How to hire a planning technician

How to hire a planning technician, step by step

Here's a step-by-step planning technician hiring guide:

• Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
• Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
• Step 3: Make a budget
• Step 4: Write a planning technician job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new planning technician
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

What does a planning technician do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   The planning technician hiring process starts by determining what type of worker you actually need. Certain roles might require a full-time employee, whereas part-time workers or contractors can do others.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   A planning technician's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, planning technicians from different industries or fields will have radically different experiences and will bring different viewpoints to the role. You also need to consider the candidate's previous level of experience to make sure they'll be comfortable with the job's level of seniority.

   This list presents planning technician salaries for various positions.

   Type of Planning Technician	Description	Hourly rate
   Planning Technician		$13-34
   Planning Internship	When it comes to planning an internship, an intern's duties will depend on the directives of supervising staff or a manager. Typically, an intern's responsibilities will revolve around performing clerical tasks such as processing documents, producing reports and presentations, responding to calls and correspondence, and managing schedules... Show more	$12-20

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • GIS
   • Data Collection
   • Planning Commission
   • Data Entry
   • Development Review
   • Office Equipment
   • Word Processing
   • Building Permits
   • Commercial Development
   • Community Development
   • Staff Reports
   • Technical Assistance
   • Public Notices
   • Development Applications

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Design and manage an innovative human capital and knowledge management information technology systems (e.g., PeopleSoft).
   • Map out sampling routes using a Trimble GeoExplorer GPS and ArcMap.
   • Provide clients relevant information regarding real property data - I.e., addresses, GIS data and spatial imagery.
   • Conduct schedule maintenance of equipment and vehicles including tractors, mowers, ATV's, pickups, and fire equipment.
   • Research previous transportation studies and offer recommendations to improve roadway and corridor design as well as ways to mitigate regulatory delays.
   • Experience in adhering to OSHA safety requirements for elevate industrial and high voltage electrical environments.

   More planning technician duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in the planning technician job description is a good way to get more applicants. A planning technician salary can be affected by several factors, such as the location of the job, the level of experience, education, certifications, and the employer's prestige.

   For example, the average salary for a planning technician in Maine may be lower than in California, and an entry-level engineer typically earns less than a senior-level planning technician. Additionally, a planning technician with lots of experience in the field may command a higher salary as a result.

   Average planning technician salary

   $45,502yearly

   $21.88 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level planning technician salary

   $28,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 22, 2025

   Average planning technician salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	California	$62,474	$30
   2	Maryland	$52,583	$25
   3	Nevada	$52,427	$25
   4	Louisiana	$52,177	$25
   5	Massachusetts	$51,310	$25
   6	New York	$47,944	$23
   7	North Carolina	$47,505	$23
   8	Texas	$44,939	$22
   9	Arizona	$42,737	$21
   10	Florida	$42,239	$20
   11	Alaska	$40,972	$20
   12	Virginia	$40,704	$20
   13	Georgia	$38,993	$19
   14	Arkansas	$38,777	$19
   15	Colorado	$38,567	$19
   16	North Dakota	$37,529	$18
   17	Illinois	$36,047	$17
   18	Oregon	$33,702	$16
   19	Indiana	$33,256	$16

   Average planning technician salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Meta	$135,692	$65.24	8
   2	Citi	$123,451	$59.35
   3	Tesla	$115,511	$55.53	2
   4	Booz Allen Hamilton	$86,902	$41.78	20
   5	Archbold Medical Center	$77,505	$37.26
   6	Beckman Coulter	$71,321	$34.29
   7	Fluor Corporation	$57,751	$27.76	4
   8	Vision Technologies	$56,718	$27.27
   9	Southern California Edison	$56,181	$27.01	4
   10	John Deere	$52,962	$25.46
   11	Prime Therapeutics	$51,988	$24.99
   12	Weyerhaeuser International, Inc	$50,762	$24.40
   13	Broward Health	$50,209	$24.14
   14	Colorado State Express	$48,150	$23.15
   15	Bacardi	$47,300	$22.74
   16	Mayor Ethan Berkowitz	$46,089	$22.16
   17	City of Odessa	$46,064	$22.15	1
   18	PDC Energy	$45,993	$22.11
   19	Minnesota Limited	$44,232	$21.27	2
   20	Town of Cary	$42,810	$20.58

4. Writing a planning technician job description

   A planning technician job description should include a summary of the role, required skills, and a list of responsibilities. It's also good to include a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager. Below, you can find an example of a planning technician job description:

   Planning technician job description example

   OPEN COMPETITIVE RECRUITMENT
   
   Open to all qualified candidates.
   
