy white papers, and collect data and benchmarking metrics from peer municipalities.
*TO APPLY, PLEASE VISIT OUR WEBSITE AT WWW.CITYOFTACOMA.ORG/JOBS. PLEASE NOTE THAT APPLICATIONS ARE ACCEPTED ONLINE ONLY AT OUR CITY WEBSITE. THIS ROLE IS BASED IN TACOMA, WA.*
Responsibilities will include:
- Research, benchmarking, and writing policy papers or contributing to chapters in long-range planning documents and the City’s Comprehensive Plan.
- Event coordination, staffing, and promotion to engage residents in the Comprehensive Planning Program’s ongoing initiatives
- Assisting with preparing presentations, agendas, public notice, meeting minutes and related materials for community steering groups and commissions, and assist with coordinating and managing public outreach efforts
- Documenting and researching best practices to support the development of Comprehensive Planning initiatives , including updates to the Critical Areas Preservation code, the South Tacoma Groundwater Protection District (STGPD) code, transit-oriented development, housing, and others as directed by the interns interest, experience, and skillset.
- Coordinate support with other City of Tacoma departments and external partners
Educational Benefits:
Educational benefits to be derived by students in this job include: public speaking and facilitation, events planning, multi-stakeholder relationship management, analytical skills, and understanding of community planning and policy strategies involving public art, transportation planning, economic development, and housing. Students should consult with their academic program regarding receiving academic credit for the internship.
Hours and Terms of the Position: 500 hours.
The hours for this position are 18-24 hours per week, for a period of approximately 6-12 months. This position will require the incumbent to be available for a regular schedule that will include occasional evenings and weekends, with the understanding that the remainder of the time will be flexible based on the student's schedule.
Location and Physical Requirements of Position:
This position requires being able to work both outdoors and in an office environment, to include computer and phones. Must be able to lift at least 20 pounds.
City of Tacoma Recruitment Information:
Tacoma's diversity is its greatest asset. Tacoma embraces its multi-cultural and multi-ethnic character. Communities of color and immigrant communities are fundamental to Tacoma's entrepreneurial spirit, workforce, and long-term success. In Tacoma, equity and empowerment are top priorities, meaning that all Tacoma residents must have equitable opportunities to reach their full potential and share in the benefits of community progress. One of our goals is for the City of Tacoma workforce to reflect the community it serves. We actively work to eliminate racial and other disparities and welcome candidates with diverse backgrounds and/or multicultural skill sets and experiences. Our goal is for Tacoma to be an inclusive and equitable place to live, work, and play.
Knowledge & Skills
- Knowledge of research methodology.
- Knowledge of community engagement and outreach, urban and community planning, and/or public policy.
- Experience with meeting facilitation and event planning/coordination.
- Skill in operating a personal computer and utilizing rudimentary software.
- Ability to effectively communicate verbally and in writing, using language that is appropriate to both the complexity of the topic and the knowledge and understanding of the audience.
- An interest and some experience in visual communication/graphic design.
- Experience developing web-based content, engagement tools, and/or social media.
- Effective problem-solving skills.
- Self-motivation and ability to work with minimal supervision.
- Ability to learn pertinent Federal, State, and local laws and ordinances.
- Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with employees, governmental officials and representatives of private agencies and the community.
- Ability to effectively collaborate and work with people from diverse backgrounds and cultures.
Selection Process & Supplemental Information
SPECIAL NOTE: This is a temporary internship position expected to end January 2, 2025 unless extended.***
All interested individuals must attach the following:
- Resume that includes past work experience
- Brief cover letter stating why you want to participate in this internship
Applicants who have the strongest backgrounds related to the responsibilities of this position may be invited to participate in the interview process. Appointment is subject to passing a background check.
Communication from the City of Tacoma:
We primarily communicate via email during the application process. Emails from cityoftacoma.org and/or governmentjobs.com must be placed on your safe domain list to ensure that you receive notifications in a timely manner. As a precaution, you may also want to check your junk email folders.
The online application system requires you to enter a substantial amount of information. Be prepared to spend at least an hour entering information. In order for your application materials to be considered, all information must be submitted by the closing date and time listed on this job announcement.
For assistance with the NEOGOV application process, or questions regarding this job announcement, please call Human Resources at (253) 591.5400 before 4:00 pm of the closing date of the job announcement.
Qualifications
MINIMUM EDUCATION*
- Graduation from high school or GED equivalent
MINIMUM EDUCATION*
- One (1) year of post-high school training.
*Equivalency: 1 year of experience = 1 year of education
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