Entry Level Land Development Jobs in Seattle, WA

Salary : $83,824.00 - $115,698.35 Annually
Location : Bellevue City Hall, 450 110th Ave NE, Bellevue, WA
Job Type: Regular
Remote Employment: Flexible/Hybrid
Job Number: 26-00239
Department: Development Services
Division: DS LandUse Housing
Opening Date: 07/13/2026
Closing Date: 7/20/2026 11:59 PM Pacific
FLSA: Non-Exempt
Bargaining Unit: AFSCME
Come Join the City of Bellevue!
Please fill out your application as fully as possible. The City evaluates candidates based on the information provided in the online application only. Do not submit resumes and cover letters. Read the "Hiring Process" section below to learn more.
New hires typically receive between minimum and midpoint, however, we may go slightly higher based on experience, internal equity and market.
Job Summary
Why work for Bellevue? Bellevue is a dynamic multicultural and future-focused city. Our Council vision is: "Bellevue welcomes the world, our diversity is our strength." As an employee of Bellevue, you'll be valued and encouraged to contribute. The City invests in its employees and encourages and rewards employee growth and development by building on our commonalities and our differences. Bellevue is noted for its diversity, community involvement, intellectual excitement, artistic pursuits, and natural beauty. We work collectively to make it a place where you want to work, live and play.
We are looking for an innovative and collaborative Assistant Planner to join our team. You will report to the Housing and Special Projects Planning Manager and be on a team that makes up one of four work groups within the land use division. While the Housing and Special Projects team primarily focuses on review of projects with complexity and expedited timelines, there will be opportunity to explore many exciting development projects in all areas of land use review. Your scope of work is diverse and varied and ranges from predevelopment consulting and providing public information on policies, codes, and processes to a variety of residential and commercial buildout projects. You will engage and collaborate with a very diverse client base within our dynamic community. You'll put your top-notch analytics skills and exceptional customer service skills to work. Are you an entry level planner with an interest in learning about development projects? Are you interested in exploring different types of land use planning to build your career? This might be just the position for you!
A little about our department: Development Services is a multi-department line of business that offers one-stop shopping for general information and the permits needed for development activity in Bellevue and the surrounding service areas. We are code compliance officers, engineers, finance analysts, inspectors, planners, plans examiners, permit technicians, and support staff from the Development Services, Fire, Transportation, and Utilities departments.
Essential Duties and Responsibilities

• Project reviews that are predominantly focused on short time-frame, non-discretionary applications as identified in the Planner Series Project Types.
• Reviews and interprets plans (e.g., site, landscaping, architectural, civil, clearing, and grading).
• Undertakes technical analysis of proposed projects, reviews recommendations with team and supervisor, communicates and negotiates revisions with applicants, conducts site visits/inspections, reviews building and occupancy permits to ensure compliance with city codes and permit conditions, negotiates solutions to project issues in a cooperative manner, coordinates review and application of code requirements with other department reviewers within the city when necessary, conducts research for discretionary review projects under the direction of an associate or senior planner, and maintains records and files.
• Conducts policy analysis and process improvements.
• Analyzes technical documents and information, summarizes data, draws conclusions, and makes recommendations.
• Develops professional experience relative to project management.
• Completes specific and routine tasks while gaining exposure to new substantive and procedural areas of expertise. Accountable for accuracy of work on assigned tasks and projects.
• Coordinates application approval/permit issuance for projects within the assistant planner project types pursuant to adopted performance timelines.
• Demonstrates informal leadership through participation in meetings and providing input to others on substantive and process issues related to development review.
• Leads efforts to develop process improvement, work manuals, and other tools to improve the quality and timeliness of assistant land use professional project types.
• Produces clear written documents tailored to audience per division templates and professional standards with assistance from expert or senior staff when necessary.
• Works effectively and predominantly with single applicants and city staff.
• Communicates complete technical information in a direct and simple manner tailored to the audience. Redlines plans and drawings using industry standards for clarity and vocabulary.
• Negotiates with applicants to achieve solutions in a collaborative manner.
• Develops expertise with application of regulations and policies and provides the appropriate interpretation as it relates to planning.
• Provides public information regarding ordinances, codes, plans, and regulations in person, virtually, and in writing to citizens, professionals, homeowners, and others.
• Assists in the development of public information hand-out materials.
• Attends professional development workshops and conferences pertaining to land use, environmental review, and planning.

Supervision Received and Exercised:

• Provides training to other assistant planners who are new to the workload.
• Reviews small- to mid-range predominantly non-discretionary projects involving familiar steps and known procedures and processes.
• Consults with senior staff on new, complex projects for the most effective method of handling the work.
• Pursues continuous development of independent decision-making skills.

Qualifications
Knowledge, Skills, Abilities and Competencies Knowledge of:

• Applicable codes and policies used in predominantly non-discretionary land use review.
• Understanding of clear and grade BMP's and tree preservation techniques used in land use review.
• Comprehensive understanding of processes applicable to assistant planner project types.
• Development review programs and processes.
• Zoning laws and comprehensive plans including their formation, process of adoption, and enforcement.
• Principles, practices, regulations, and techniques in the field of land use, environmental or transportation planning.
• Microsoft Office software to prepare documents and spreadsheets.

Ability to:

• Read and interpret architectural, civil, and landscape plans and documents.
• Utilize computer programs created for the benefit of facilitating development services review including permit tracking, timekeeping, GIS, and word-processing applications.
• Communicate effectively orally and in writing with architects, contractors, developers, owners, supervisors, employees and the general public.
• Establish and maintain effective working relationships.
• Write clear and concise reports and plans.
• Establish and maintain effective working relations with state and agency members.
• Negotiate solutions to development review issues in a collaborative manner.
• Develop and implement systems improvements related to assigned body of land use professional project types.

Education, Experience, and Other Requirements

• Graduation from an accredited four-year college or university with a degree in land use planning, urban planning, landscape architecture, environmental studies, or a closely related field; or unrelated field and completion of an accredited professional planning certificate program.
• At a minimum, must have completed a related internship or other experience assisting in the development review process; one or more years of responsible related experience in any of the following is preferred: land use planning, developmental review, the development process, environmental planning, or urban design.
• Or, any demonstrated combination of education and applicable experience which provides the applicant with the required knowledge, skills, and abilities.

Supplemental Information
Flexible/Hybrid Working:
A hybrid work schedule is available for this position after an orientation period working in the office after hire. Remote work for this position is subject to department's operational needs and will be discussed with candidates during the selection process. Full-time remote work is not an available option. Once hired, employees must reside in the State of Washington and within reasonable commuting distance to Bellevue City Hall.
This is a Union-represented position. "The terms of its wages and working conditions are currently being negotiated between the City and the Union."
HIRING PROCESS
The City evaluates candidates based on the information provided in the online application only. Do not submit resumes and cover letters. To evaluate all candidates fairly and equitably, the City will make all applicants anonymous when we are screening the applications. We will redact information from our application such as your name, address, and other demographics. To help us, please complete the online application form as fully as possible.

• Answer the Supplemental Questions when requested which can be found on the Questions tab of the Job posting.
• We do not accept resumes and cover letters during the anonymous application screening stage, unless otherwise stated in the job description.
• Applicants advancing to the next stage may be required to provide a cover letter, resume, writing sample, and references.

CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT

• All candidates will be required to establish employment authorization and identity at the time of hire. The City is not able to sponsor work visas.
• All positions require the completion of references checks, including at least one prior supervisor.
• Some positions may require completion of a criminal background check prior to start employment
• Some positions may require obtaining a commercial driver's license (CDL), licensures, or additional certifications.

At the City of Bellevue, you'll be part of a team committed to providing exceptional customer service, upholding the public interest and advancing the community vision. The six essential and enduring principles that guide our individual actions, our interactions, and our decision making in the City of Bellevue organization is: Exceptional Public Service, Stewardship, Commitment to Employees, Integrity, Innovation, and Diversity, Equity & Inclusion. You'll work in an environment that is innovative, collaborative, future focused, and committed to excellence. Bellevue welcomes the world. Our diversity is our strength. We embrace the future while respecting our past. It's what makes the City of Bellevue an exciting place to work, live, and explore.
Have we piqued your interest yet? Come join our team! The City of Bellevue supports workplace diversity. All qualified applicants are encouraged to apply and will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, marital status, national origin, genetic information, disability, age, veteran status, or any other protected status. Persons needing assistance with the application process may call the Human Resources Office, at 425-452-6838 or If you are invited to participate in the selection process and need ADA accommodations, please notify HR before you are scheduled for an interview or testing.
The City of Bellevue participates in the E-Verify program. Learn more about the E-Verify program.
For any technical difficulties with your application, please contact the NEOGOV support line at 855-524-5627.
** Please be sure to check your junk folder for any messages that may be sent to you about this recruitment.**
The City of Bellevue offers employees a comprehensive benefits package providing choice, flexibility, and value!
Please Note: Seasonal, part-time, and variable employees are not eligible for the below benefits except for mandatory participation in the retirement plan assigned to the position, which will be the Municipal Employees Benefit Trust (MEBT 2) retirement plan or the Washington State Public Employees Retirement System (PERS) retirement plan and any other benefits as required by law.
The following summary applies to fully benefited positions:
Medical
Employees are offered a choice of medical coverage through the City's self-insured Preferred Provider Organization (PPO) plan or Kaiser Permanente (HMO).
Dental
Employees are offered a choice of two dental carriers with plans that offer regular checkups, x-rays, fillings, and crowns. Orthodontia is available through one of the carriers.
Vision
Employees are offered a choice of vision coverage through an annual exam-only plan or a buy-up plan which includes an annual eye exam and hardware coverage.
Retirement Plans - Employees are offered three retirement plans:

• Washington State Department of Retirement Systems (DRS): Mandatory participation (PERS, LEOFF or PSERS), depending upon eligibility.
• City of Bellevue Municipal Employee's Benefit Trust (MEBT): Optional participation in this 401(k) retirement savings plan with employer match contributions that vest on a 3-year schedule.
• Deferred Compensation Program (457 DCP): Optional participation i