Climate and Sustainability Planner - City of New York : Job Details

Note: This position is funded for two years with the possibility of further extension.

THE AGENCYThe 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 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 DIVISIONThe Climate and Sustainability Planning (CSP) team at DCP helps prepare the city for a changing climate and advances initiatives to protect and enhance New York City's waterfront. Our work promotes an active, accessible and resilient waterfront, and climate ready, carbon neutral, and environmentally sustainable buildings, neighborhoods, and residents. Our work involves planning, project review, and policy development in partnership with city, state, and federal agencies, neighborhood residents, and numerous stakeholders.

CSP staff work on:

THE ROLENew York City's waterfront is a tremendous asset to the city and one that has the potential to provide recreational and economic opportunities and increase the city's resiliency to climate change and sea level rise. CSP is launching a two-year-long study of waterfront public access requirements in the Zoning Resolution, which have been in place for over 30 years. These regulations mean that many forms of development on the waterfront are required to provide publicly accessible open space to and along the shoreline as a condition of development. The study will assess what is working well and where there is room to improve these regulations to shape the next generation of waterfront open space.

The study is part of City of Yes for Families, a multi-pronged initiative also announced in the 2025 State of the City to help families live and thrive across the boroughs, including by promoting equitable access to public spaces. The study's goals are to foster resiliency strategies and an inviting public realm, promote efficiency and transparency in the processes by which waterfront public access areas are reviewed and constructed, and identify opportunities to expand access to communities that currently cannot access the waterfront.

The study will be conducted in partnership with DCP's Urban Design division. The selected candidate will work closely with an urban designer to complete shared tasks and deliverables. The selected candidate will perform individual and collaborative work including – but not limited to – the following:

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1. A baccalaureate degree from an accredited college or university and two years of satisfactory full-time experience in city planning; or2. A satisfactory combination of education and/or experience that is equivalent to “1” above. Graduate education in city planning, urban planning, urban design, architecture, landscape architecture, transportation engineering, public administration, economic development or related fields may be substituted for experience on the basis of 30 graduate semester credits from an accredited college for one year of experience. However, all candidates must have a baccalaureate degree.

Special Qualification RequirementsAssignment Level IIITo be eligible for placement in Assignment Level III, individuals must have, after meeting the minimum requirements, one additional year of professional experience as described in 2 above.Assignment Level IVTo be eligible for placement in Assignment Level IV, individuals must have, after meeting the minimum requirements, two additional years of professional experience as described in 2 above.

This position is also open to qualified persons with a disability who are eligible for the 55-a Program. Please indicate at the top of your resume and cover letter that you would like to be considered for the position through the 55-a Program.

As a prospective employee of the City of New York, you may be eligible for federal loan forgiveness programs and state repayment assistance programs. For more information, please visit the U.S. Department of Education's website at

New York City residency is generally required within 90 days of appointment. However, City Employees in certain titles who have worked for the City for 2 continuous years may also be eligible to reside in Nassau, Suffolk, Putnam, Westchester, Rockland, or Orange County. To determine if the residency requirement applies to you, please discuss with the agency representative at the time of interview.

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.