STEM OPT Regional Planner Jobs
Regional Planner roles in urban development, transportation, and environmental planning qualify for the 24-month STEM OPT extension when your degree aligns with an approved CIP code. Your employer must be enrolled in E-Verify, and you'll need a signed I-983 training plan before your extension starts.
Find STEM OPT Regional Planner JobsOverview
Showing 5 of 31+ Regional Planner jobs
See all 31+ Regional Planner Jobs
Sign up for free to unlock all listings, filter by visa type, and get alerts for new Regional Planner roles.
Get Access To All JobsJob Description
The City of Syracuse Sustainability Planner will focus on economic and environmental sustainability in planning, design and policy projects. They will be responsible for the creation, coordination and implementation of projects that foster environmental sustainability, and advance the City's sustainability goals.
Typical Work Activities
- Perform professional planning work, focused on the organization and planning of sustainability projects, studies, policies, and plans for the City;
- Lead and collaborate on energy efficiency, greenhouse gas reduction and sustainability initiatives across City departments, with a strong emphasis on project management, coordination, and public outreach;
- Support the development, implementation, monitoring, and measurement of the City's Sustainability Plan that will incorporate sustainability into all aspects of the City;
- Provide leadership to advance the City through environmentally, socially, and economically sustainable programs;
- A high level of interpersonal skills and coordination is required since the position may advise and facilitate the work of a wide range stakeholders. The position will also help individuals and private, non-profit, and public organizations in answering requests for information within the City;
- The employee will research and integrate data and information from a variety of technical specialties including urban land use and design, environment and natural resource management; engineering; land use regulation (zoning); public finance; or public health;
- Work is performed independently with latitude given for initiative and creativity with supervisory guidance and advice available when needed. Supervision of staff is not a typical function of this position, but the Planner may be responsible for supervising the work of interns as well as the contractual work of consultants hired to perform work under various Planning programs;
- Does related work as required.
Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities
- Ability to provide technical knowledge, guidance, support and advice in the area of environmental sustainability, energy efficiency, climate change policies and initiatives, and public health to City departments and stakeholders;
- Serves as the primary project manager for environmental and sustainability initiatives;
- Develop programs and policies to address environmental sustainability;
- Develop marketing strategies to promote sustainability, including public engagement;
- Attend and participate in meetings, as necessary, with other professionals and the public;
- Serve as a public liaison on Sustainability related initiatives and projects;
- Prepare reports and studies on the benefits and outcomes of sustainability programs;
- Assist with development of budgets for Sustainability related initiatives and projects;
- Makes both formal and informal presentations to advise, recommend and inform citizen advisory boards and municipality public officials on environmental and land use programs and issues;
- Prepares grant applications to private/public/nonprofit funding agencies for environmental programs and administers the implementation of these various grant programs;
- Develop and provide illustrative presentations such as graphs, charts, and maps;
- Critical thinking skills and good professional judgment.
Minimum Qualifications
A) Graduation from a regionally accredited college or university or one accredited by the New York State Board of Regents to grant degrees with a master's degree in Architecture, Landscape Architecture, Civil Engineering, Geography, Public Administration, Environmental Studies, Transportation and Transit Planning and Analysis, or City or Regional Planning or a field closely related to City or Regional Planning, and one (1) year of professional level work experience, or its part time equivalent in community planning, development or redevelopment in a public sector agency or its equivalent in the public sector or;
B) Graduation from a regionally accredited college or university or one accredited by the New York State Board of Regents to grant degrees with a baccalaureate degree in Architecture, Landscape Architecture, Civil Engineering, Geography, Public Administration, Environmental Studies, Transportation and Transit Planning and Analysis, or Urban Planning or a field closely related to Urban Planning, and two (2) years of professional level work experience, or its part time equivalent, in community planning, development, or redevelopment in a public sector agency or its equivalent in the private sector or;
C) Six (6) years of paraprofessional or professional level work experience, or its part time equivalent, in planning, architecture, landscape architecture, civil engineering, geography, public administration, environmental studies, or transportation and transit planning and analysis, at least two (2) years of which must have been professional level work experience in community planning, development, or redevelopment in a public sector agency or its equivalent in the private sector or;
D) An equivalent combination of training and experience as defined by the limits of (A), (B), and (C).
Benefits
- Dental insurance
- Health insurance
- Paid time off
- Parental leave
- Vision insurance
- Retirement plan
Job Description
The City of Syracuse Sustainability Planner will focus on economic and environmental sustainability in planning, design and policy projects. They will be responsible for the creation, coordination and implementation of projects that foster environmental sustainability, and advance the City's sustainability goals.
Typical Work Activities
- Perform professional planning work, focused on the organization and planning of sustainability projects, studies, policies, and plans for the City;
- Lead and collaborate on energy efficiency, greenhouse gas reduction and sustainability initiatives across City departments, with a strong emphasis on project management, coordination, and public outreach;
- Support the development, implementation, monitoring, and measurement of the City's Sustainability Plan that will incorporate sustainability into all aspects of the City;
- Provide leadership to advance the City through environmentally, socially, and economically sustainable programs;
- A high level of interpersonal skills and coordination is required since the position may advise and facilitate the work of a wide range stakeholders. The position will also help individuals and private, non-profit, and public organizations in answering requests for information within the City;
- The employee will research and integrate data and information from a variety of technical specialties including urban land use and design, environment and natural resource management; engineering; land use regulation (zoning); public finance; or public health;
- Work is performed independently with latitude given for initiative and creativity with supervisory guidance and advice available when needed. Supervision of staff is not a typical function of this position, but the Planner may be responsible for supervising the work of interns as well as the contractual work of consultants hired to perform work under various Planning programs;
- Does related work as required.
Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities
- Ability to provide technical knowledge, guidance, support and advice in the area of environmental sustainability, energy efficiency, climate change policies and initiatives, and public health to City departments and stakeholders;
- Serves as the primary project manager for environmental and sustainability initiatives;
- Develop programs and policies to address environmental sustainability;
- Develop marketing strategies to promote sustainability, including public engagement;
- Attend and participate in meetings, as necessary, with other professionals and the public;
- Serve as a public liaison on Sustainability related initiatives and projects;
- Prepare reports and studies on the benefits and outcomes of sustainability programs;
- Assist with development of budgets for Sustainability related initiatives and projects;
- Makes both formal and informal presentations to advise, recommend and inform citizen advisory boards and municipality public officials on environmental and land use programs and issues;
- Prepares grant applications to private/public/nonprofit funding agencies for environmental programs and administers the implementation of these various grant programs;
- Develop and provide illustrative presentations such as graphs, charts, and maps;
- Critical thinking skills and good professional judgment.
Minimum Qualifications
A) Graduation from a regionally accredited college or university or one accredited by the New York State Board of Regents to grant degrees with a master's degree in Architecture, Landscape Architecture, Civil Engineering, Geography, Public Administration, Environmental Studies, Transportation and Transit Planning and Analysis, or City or Regional Planning or a field closely related to City or Regional Planning, and one (1) year of professional level work experience, or its part time equivalent in community planning, development or redevelopment in a public sector agency or its equivalent in the public sector or;
B) Graduation from a regionally accredited college or university or one accredited by the New York State Board of Regents to grant degrees with a baccalaureate degree in Architecture, Landscape Architecture, Civil Engineering, Geography, Public Administration, Environmental Studies, Transportation and Transit Planning and Analysis, or Urban Planning or a field closely related to Urban Planning, and two (2) years of professional level work experience, or its part time equivalent, in community planning, development, or redevelopment in a public sector agency or its equivalent in the private sector or;
C) Six (6) years of paraprofessional or professional level work experience, or its part time equivalent, in planning, architecture, landscape architecture, civil engineering, geography, public administration, environmental studies, or transportation and transit planning and analysis, at least two (2) years of which must have been professional level work experience in community planning, development, or redevelopment in a public sector agency or its equivalent in the private sector or;
D) An equivalent combination of training and experience as defined by the limits of (A), (B), and (C).
Benefits
- Dental insurance
- Health insurance
- Paid time off
- Parental leave
- Vision insurance
- Retirement plan
See all 31+ STEM OPT Regional Planner Jobs
Sign up for free to unlock all listings, filter by visa type, and get alerts for new STEM OPT Regional Planner Jobs.
Get Access To All JobsTips for Finding STEM OPT Authorization as a Regional Planner
Verify your CIP code before applying
Check that your STEM degree maps to an approved CIP code covering urban, regional, or environmental planning fields. Your DSO confirms the match on your I-20 before you file the STEM OPT extension with USCIS.
Confirm E-Verify enrollment before accepting offers
Ask hiring managers whether the organization is actively enrolled in E-Verify, not just registered. Government agencies and nonprofits sometimes let enrollment lapse, which disqualifies them as STEM OPT employers regardless of job fit.
Build your I-983 training plan around planning competencies
Your I-983 must connect your STEM degree to on-the-job learning goals. Frame objectives around GIS analysis, land-use modeling, or data-driven policy work so the plan demonstrates direct application of your technical training.
Target MPO and state DOT postings specifically
Metropolitan Planning Organizations and state transportation departments regularly hire STEM OPT candidates for data and modeling roles. These public agencies are E-Verify enrolled by law, which removes a common verification step from your checklist.
Search for Regional Planner roles on Migrate Mate
Migrate Mate filters Regional Planner listings by employers verified for STEM OPT hiring, so you spend time on roles where your 24-month extension is actually workable, not chasing postings from employers who can't sponsor you.
Negotiate your start date around extension processing time
USCIS recommends filing the STEM OPT extension up to 90 days before your initial OPT expires. Align your offer letter start date with that window so your authorization stays continuous and your employer isn't waiting on paperwork.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does a Regional Planner role qualify for the STEM OPT extension?
It depends on your degree, not the job title alone. Regional planning positions qualify when your underlying STEM degree maps to an approved CIP code, such as urban and regional planning or environmental science. Check your I-20 with your DSO to confirm the CIP code match before filing your extension with USCIS.
Does my Regional Planner employer have to be enrolled in E-Verify?
Yes. E-Verify enrollment is a hard requirement for every STEM OPT employer, with no exceptions. Before you sign an offer, ask the HR team to confirm active E-Verify enrollment and request the company's E-Verify employer ID. Government agencies at the federal, state, and local level are typically enrolled by mandate, making them reliable targets.
What goes into the I-983 training plan for a planning role?
Your I-983 must document specific learning goals that connect your STEM degree to your daily work. For Regional Planner positions, strong training objectives include GIS-based spatial analysis, quantitative transportation modeling, environmental impact assessment, or data-driven community planning. Generic descriptions like 'support planning projects' won't satisfy the requirement, so be precise about the technical skills you'll develop.
How does cap-gap protection work if I'm applying for H-1B during my STEM OPT period?
If your employer files an H-1B visa petition on your behalf before your STEM OPT expires and you're selected in the lottery, cap-gap rules automatically extend your work authorization through September 30 of that year. You can keep working in your Regional Planner role during this period without interruption, even if your EAD card has technically expired.
Where can I find Regional Planner jobs where employers already understand STEM OPT?
Migrate Mate is built for this search. It surfaces Regional Planner listings from employers with verified STEM OPT hiring history, so you're not cold-applying and then explaining your work authorization from scratch. Filtering by STEM OPT compatibility at the start saves significant time during a period when your authorization window is fixed.