Senior Environmental Planner, Energy & Permitting
About The Position
We are an award-winning California-based environmental consulting firm with 600+ professionals and more than 30 years of diverse experience serving clients in transportation, energy, water, infrastructure, private development, and government sectors. Our mission is to deliver practical, science-based environmental and planning solutions that support communities, infrastructure, and natural systems. As a people-centric organization, we value collaboration, fairness, and transparency, and are committed to fostering a workplace that supports both personal and professional growth while offering robust career opportunities. We are especially proud of our recent Great Place To Work® certification, which reflects an independent assessment of our culture and our team members' experiences. We are seeking a Senior Environmental Planner to join our Energy and Utilities Team, supporting renewable energy, battery energy storage, electric transmission, and other energy infrastructure projects throughout California and other western states. This role offers the opportunity to lead complex routing, siting, permitting, and environmental review efforts; collaborate with multidisciplinary technical teams; and work directly with industry-leading clients advancing clean energy in the Western U.S. This role may offer a hybrid work setup, blending time in the office with remote work as business needs evolve. We enjoy coming together in person to collaborate, connect with teammates, and partner with clients, and may prioritize candidates who live within 50 miles of a Rincon office. Eligible office locations for this role include Carlsbad, Fresno, Los Angeles, Monterey, Oakland, Palm Springs, Riverside, Sacramento, San Luis Obispo, San Diego, San Jose, Santa Barbara, and Ventura.
Requirements
- Bachelor's degree in Environmental Science, Urban Planning, or a related field; advanced degree preferred
- 7+ years of relevant environmental planning, permitting, or environmental consulting experience
- Experience supporting renewable energy, battery storage, electric transmission, utility, or other infrastructure projects in the Western U.S.
- Strong understanding of federal, state, and local environmental regulations, permitting requirements, encroachment permitting processes, and agency review processes
- Demonstrated experience supporting permitting, encroachment permitting, routing, siting, land use entitlement, or environmental compliance efforts for infrastructure projects
- Demonstrated experience preparing and managing NEPA documents. Familiarity with CEQA.
- Experience conducting permitting analyses, entitlement strategies, constraints assessments, and feasibility studies
- Experience coordinating with local jurisdictions, transportation agencies, utility providers, and regulatory agencies to obtain project approvals and permits
- Proven ability to coordinate multidisciplinary teams and manage project schedules, budgets, and deliverables
- Excellent technical writing, communication, presentation, and client management skills
- Strong research, analytical, critical thinking, and problem-solving abilities
- Detail-oriented, self-motivated, and able to effectively manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced consulting environment
Responsibilities
- Lead and manage discretionary land use entitlement and permitting efforts for renewable energy, battery storage, electric transmission, and other energy infrastructure projects
- Lead routing, siting, and permitting efforts for electric transmission, renewable energy, battery energy storage, and other utility infrastructure projects
- Develop permitting and entitlement strategies to support project development, construction, and operation
- Develop and oversee routing studies, constraints analyses, feasibility assessments, permitting strategies, encroachment permitting efforts, technical studies, and entitlement pathways to support project development and implementation
- Coordinate with multidisciplinary teams of planners, biologists, cultural resource specialists, engineers, and other technical experts to deliver integrated project solutions
- Manage project tasks, schedules, budgets, deliverables, and client communications across multiple concurrent projects
- Conduct land use, zoning, and policy analyses to support project siting, entitlement, routing, and environmental review efforts
- Interface directly with clients, regulatory agencies, Tribal representatives, stakeholders, and community members throughout project development and environmental review processes
- Support and lead agency consultation efforts and ensure compliance with federal, state, and local environmental regulations
- Prepare and participate in public meetings, workshops, hearings, and presentations before agency decision-making bodies
- Mentor junior staff and contribute to technical quality through QA/QC review, training, and knowledge sharing
- Support business development efforts, including proposal preparation, scope and budget development, and client relationship management
- Contribute to the advancement of clean energy in the Western U.S. through the successful delivery of renewable energy and infrastructure projects
Benefits
- health coverage options
- employer-sponsored insurance
- retirement benefits
- generous time off
- programs that support learning, growth, and community engagement
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What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Career Level
Senior
