Virginia Tech School of Public and International Affairs

ANNOUNCEMENT NUMBER: 2026-DE-01

SALARY RANGE: $121,785.00 – $158,322.00 PA

SERIES & GRADE: GS-0020-13/13

PROMOTION POTENTIAL: 13

THIS JOB IS OPEN TO: Career Transition (CTAP, ICTAP, RPL), Federal Employees - Competitive Service, Qualified U.S. Citizens, Veterans

APPOINTMENT TYPE: Permanent

WORK SCHEDULE: Full-time

OPEN PERIOD: 03/03/2026 – 03/24/2026

Summary

Want to contribute to reimagining and beautifying nationally important public spaces? Solve planning challenges? Envision modernizing places while preserving the historic landscape of the Nation's capital?

Be an Urban Planner at NCPC! Collaborate on impactful, multifaceted initiatives such as Pennsylvania Ave, Southwest Redevelopment, Commemoration, Federal Workplace, Capital Improvements and more through strategic analysis, urban design, project review, plan development, and public engagement.

Duties
As a Community Planner GS-0020-13, your typical work assignments may include the following:

• Proposing resolutions to planning and urban design issues.
• Preparing technical planning reports, physical plans, and recommendations on plans and project proposals related to planning topics, such as urban design, land use, zoning, transportation, security, commemoration, historic preservation, and development to address current problems, opportunities, and providing guidance for future development/redevelopment.
• Preparing and presenting recommendations to the Commission, executive staff, project stakeholders and other audiences and representing NCPC during project negotiation efforts and coordination with applicants and other federal and local partners.
• Performing comprehensive research and analysis in support of Commission activities, in the form of data collection, mapping, extensive writing, and two- and three-dimensional graphic planning, using an array of written and digital resources and design technologies to devise technical planning reports, proposals, plans, policies, and recommendations.
• Advising federal, regional, and local applicants on plans, policies, and procedures in coordination with other offices, federal and District entities, and representatives of the public.

Requirements

Conditions of employment

• Must be a U.S. Citizen or National
• Males born after 12-31-59 must be registered for Selective Service
• Résumé and supporting documents are required (See How to Apply)
• Must be suitable for federal employment, as determined by a background investigation
• May be required to successfully complete a probationary period

Qualifications

In order to qualify, you must meet both the education and experience requirements described below. Your resume must clearly describe your relevant experience. To qualify for the basic education requirement, a copy of your unofficial transcript(s) must be provided with the application. Applicants must meet all qualifications and eligibility requirements by the closing date of the announcement.

BASIC REQUIREMENT:

1. Bachelor's degree (or higher) in community planning or related field such as urban affairs, architecture, landscape architecture, urban design, civil engineering, sociology, geography, economics, political science, or public administration that included at least 12 semester hours in the planning process, socioeconomic and physical elements of planning, and urban and regional economic analysis, and development finance.

Note: Applicants with degrees in related fields, such as those listed above, who do not have 12 semester hours of specified course work must have had at least 1 year of work experience in community planning acquired under the supervision and guidance of a community planner.

OR

2. A combination of education and experience - courses equivalent to a major in one of the above disciplines, or a combination of related courses totaling at least 24 semester hours in any combination of the above disciplines of which at least 12 semester hours were in the planning process, and socioeconomic and physical elements of planning: plus, appropriate experience or additional education.

- AND -

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS: To be considered minimally qualified for this position, in addition to the basic education requirement, you must demonstrate that you have the required specialized experience for the respective grade level(s) in which you are applying: