Entry Level Land Use Planner Jobs in Oregon (NOW HIRING)

Salary: $33.83 - $54.71 Hourly
Location : 440 Church St. SE Salem, OR
Job Type: Fulltime-Career
Remote Employment: Flexible/Hybrid
Job Number: 26-0200-01
Department: Community Development Dept
Org: CD Planning Svcs
Opening Date: 07/27/2026
Closing Date: 8/9/2026 11:59 PM Pacific
Job Summary
Make an impact:
Salem is a fast-growing city with many opportunities to be involved in planning for Salem's future. We are seeking a Planner I to join our Planning team. This position is part of a flex classification that provides opportunities for career advancement and could be filled as a Planner I, II or III, dependent on the chosen candidate's experience. If you are seeking a position that can immediately use your current skillset and expand your professional experience over time, look no further than the City of Salem
What you will do:
We are seeking a Planner I to join our current planning team. You will be tasked with working on current planning projects which includes managing land use applications, reviewing building permits, staffing the planning information desk, explaining technical information to the public and decision makers, conducting broad public outreach, leading public meetings, presenting at public hearings and other duties as assigned.
Additional job duties and responsibilities:

• Answering questions and provide excellent customer service.
• Be part of a highly experienced team responsible for a wide range of programs and projects.
• Work independently and collaboratively.
• Work in both field and office environments.
• Interact with staff, consultants, contractors, senior managers, elected officials, and the general public.
• Play a major role in shaping how our community will look decades into the future.
• Work under a highly supportive management structure.
• Collaborate with a very engaged community and a City Council that supports our work.
• Attend workshops, seminars, and conferences to enhance your professional development.

What can we offer you for all your hard work?

• 5% Bilingual incentive for qualifying candidate.
• Medical, dental, and vision coverage for you and your family.
• Paid vacation and sick time in accordance with City policies.
• Competitive pay.
• Employer-paid PERS contribution of 6%.
• Opportunity for voluntary pre-tax contributions to a 457b account.
• Health care and dependent care flexible spending accounts.
• Voluntary long-term care.
• Employee wellness program.
• Employee assistance program.
• Employee health clinic.
• Position schedule is Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
• Our team follows a hybrid schedule working in-office at 440 Church St Se, Salem, OR 97301, 3 days a week and 2 days remotely for the rest with manager approval. This is subject to change based on business needs.
• The City of Salem offers a comprehensive and equitable base salary within the listed range based on your experience, skills, and education. We encourage you to clearly describe how you meet the minimum qualifications and essential attributes in your application materials.

Salary range for 0198: $33.83 - $41.16 hourly.
Salary range for 0200: $38.11 - $46.37 hourly.
Salary range for 0200: $38.11 - $54.71 hourly
What are the minimum qualifications?

• Must pass the pre-employment background check.
• Must have reliable transportation or an Oregon Driver license with a driving record that meets the City of Salem's driving standards to attend off-site meetings.
• Bachelor's degree in planning or a related field or any combination of experience and training that provides considerable knowledge of the principles and procedures of urban planning, architectural and site design review, research and analytical methodology and statistical techniques and application of planning principles to city, county and regional areas. A Master's degree in Planning and AICP certification is desirable.
• Must also possess excellent writing skills, the ability to present technical information to the general public, both orally and in writing, the ability to work effectively with others, effective time management skills, excellent customer service skills and the ability to complete work with minimal supervision.

About us:
The City of Salem is the second largest City in the State of Oregon. Located in the Willamette Valley, it is the State Capitol. The City of Salem is the second largest City in the State of Oregon. Located in the lush Willamette Valley, Salem is the capital city of Oregon with a population of 180,000. Centrally located, Salem is 47 miles south of Portland and an hour from the Cascade Mountains to the east and an hour from the ocean beaches to the west. Salem is an exceptional community for living and working with exciting new and comfortable well-established neighborhoods and carefully preserved historic buildings.
The City of Salem values employees and their professional development. If you are someone who takes pride in collaborating on innovative ideas, proactively responding to community needs, and being a good environmental and financial steward, we look forward to meeting you! The Planning Division promotes a healthy work life balance, and we maintain the utmost dedication to the health, safety, and welfare of our community, including our team!
A full-service City, Salem has eight primary departments: Community Planning and Development, Community Services, Finance, Fire, Enterprise Services, Legal, Police, and Public Works. Several departments also have functional divisions within their department. The City has five labor unions and employs roughly 1,350 talented and dedicated staff members. The Urban Renewal Agency and the Salem Housing Authority are separate municipal corporations. The Agency contracts with the City for services and the Authority is led by the Housing Administrator within the Community Planning and Development department.
The Salem Planning team has a highly dynamic work environment, and you will be part of a cohesive, multitalented team of dedicated individuals. Our Planning group has a wide variety of responsibilities that can range from helping answer questions on small residential projects, to large mixed-use developments in downtown Salem.
Where can I find out more about the position?
Go to the menu option for Class Specifications and search for
How can I apply?
The City of Salem invites individuals of all diverse communities and backgrounds to apply for our available job opportunities as we strive to provide the best service to everyone. The City of Salem is committed to providing equal employment opportunities to all and has a culture that values diversity, equity, and inclusion. We believe that by welcoming differences, encouraging new ideas and views, listening to, and learning from each other, we are better able to serve the community.
To apply, click on the green "Apply" button to complete your application. Hiring managers do not have access to view resumes as part of the application review process, please make sure to include how you meet the qualifications outlined in the class specification in your application.
Applicants that meet the minimum qualifications as outlined above but not selected for this position may be placed on an eligibility list, and candidates may be hired from the list. Eligibility lists are valid for six months. The City will send email notifications to eligible candidates about potential hiring opportunities so please ensure your email settings accept our system generated email notifications.
You may subscribe for automatic notification of job openings at the City of Salem through the - sign up today!
For benefits information, please, go to:
01
What is your highest level of education?We encourage you to include supporting details in your application.

• High school graduate or GED
• Some college, no degree
• Associate's degree
• Bachelor's degree
• Master's degree
• Doctorate's degree
• N/A

02
How many years of professional planning work experience do you have? We encourage you to include supporting details in your application.

• No experience
• Less than 2 years
• 2 years
• 3 years
• 4 years
• 5 years
• More than 6 years

03
How many years of experience do you have with application management?We encourage you to include supporting details in your application.

• No experience
• Less than 6 months
• 6-12 months
• 1-2 years
• 2-3 years
• More than 3 years

04
How many years of experience to you have with public presentations or communication?We encourage you to include supporting details in your application.

• No experience
• Less than 6 months
• 6-12 months
• 1-2 years
• 2-3 years
• More than 3 years

05
How many years of experience do you have with preparing written findings?We encourage you to include supporting details in your application.

• No experience
• Less than 6 months
• 6-12 months
• 1-2 years
• 2-3 years
• More than 3 years

06
How many years of experience do you have with knowledge of reading building plans?We encourage you to include supporting details in your application.

• No experience
• Less than 6 months
• 6-12 months
• 1-2 years
• 2-3 years
• More than 3 years

07
How many years of experience do you have with working at a planning desk or in a similar customer service role?We encourage you to include supporting details in your application.

• No experience
• Less than 6 months
• 6-12 months
• 1-2 years
• 2-3 years
• More than 3 years

08
How many years of experience do you have working with applying codes or rules?We encourage you to include supporting details in your application.

• No experience
• Less than 6 months
• 6-12 months
• 1-2 years
• 2-3 years
• More than 3 years

09
How many years of experience do you have working with property research?We encourage you to include supporting details in your application.

• No experience
• Less than 6 months
• 6-12 months
• 1-2 years
• 2-3 years
• More than 3 years

Required Question