Information from AS Hallowell (via Twitter here)
SFMTA will be hiring many staff members in the coming year. If you are interested in applying for a vacancy, here are some tips on how to navigate a process that can be callous and alienating.
The great thing about SFMTA is that it’s a great place to work, and there is a lot of work to do. The hiring process is a steep hill. On average, it takes 9 months to be hired. If you have even the smallest desire to work at SFMTA, you should put in an application as soon as possible.
(There is an ongoing complaint of racial discrimination against SFMTA, pointing to disproportionate uses of discipline cases.)
Civil Service vs Temporary Jobs
For job titles with leading code PCS (Permanent Civil Service), you must pass a qualification process that’s open for a limited time every 2–3 years to be on the civil service list. When a vacancy comes up, the agency hires from the list. The last lists were established in 2019, so they’re up for renewal later this year. Any hires that happen before those lists are created, established, and adopted (likely in early spring 2022) will use the list established in 2019.
For people interested in jobs opening now who are not on an active list, you want to look at temporary positions. Temporary job titles with leading code PEX or TEX don’t require civil service lists. You can submit your application as normal. The “temporary” distinction refers generally to their funding source — most TEX/PEX positions are working on projects that have a limited duration or are grant-funded. An example of this is the Muni Forward team, which works on grant-funded transit projects. They work alongside PCS planners, and their day to day is pretty indistinguishable. The big difference between a PCS and a TEX/PEX position is in protections offered during mandatory layoffs.
Planner exams
SFMTA Transportation Planner jobs: Permanent Civil Service (PCS) Planners need to pass a CBT (classification-based test?) test that is only open at limited times to get on the pre-qualified civil service list and be eligible to be hired.
The class titles and numbers are:
- 5277, Planner I
- 5288, Transit Planner II
- 5289, Transit Planner III
- 5290, Transit Planner IV
The Planner I position is a general planner position. The test is administered by the Planning Department. If you are just starting your career in any planning including Transportation Planning, this is the position you should apply for. The Planner I exam will be announced between October and December 2021.
The Planner II, III, IV exams will be announced between July and September 2021.
The dates will be announced at this website: https://sfdhr.org/exams
How to Apply
Vacancies show up on the city’s Department of Human Resources (DHR) vacancies page. There are not any planner jobs at the SFMTA currently listed, but they will show up at this site.
When you submit your application, make your qualifications very clear in simple language for the people in HR. The people in HR can take things very literally and want to make sure you check all the boxes. If you are told you’re not qualified, but believe this to be incorrect, appeal.
The #1 feedback from people who make it through the process is that they were shocked by how impersonal the process is. New applicants without experience in the process are at a particular disadvantage, and it presents an unnecessary hurdle for getting new people to join the city. The work is super rewarding, but the hiring process is pretty bewildering.
You can DM & follow AS Hallowell on Twitter for more advice on applying to city positions.
