Zoning Analyst (in office)

About the Company

First American's Direct division provides comprehensive title insurance protection and professional settlement services for real‑estate purchases, refinances and equity loans. Since 1889, First American (NYSE: FAF) has held an unwavering belief in its people. The company is passionate about fostering an environment where all feel welcome, supported, and empowered to be innovative and reach their full potential. Its inclusive, people‑first culture has earned numerous accolades, including eleven consecutive years on the Fortune 100 Best Companies to Work For® list, awards as a best place to work for women, diversity and LGBTQ+ employees, and inclusion on more than 50 regional best‑places‑to‑work lists.

About the Role

The Envelope team combines zoning expertise, technology, and product development to improve how development opportunities are analyzed in New York City. The team researches and interprets zoning regulations, produces client‑ready analyses, validates and enhances zoning software, and collaborates with engineers and product managers to ensure tools reflect current zoning rules and deliver reliable results.

Responsibilities

• Conduct detailed zoning and land‑use analysis for commercial and development properties, including borough‑specific research, map review, and City of Yes interpretation.
• Translate complex zoning regulations into scalable business logic and structured datasets for automated analysis and reporting.
• Support GIS processing and zoning rule workflows, including subdistrict validation, parcel analysis, and integration of zoning datasets into operational systems.
• Collaborate closely with technology and product teams to improve zoning automation tools, rules engines, and platforms such as Envelope and Sightline.
• Participate in cross‑functional project meetings involving operations, leadership, product management, GIS specialists, and software developers to coordinate timelines, risks, and implementation strategy.
• Lead product demonstrations and provide zoning expertise during client meetings, helping prospective and existing customers understand the capabilities of Envelope and related products.
• Assist with zoning‑focused product development initiatives, including development for zoning rules engines, validation workflows, and go‑to‑market support.
• Manage zoning analysis orders, demos, and client inquiries while maintaining strong organizational skills and attention to detail in a fast‑paced environment.
• Serve as a subject matter expert (SME) on zoning and development matters, helping other team members ramp up their zoning knowledge.
• Monitor changes to the NYC Zoning Resolution, Department of City Planning initiatives, and related land‑use policies, recommending product updates and operational improvements as regulations evolve.
• Coordinate with marketing to support reporting, campaign tracking, product demonstrations, and customer enablement for zoning technology products.
• Demonstrate strong analytical thinking, communication skills, and adaptability while balancing technical zoning expertise with operational execution and stakeholder collaboration across multiple teams.

Qualifications

• 5+ years of NYC zoning, land use, architecture, planning, or development experience.
• Deep knowledge of the NYC Zoning Resolution, City of Yes amendments, special districts, and zoning lot mergers.
• Experience interpreting zoning for mixed‑use, residential, commercial, and large‑scale development projects.
• Comfortable explaining complex zoning concepts to both technical and non‑technical audiences.
• Experience with GIS, tax‑lot datasets, and/or zoning applications is highly desirable.
• Experience or interest in technical topics and languages, such as Python, Java, and Regex, is a plus.
• Comfortable with public speaking and client presentations/interactions.
• Experience working with architects, land‑use attorneys, developers, or realtors.

Pay

Pay Range: $22.16 – $29.56 Hourly. This hiring range is a reasonable estimate of the base pay range for this position at the time of posting. Pay is based on a number of factors which may include job‑related knowledge, skills, experience, business requirements and geographic location.

Benefits

• Medical, dental, and vision insurance.
• 401(k) retirement plan.
• Paid time off and paid sick leave.
• Employee stock purchase plan.
• Inclusive People‑First culture that supports authenticity, diversity, and employee well‑being.