Senior Urban Designer
: Job Details :

Company DescriptionJob Description THE AGENCY The Department of City Planning (DCP) plans for the strategic growth and development of the City through ground-up planning with communities, the development of land use policies and zoning regulations applicable citywide and by sharing its perspectives on growth and community needs with sister agencies in collaboration with the Office of Management and Budget (OMB). The New York City Department of City Planning is a great place to work - cultivating intellectual inspiration, professional development and creativity. Visit our website at www.nyc.gov/planning to access the full listing of job opportunities and to learn more about our great agency. THE DIVISION Queens is home to more than 2.4 million residents, a historic peak population. Queens' extensive ethnic diversity leads the city and the country. Its growth has been fueled in large measure by an influx of persons arriving from abroad with nearly half the population foreign born, and its residents speak over 160 languages. Some of the fastest-growing neighborhoods in New York City are located in Queens, with the past decade seeing significant housing growth in areas such as Long Island City and Flushing. The borough fosters the most diverse economy in the region, as a center for industry, manufacturing, freight and distribution, primarily centered around Western Queens and the airports. The Queens Office is a dynamic work environment responsible for a wide range of planning and design activities, including developing borough-wide and local plans with a focus on affordable housing, resiliency, expanded economic opportunity, and transit-oriented development; reviewing and processing land use applications; leading community outreach; planning for resiliency and climate change; and providing technical and policy guidance and direction on all land use and zoning related matters to the City Planning Commission, local Community Boards, elected officials, and the public at large. The borough's recent growth is occurring within distinct neighborhood contexts, which vary widely across the borough. Currently, its efforts are focused on directing a range of new housing, economic recovery and equitable planning opportunities in to enliven and support the growth and vitality of Queens neighborhoods. THE ROLE The Queens Office at the Department of City Planning is seeking an experienced urban design professional with strong technical design skills, a positive attitude toward community service, as well as a desire to contribute to an engaging work environment in roles that impact the growth and transformation of the borough. The urban design lead would be responsible for the development of borough-wide and local plans, collaborate with private applicants and staff to realize successful mixed-use, affordable and resilient waterfront developments, lead visioning sessions to engage diverse communities, mentor urban design team members, and visually communicate the agency's principles for sound urban design and a quality public realm. Under the supervision of the Borough Director and Deputy, the Senior Lead Urban Designer will manage a broad portfolio of projects and studies, collaborate across the three geographic Queens teams, and oversee urban design staff. With great latitude for exercising independent judgement, the Senior Lead Urban Designer will: -Manage Queens design initiatives and contribute to larger planning efforts, while coordinating this work with other divisions of the Department, other city agencies, and Queens communities -Review and analyze site plans and development proposals to determine compliance with NYC zoning regulations and the City's land use planning and design policies, and make recommendations on applications submitted to the Department -Strong urban design capabilities with knowledge of physical design practices including site planning and programming, building layout, zoning calculations, massing and architectural design. Knowledge of urban landscape and environmental design as well as familiarity with resiliency and sustainability measures and best practices -Advise Director and Deputy Director on current design practices and standards in New York City and precedents from diverse urban contexts -Supervise the work of team members and/or other planners in the processing of land use applications and preparing materials to present to the City Planning Commission, and implementation of studies and reports for several Community Districts to ensure a high degree of quality and consistency with agency protocol and policy -Create and organize illustrative, graphic and written materials for presentation and to provide visual recommendations and/or solutions to the City Planning Commission, other governmental agencies and the public in support of proposals, studies and other projects -Manage Department initiatives, and ULURP and other land use applications, and contribute to planning and urban design studies, and coordinate this work with other divisions of the Department, other city agencies, community boards, elected officials and the public -Mentor and supervise urban design staff and enhance the knowledge of urban design practices among planning staff -Support neighborhood planning studies including design research and environmental analysis, and produce visual presentations and project identities -Develop, maintain and utilize working knowledge of all on-going planning, land use, transportation, urban design and zoning studies, as well as community initiatives and studies, with specific and deep knowledge of these topics within all areas of responsibility with a focus in Coastal Resiliency and Waterfront development -Areas of expertise may include affordable housing typologies, complex mixed-use development, waterfront zoning and open space planning, infill development, large-scale planning, and resilient and sustainable design strategies -Perform other related tasks and projects Qualifications 1. A baccalaureate degree in architecture from an accredited college or university and two (2) years of full-time experience in planning, design, research, investigations and/or studies related to urban design development programs; or 2. A satisfactory combination of education and/or experience which is equivalent to 1 above. However, a baccalaureate degree in architecture is required of all candidates. Graduate work leading to an advanced degree in architecture, urban design or city planning maybe substituted for experience on a year-for-year basis. Additional Information The City of New York is an inclusive equal opportunity employer committed to recruiting and retaining a diverse workforce and providing a work environment that is free from discrimination and harassment based upon any legally protected status or protected characteristic, including but not limited to an individual's sex, race, color, ethnicity, national origin, age, religion, disability, sexual orientation, veteran status, gender identity, or pregnancy.