Requisition No: 858178
Agency: Department of Transportation
Working Title: PLANNING SPECIALIST IV - 55013644
Pay Plan: Career Service
Position Number: 55013644
Salary: $67,389.12 - $87,209.45
Posting Closing Date: 08/20/2025
Total Compensation Estimator Tool

KNOWLEDGE OF:

• Functions and roles of state and federal departments of transportation.
• The development of the Florida Department of Transportation Five Year Work Program and MPO transportation improvement programs.

SKILLS IN:

• The implementation of and interpretation of federal statutes and regulations relating to Metropolitan Planning Organizations (MPO).
• Cooperating and collaborating with others to achieve shared goals, while initiating, maintaining and improving relationships.
• Effectively working in teams creating group synergy in pursuing collective goals and objectives.

OTHER JOB-RELATED REQUIREMENTS:

• This position will be required to respond before, during and following emergency situations.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:

• Six years of professional experience in the field of transportation, planning, public administration, engineering, or logistics; or Registration as a Professional Engineer in accordance with Florida Statute 471. A bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university in engineering or transportation may substitute for up to four years of the required experience. A master’s degree may substitute for up to six years of the required experience. Professional or nonprofessional experience (including internships or co-ops) can substitute on a year-for-year basis for the required experience.

The State’s total compensation package for employees features a highly competitive set of employee benefits including:

• Health insurance (over 90% employer paid)
• $25,000 life insurance policy (100% employer paid)
• Dental, vision and supplemental insurances
• State of Florida retirement package
• 10 paid holidays a year
• Generous vacation and sick leave
• Career advancement opportunities
• Tuition waiver for public college courses
• A variety of training opportunities
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP)

For additional benefit information available to State of Florida employees, visit: https://www.mybenefits.myflorida.com/
SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS: You will be required to provide your Social Security Number to conduct required verifications. Male applicants born on or after October 1, 1962, will not be eligible for hire or promotion in the Career Service, or appointment in the Selected Exempt Service (SES) or Senior Management Service (SMS), unless they are registered with the Selective Service System (SSS) before their 26th birthday, or have a Letter of Registration Exemption from the SSS.
THE FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION VALUES THE SERVICE VETERANS AND THEIR FAMILY MEMBERS HAVE GIVEN TO OUR COUNTRY AND SUPPORTS THE HIRING OF RETURNING SERVICE MEMBERS AND MILITARY SPOUSES. If you are a preference-eligible applicant who receives notice of a hiring decision and believe that you were not afforded employment preference in accordance with applicable Florida law and regulation, you may file a written complaint within 60 calendar days from the date you receive the notice, requesting an investigation to the Florida Department of Veterans’ Affairs, Division of Benefits and Assistance, 9500 Bay Pines Boulevard, Room 214, St. Petersburg, Florida 33708.
THE FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION VALUES AND SUPPORTS EMPLOYMENT OF INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABILITIES. QUALIFIED INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABILITIES ARE ENCOURAGED TO APPLY. In accordance with Section 110.112, Florida Statutes, and the Florida Department of Transportation’s Individuals with Disabilities Affirmative Action Plan, the agency is committed to ensuring affirmative action and equal employment opportunity for qualified individuals with disabilities. Upon request and as appropriate, reasonable accommodations to individuals with disabilities may be provided. Please contact the Florida Department of Transportation’s Human Resources Office at (850) 414-5300 for assistance.
The State of Florida is an Equal Opportunity Employer/Affirmative Action Employer, and does not tolerate discrimination or violence in the workplace.
Candidates requiring a reasonable accommodation, as defined by the Americans with Disabilities Act, must notify the agency hiring authority and/or People First Service Center (1-866-663-4735). Notification to the hiring authority must be made in advance to allow sufficient time to provide the accommodation.
The State of Florida supports a Drug-Free workplace. All employees are subject to reasonable suspicion drug testing in accordance with Section 112.0455, F.S., Drug-Free Workplace Act.
VETERANS’ PREFERENCE. Pursuant to Chapter 295, Florida Statutes, candidates eligible for Veterans’ Preference will receive preference in employment for Career Service vacancies and are encouraged to apply. Certain service members may be eligible to receive waivers for postsecondary educational requirements. Candidates claiming Veterans’ Preference must attach supporting documentation with each submission that includes character of service (for example, DD Form 214 Member Copy #4) along with any other documentation as required by Rule 55A-7, Florida Administrative Code. Veterans’ Preference documentation requirements are available by clicking here. All documentation is due by the close of the vacancy announcement

THE WORK YOU WILL DO:

Planning Specialist IV / District Two / Transportation Systems Dev / Urban Transportation Development / Urban Planning

YOUR SPECIFIC RESPONSIBILITIES:

Represents the Department as the District Liaison to the Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) and its subcommittees, including the Technical Advisory Committee and the Citizens Advisory Committee and any other committees as needed. These services include, but are not limited to grant administration, federal planning funds, administration, Federal/state certification process, coordination of long range transportation plan, list of priority projects, the transportation improvement program, the unified planning work program, department contracts and agreements, Federal Highway Administration – Federal Transit Administration coordination, and other transportation planning functions. Requires interpretation of Federal and State rules and guidelines that relate to Metropolitan Planning Organizations, including the Department’s Metropolitan Planning Organization Program Handbook. Prepares formal correspondence between the Department and the MPO.
Oversees FHWA and state funding and the Federal Transit Administrations Sec. 5305(d) program funding, relating to the MPO. Develops and executes grant agreements for the funding, develop and execute any additional contracts or contract modifications relating to urban planning projects or programs as assigned. Encumber and process funds within the Department’s Contract Funds Management (CFM) and Florida Accountability Contract Tracking Systems (FACTS); review and approve all contract and agreement invoices according to the Department and FHWA process and procedures. Administers and manages the Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality finding, if applicable. Coordinate project programming to ensure projects are appropriately incorporated into the State Transportation Improvement Program (STIP) and MPO Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) and consistent with the Long-Range Transportation Plan.
Provides coordination with the Department’s Work Program cycle and the MPOs list of priority projects and Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) and Long-Range Transportation Plan, for consistency. Conducts comparison of the Department’s work program to identify changes and/or inconsistency. Coordinate and Process needed TIP/STIP amendments according to state and Federal guidelines with the MPO board and committees. Attends project production meetings, project construction meetings (as applicable), community awareness meetings or similar functions related to the Department’s programmed projects and presents the Department’s tentative and adopted work program to the MPO and committees. Coordinate community and MPO Board requests related to projects with the Public Information Office or Project Managers, as needed.
Reviews and evaluates transportation plans and programs including project specific plans, reports, interstate and other master plans, congestion management program reporting, capacity and level of service analysis, unified planning work programs, and related studies or reports for the MPO. Prepare formal comments for administrative documents or any reviews and analyses as may be directed. This will entail the use of the Department’s online Electronic Review Comments system. Coordinates with other agencies as the Department’s Project Manager.
Serve as the District’s primary contact and facilitator for implementation of Complete Streets. Attend District multidisciplinary meetings for Complete Streets. Represent the District at monthly statewide Complete Streets team meetings and attend twice-yearly face to face meetings. Report opportunities and challenges to District leadership. Maintain a close working relationship with Statewide Complete Streets Coordinator.
Provides technical guidance to District management and staff, consultants and local governments on context classification, urban redevelopment, and project scoping in support of Complete Streets. Provides guidance on alignment of local/regional/MPO planning with FDOT Complete Streets approach.