Planning Fellowship

What is DVRPC’s Planning Fellowship? 

The Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission (DVRPC) Planning Fellowship provides an opportunity to learn about urban and regional planning by serving in various departments at the organization over the course of a year. DVRPC is committed to supporting a pipeline of talented individuals from historically and currently underrepresented communities into urban and regional planning and related fields, such as Geographic Information Systems (GIS), project management, policy analysis, and capital programming. The selected fellow will participate in the daily activities of a Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO), complete specialized projects, and experience firsthand how transportation plans and investments are made in the Greater Philadelphia region.The fellow’s specific department and project assignments will be determined based on a combination of the selected candidate’s specific skills and interests, and DVRPC project needs. The fellow’s work will contribute to making Greater Philadelphia a more sustainable, equitable, and resilient place to live and work.

The DVRPC Fellowship is an annual program that addresses the existing disparity in the representation of people of color in the planning and sustainability fields. Fellows will receive valuable learning experience while helping a regional planning agency advance sustainability and inclusion goals. 

DVRPC is a place to work, learn, and create a career in a professional and stimulating environment that values diversity, innovation, and bringing your best self to work (www.dvrpc.org/HumanResources/WhyWorkAtDVRPC). The DVRPC Fellowship is a paid, year-long, full-time, professional development program that begins in January 2025 and ends in December 2025. The Fellowship will aid in preparation for a successful career in planning or a related discipline, or to further your education. There will be one fellow at a time. 

Fellowship Opportunities: 

• Gain real-world experience while learning about transportation and regional planning in general and specifically DVRPC’s methods for effective research, analysis, and consensus building. 
• Mentorship from DVRPC staff and senior leadership, access to experts in the planning field, and guidance to help your career development. 
• Work with an array of partners, including state departments of transportation, county and municipal officials, transit operators, invested stakeholders, and community members to collaborate and build solutions on planning issues that affect the region. 
• Gain a broad range of marketable professional skills and get hands-on project experience.
• Contribute to the growth and development of an exciting and effective organization. 
• Participate in the solicitation and selection of the next DVRPC Fellow.

Qualifications and Selection  

The ideal candidate must meet the following minimum qualifications: 

• Person from a historically and/or currently underrepresented population group (race, ethnicity) in the planning and related fields; 
• U.S. citizen or authorized to work permanently in the United States contingent upon the ability to comply with Immigration and Naturalization Service regulations 
• Possess three or more years of professional experience with a GED/high school diploma, or an associate’s degree with two or more years of professional experience, or a bachelor’s degree from a college or university by the program start date 
• A current resident of the nine-county DVRPC region 

In addition, the ideal candidate should:

• Demonstrate excellent problem-solving, analytical, quantitative, written and oral communication, and interpersonal skills with a strong collaborator orientation. 
• Have an interest or competency in managing, analyzing, and communicating data.
• Be friendly, self-directed, detail-oriented, and able to work in a collaborative environment with a broad range of partners. 
• Be flexible and enthusiastic about experiencing all the facets that DVRPC has to offer, including areas that are not necessarily aligned with their professional backgrounds. 
• Proficient in Microsoft Office, Zoom, and Google Suite.

Complete applications will be reviewed by a selection committee, who will evaluate applicants based on the criteria above. The most qualified candidates will then be selected to interview with DVRPC’s committee. 

After the interviews, the selection committee forwards its recommendations to the Executive Director based on the applicant’s academic achievement, analytical and communication skills, work experience, and overall interest in regional and urban planning. The Executive Director then makes the final selection. The recipient of the Fellowship will be notified as soon as possible following the Executive Director’s decision. 

Salary and Benefits 

DVRPC fellows receive an annual stipend of $50,000 (paid biweekly) plus full fringe benefits which includes health, prescription, dental, life insurance, vacation, sick, holidays, lifestyle spending accounts (can be used for commuter benefits, off-site fitness centers, home office supplies, bike purchases/rentals, etc.) and retirement contributions during the Fellowship year. Housing is not included for the Planning Fellowship. The year of service is from January 2, 2025 through December 31, 2025. The full-time workweek at DVRPC is 37.5 hours. DVRPC offers a flexible hybrid work environment with the opportunity to work 2-3 days remotely.  

Application Requirements  

• A cover letter that explains why you are interested in the Fellowship, what you hope to get out of it, and your goals for your career. (Two pages maximum) 
• Current resume 

If selected for an interview, you may be asked to submit a writing sample and three references. 

Applications must be received by 5PM on October 15, 2024. Please note that we will NOT review applications that do not provide all requested materials.

This solicitation does not guarantee employment.