   Tentative examination dates for this recruitment:
   
   Week of 12/09/22 - Blind application and supplemental scoring
   
   Week of 12/21/22 - Oral interview
   
   Dates may change due to unforeseen circumstances. Candidates who pass each phase of the recruitment process will be notified of the official examination dates.
   
   Under direct supervision, to assist professional planners in performing a variety of planning and routine office clerical duties in a planning environment; and perform related work as required.
   
   Reviews planning project and permit applications and plans for completeness and for compliance with applicable codes; processes and approves applications and non-structural plans necessary for the issuance of a variety of permits; advises applicants regarding planning and zoning information and proceedings; responds to customer inquiries related to planning, zoning, and permit requirements, procedures, and policies, and other public information at the public counter, by telephone, and by electronic mail; calculates and collects fees; works with developers on routine zoning matters; maintains logs of plans and applications submitted; files, routes, and tracks applications and permit documents to City departments and staff, and coordinates with other regulatory agencies; notifies applicants regarding plan corrections; issues a variety of permits; maintains public files and records and performs records searches; composes correspondences; prepares reports; conducts site inspections and field investigations; operates a computer workstation to input and retrieve information; works with supervisors and professional planners in more complex planning work; drives on City business.
   
   Employment Standards: Knowledge of understanding the techniques of preparing plans, maps, graphs, and charts; basic zoning and planning concepts and codes; basic understanding of maps and plans; basic mathematics as applied to the calculation of fees and review of plans; record keeping and practices; office procedures and methods; applicable computer hardware and software. Skill in word processing, database, spreadsheet, and presentation software programs. Ability to communicate clearly and concisely, both orally and in writing; assess customer needs and make recommendations; assist in the design, delivery and evaluation of business processes and customer management; learn new software programs including Geographic Information Systems; establish and maintain effective working relationships with supervisors, fellow employees, and the public.
   
   Education/Training: High School graduation or equivalent and one year of experience in reviewing planning project or permit applications and plans; or two years of public counter or related experience in a planning department or similar public agency. NOTE: Education in planning or a related field may substitute the required years of experience on a year-for-year basis.
   
   License & Certificates: A valid California Class "C" Driver's License or equivalent at time of appointment.
   
   Desirable Qualifications: A two-year college degree in a related field is desirable.

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   To find planning technicians for your business, try out a few different recruiting strategies:

   • Consider internal talent. One of the most important talent pools for any company is its current employees.
   • Ask for referrals. Reach out to friends, family members, and your current work to ask if they know any planning technicians they would recommend.
   • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit entry-level planning technicians with the right educational background.
   • Social media platforms. LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter have more than 3.5 billion users, and they're a great place for company branding and reaching potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your planning technician job on Zippia to find and attract quality planning technician candidates.
   • Use niche websites such as dribbble, authentic jobs, working not working, coroflot.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   During your first interview to recruit planning technicians, engage with candidates to learn about their interest in the role and experience in the field. During the following interview, you'll be able to go into more detail about the company, the position, and the responsibilities.

   It's also good to ask about candidates' unique skills and talents to see if they match your ideal candidate profile. If you think a candidate is good enough for the next step, you can move on to the technical interview.

   The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

7. Send a job offer and onboard your new planning technician

   Once you've selected the best planning technician candidate for the job, it's time to write an offer letter. In addition to salary, this letter should include details about the benefits and perks you offer the candidate. Ensuring that your offer is competitive is essential, as qualified candidates may be considering other job opportunities. The candidate may wish to negotiate the terms of the offer, and you should be open to discussion. After you reach an agreement, the final step is formalizing the agreement with a contract.

   You should also follow up with applicants who don't get the job with an email letting them know that you've filled the position.

   To prepare for the new employee's start date, you can create an onboarding schedule and complete any necessary paperwork, such as employee action forms and onboarding documents like I-9 forms, benefits enrollment, and federal and state tax forms. Human Resources should also ensure that a new employee file is created.

8. Go through the hiring process checklist

   • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
   • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
   • Define job responsibilities and requirements
   • Establish budget and timeline
   • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
   • Write job description
   • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
   • Promote the job internally
   • Process applications through applicant tracking system
   • Review resumes and cover letters
   • Shortlist candidates for screening
   • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
   • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
   • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
   • Conduct background checks on top candidates
   • Check references of top candidates
   • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
   • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
   • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
   • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
   • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
   • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)

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How much does it cost to hire a planning technician?