Senior Air and Noise Manager

ESA seeks a highly motivated Senior Air and Noise Manager to join us in one of our Northern California offices. We are looking for a team member with at least 10 years of experience who has the intellectual curiosity and proactivity to continue the advancement of our established team of environmental consultants. This is a senior-level opportunity in our ever-growing team of Community Development professionals who will lead and direct multi-faceted CEQA/NEPA projects in collaboration with scientists, engineers, architects, and other specialists on large and complex municipal and private development projects. The ideal candidate shall specialize in noise and vibration analysis. Experience in air quality, greenhouse gas emissions, and/or other similar environmental disciplines are preferred. The ideal candidate shall conduct regular client interaction, be responsible for client stewardship, and regularly represent ESA through various business development and marketing activities. The position will primarily support CEQA projects in the Northern California region. This opportunity is focused on staff management, and impact analysis.  

Who You Are

• You are an experienced Noise and Vibration Analyst with a minimum of 10 years of experience in leading or directing the development of high-quality community and environmental analyses, including CEQA and NEPA documentation and client deliverables for both public agency and private development clients.
• You have prepared noise analyses and have comprehensive knowledge of noise regulations and ordinances at the federal, state, and local levels.
• You are an effective team member who is well-versed in establishing existing environmental noise conditions and applicable codes and policies, and analyzing noise impacts from land use development plans, including noise and vibration from stationary noise sources and mobile noise sources.
• Knowledge of California air quality management districts, air quality permitting, and other relevant environmental regulations and guidance documents in California is preferred but not required.
• CEQA experience is required; NEPA experience is preferred.
• You are an effective team member and communicator who proactively identifies and contributes constructively to address broad project or team issues, providing mentoring and coaching to more junior staff to foster teamwork.
• You are a planner who has significant experience working on a variety of project types and environmental documents, including various types of environmental impact reports (EIRs) (e.g., program, project, master plan, specific plan), and Initial Study with Negative Declaration or Mitigated Negative Declaration (IS/ND or IS/MND), and CEQA Exemptions strongly preferred. Familiarity with NEPA is desirable.
• You are proficient in use of the traffic noise model and the Roadway Construction Noise Model of the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA RCNM).  You are trained and proficient in the Transit Noise and Vibration Impact Assessment methodology of the FTA. Familiarity with a three-dimensional noise modeling program such as SoundPLAN or CadnaA is a plus.
• You have experience in the field performing noise monitoring and analyzing monitoring data. You are familiar with noise and vibration metrics, noise and vibration propagation models and guidance of Caltrans, as well as Federal Transit Administration. You are equally comfortable interpreting local city and county codes and general plans with respect to noise and vibration standards and restrictions.  
• You have excellent technical writing, time/budget management, and organizational capabilities. You can work collaboratively with clients and interdisciplinary teams to deliver projects on time and within budget in a fast-paced work environment. You have excellent organizational and strong problem-solving skills. 
• You possess excellent oral communication and presentation skills and have led and directed marketing and business development pursuits, including developing capture strategies and leading proposals, interviews, and presentations. 
• You demonstrate a clear understanding of project management principles and practices and are responsible for the delivery of high-quality work products. You can and want to mentor junior staff members. 
• You hold a bachelor’s or master’s degree in physics, mechanical engineering civil engineering, environmental science; or you have a related degree and directly relevant qualifications.

What You Will Do for ESA

• You will support the Northern California Community Development Department with the preparation of noise and vibration analysis under CEQA and NEPA as well as for stand-alone studies.
• You will lead and direct noise studies and documents for multifaceted CEQA/NEPA projects in collaboration with scientists, engineers, architects, and other specialists on large and complex municipal and private development projects.
• You will demonstrate a clear understanding of project and task management principles and practices and be responsible for the development of environmental compliance and planning documents by applicable guidelines and requirements while delivering assignments within budget and on schedule.
• You will conduct air quality, noise, greenhouse gas, and energy studies and documents for CEQA/NEPA projects.
• You will manage staff who conduct field monitoring of noise levels, predict noise and vibration levels using available propagation models for stationary and linear noise sources. You can work independently with minimal supervision. 
• You will consistently demonstrate your solid writing skills and attentive listening skills.
• You will lead proposals for midsized projects and assist with proposals for larger projects, providing technical input, writing proposal sections, identifying opportunities, and engaging with proposal/interview teams.
• You will prepare scopes of work and budgets, as well as scope modifications/cost amendments when necessary.
• You may also lead marketing and business development pursuits, including developing capture strategies.
• You will be responsible for the development of environmental compliance and planning documents in accordance with applicable guidelines and requirements, while delivering assignments within budget and on schedule.
• You will serve as a CEQA specialist, preparing and managing complex environmental analyses and coordinating with key team members, including senior staff, subconsultants, and clients. 
• You will produce technical work and written products that are clear, concise, and well supported.
• You will assist the Air Quality Director in workload management and planning for staff on the Air Quality, Noise, and Greenhouse Gas team, in addition to acting as the direct supervisor of one or more junior staff.
• You will provide mentorship and support for junior staff, including reviewing their work for accuracy and clarity and providing constructive feedback and career development guidance while working on projects together.
• You will thrive in a fast-paced, challenging environment and be able to manage multiple responsibilities and deadlines while working on a team or independently.
• The position is for any of our Northern California offices (Sacramento, Petaluma, Oakland, San Francisco, San Jose).

What ESA Will Do for You

Joining ESA means becoming part of a close-knit team of environmental professionals who contribute to outstanding projects, improve environmental stewardship, and advance a more sustainable and resilient future for our communities and wild places.

At ESA, we spend our days helping to keep the environment in balance, and we want to help keep your life in balance too—by providing benefits such as medical, dental, and vision insurance (paid at 70% for you AND your family), a 401(k) plan with company match, an employee stock ownership program, and paid vacation, sick leave, and holidays, to name a few.

No matter what stage you are at in your career, we provide opportunities for continued growth, development, and recognition. Whether you want to further your technical expertise, sharpen your business acumen, or help lead the next generation of employee-owners, we want to support you in reaching your career goals, and we believe these efforts will not only benefit you, but will also benefit all ESA colleagues and clients. Specific programs we offer include tuition reimbursement, professional development bonuses, and attendance at conferences.

What’s Special About Our Team 

Protecting the health and well-being of our communities is more important and challenging than ever. The Northern California Air Quality, Climate, and Acoustics Team partners with clients to thoughtfully navigate these complexities. Our team provides integrated, technically sound, and flexible solutions for our clients to reduce the emissions of air pollutants, greenhouse gases, and noise. We have contributed to the success of numerous significant projects in the region including the Oakland A’s Waterfront Ballpark District, the Google Downtown West Mixed-Use Plan in San Jose, the Golden State Warriors Event Center, and many others. We also have an active and growing Climate Services Practice, with projects including the County of Los Angeles 2045 Climate Action Plan, the Southern California Association of Governments Climate Adaptation Framework, and the Gateway Cities Climate Action Planning Framework.

Our Community Development team has built a legacy of success providing environmental compliance, clearance, and advancement. We combine our firm’s technical depth in natural resources science and environmental planning with deep knowledge of local regulatory practices and procedures, including the most current legislation and case law, to create value-added, cost-effective, and legally defensible solutions for our clients.

ESA is unique in that we have a deep scientific, technical, and regulatory expertise, which we apply to our planning and environmental review projects. We keep project approval and implementation at the forefront, balancing long-term planning, community attributes, stakeholder objectives, and cost. Our focus is on comprehensiveness and clarity, and the result is that our planning, CEQA, and NEPA documents are frequently recognized by professional organizations with awards for creative approach and quality. We hope you will add your talents to our team!

Our Community Development team includes project managers, biologists, air quality specialists, and planning directors. Much of our work is oriented toward the large-scale developments within California as a whole with occasional additional work in the Pacific Northwest. As a highly-integrated team, we value creative thinking, teamwork, and multi-disciplinary and cross-disciplinary engagement and integration.

Who We Are 

We are a 100% employee-owned environmental consulting firm who values diversity and inclusion and celebrate the differences that make each of us unique. Our culture is built on mutual respect, recognizing that our variety of backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives leads to better solutions, which fosters our continued success for our employee-owners and clients. 

In accordance with ESA’s duty and responsibility to provide and maintain a safe workplace that is free of known hazards and to minimize the exposure to potential hazards, any employee who works from an ESA office or conducts any other in-person ESA work-related activity is required to submit their proof of vaccination status or have received an approved exemption and accommodation in states which this applies. 

ESA is an Equal Opportunity Employer, committed to a diverse and inclusive work environment. (EOE M/V/F/D)