Accessibility Specialist

About the role

The Accessibility Specialist will assist MOPD’s Senior Director of Physical Accessibility by serving as the primary point of contact for field visits, site visits, inspections, and documentation related to accessibility in the built environment. MOPD works with City agencies, property owners, design professionals, and community stakeholders to support accessibility and inclusive design throughout New York City’s built environment. This includes providing technical guidance, reviewing accessibility concerns, coordinating site assessments, and helping develop practical recommendations for buildings, public spaces, facilities, and events.

Responsibilities

• Serve as MOPD’s primary point of contact for physical accessibility site visits, field visits, inspections, and related follow-up assignments.
• Coordinate, schedule, and attend field visits involving City agency facilities, public buildings, community spaces, public events, constituent concerns, interagency accessibility matters, Dining Out NYC locations, and other physical accessibility issues as assigned.
• Conduct field documentation of physical accessibility conditions, including photographs, measurements, notes, sketches, and other records needed to describe existing site conditions clearly.
• Prepare timely written site visit reports and follow-up materials that organize photographs, measurements, field notes, observed accessibility concerns, and recommended next steps for supervisory review.
• Support fast-turnaround accessibility assessments for events, programs, and site conditions where recommendations may be needed within the same week or day as the site visit.
• Track multiple active field assignments, including logging requests, maintaining site visit records, monitoring report status, coordinating follow-up, and documenting final disposition or close-out.
• Assist with developing and maintaining standard site visit procedures, inspection checklists, photo documentation protocols, field report templates, and internal tracking tools.
• Assist with developing standard response templates for common physical accessibility inquiries and referrals to the appropriate City, State, or federal agency.
• Apply basic knowledge of the 2010 ADA Standards for Accessible Design, NYC Building Code, and related accessibility concepts to help identify applicable requirements for accessible features observed during field visits, with final technical determinations subject to supervisory review.
• Participate in interagency meetings, walkthroughs, task force discussions, and community or constituent site visits as directed by MOPD leadership.
• Under supervision, assist with other physical accessibility projects as identified by MOPD leadership.

Requirements

• A baccalaureate degree from an accredited college and two years of experience in community work or community centered activities in an area related to the duties described above; or
• High school graduation or equivalent and six years of experience in community work or community centered activities in an area related to the duties as described above; or
• Education and/or experience which is equivalent to the above. However, all candidates must have at least one year of experience as described in the first bullet.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in architecture, architectural technology, construction management, engineering technology, urban planning, building inspection, accessibility, public administration with built-environment experience, or a related field.
• Relevant professional, internship, academic studio, field survey, construction, inspection, accessibility, project coordination, or public-sector experience involving buildings, facilities, site documentation, existing conditions, or field-based assessment.
• Experience reading or working with basic architectural drawings, plans, dimensions, photographs, field notes, measurements, construction terminology, or existing-condition documentation.
• Familiarity with architectural field survey methods, including documenting existing conditions through measurements, photographs, sketches, notes, and organized follow-up reports.
• Familiarity with physical accessibility concepts, including accessible routes, entrances, ramps, elevators, platform lifts, door clearances, toilet rooms, slopes, level changes, seating areas, and pedestrian circulation.
• Ability to apply basic code concepts to field observations, organize relevant accessibility requirements, and elevate technical questions for supervisory review.
• Experience using or researching the 2010 ADA Standards for Accessible Design, 2022 NYC Building Code, ICC A117.1, or related physical accessibility standards and guidance.
• Strong organizational skills, including ability to manage multiple assignments, maintain logs, track follow-up items, organize records, and meet deadlines.
• Strong writing and communication skills, including ability to prepare clear site visit reports, field notes, inspection summaries, and internal tracking updates.
• Knowledge of New York City government, public-sector operations, interagency coordination, constituent services, or community-facing work.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office, shared tracking documents, PDF review tools, digital photographs, and basic digital file organization.

Benefits

Public Service Loan Forgiveness: As a prospective employee of the City of New York, you may be eligible for federal loan forgiveness programs and state repayment assistance programs. For more information, please visit the U.S. Department of Education’s website at https://studentaid.gov/pslf/.

Pay

$73,390.00 – $78,000.00