Senior Climate Resilience Planner

ESA is seeking an experienced climate resilience planner to support ESA’s rapidly growing Climate Change Planning Practice in developing innovative sea level rise vulnerability assessments and adaptation plans, community resilience plans, local coastal program amendments, coastal development permit applications, general plan amendments related to resilience and project implementation for a variety of public and private sector clients. In this position you will be interfacing with clients, managing projects, assisting with business development, providing policy and technical direction, and forging internal (cross-practice) and external partnerships that will lead to successful outcomes for a diverse range of projects.

This position requires collaboration and teamwork, strong technical analysis and data management skills, excellent communication and writing skills, an in-depth knowledge of the planning processes used in coastal adaptation planning, and deep familiarity with climate legislation in California and the US. We are looking for organized, resourceful, and motivated individuals with strong task and time management skills and demonstrated experience in community planning, climate change, coastal planning, land use planning, environmental planning or related fields.

This is a flexible, hybrid opportunity with the ability to work from any of our California offices.

Who You Are 

You are a senior-level professional with a strong desire to grow and advance your career and develop your environmental planning and project management skills. You hold a bachelor’s or master’s degree with major coursework in environmental planning, policy and/or science; urban planning or landscape architecture; geography; or related interdisciplinary field. You have a minimum of 6 years of professional experience, which ideally includes working in a consulting environment, with responsibilities including conducting research, analyzing impacts, and writing sections of reports. Working knowledge of the California Coastal Act, McAteer-Petris Act, California Environmental Quality Act, National Environmental Policy Act, similar state/federal regulations is preferred. Preparation of resource-related permit applications is a plus. You are known for preparing documents that are clear, concise, well-written, and supported and for your ability to present information understandably and speak persuasively about complex topics to colleagues, clients, agency staff, teaming partners, other project stakeholders, and the general public.

The preferred candidate will have the following qualifications:

• Minimum Qualifications: Bachelor’s degree with a minimum of 10 years’ experience in urban, environmental, coastal and/or land use planning, environmental science, environmental policy, landscape architecture, geography or related field; alternatively, advanced degree in urban, environmental, coastal and/or land use planning, environmental science, environmental policy landscape architecture, geography or related field and/or registered professional and 8+ years of experience.
• Knowledge and experience with federal, state, and local regulatory requirements including but not limited to National Environmental Policy Act and Federal Coastal Zone Management Act, California regulations regarding climate change (e.g., SB 272, SB 379, SB 32, AB 1279), California Environmental Quality Act, California Coastal Act, McAteer-Petris Act, etc.) and relevant policies and programs including California’s Climate Change Scoping Plan.
• Familiarity with relevant state and federal grant programs (e.g., California Ocean Protection Council’s SB1 Grant Program, California Coastal Commission’s Local Assistance Grant Program, Caltrans Sustainable Transportation Planning Grant Program, and State Coastal Conservancy’s various programs, among others)
• Experience in a consulting environment, including project management and business development, and an affinity with fast-paced and varied work.
• Demonstrated business development success.
• Demonstrated critical and creative problem solving.
• Strong interpersonal, writing, and presentation skills.
• LEED AP or AICP certification is desirable. Envision certification a plus.
• Experience with transportation, water, energy, and/or community planning projects is a plus.
• Some West Coast travel required, primarily in California.

What You Will Do for ESA

• Manage and/or contribute to the development of complex multidisciplinary planning projects from initiation to close out including negotiating scopes of work and being accountable for meeting schedule and budget requirements.
• Lead business strategy and development, marketing, and client stewardship activities including identifying project opportunities, preparing proposals, and leading interview teams to win and secure work.
• Serve as project manager and supervise project teams, including engineers, scientists, cultural resource specialists, landscape architects, and other specialists, to ensure that project and client needs are met in a timely and cost-effective manner.
• Coordinate with clients, discipline leads, technical and support staff, subconsultants, community members and interested parties.
• Manage task and/or project delivery schedule, logistics, dissemination of information and resources, budget tracking and invoicing, and meetings with team members to gauge progress toward task / project completion.
• Prepare detailed planning studies and reports, as well as drafts of technical memoranda, meeting minutes, transmittals, presentations, and other written materials.
• Provide quality assurance and quality control of deliverables.
• Help market ESA’s climate planning services and promote ESA’s reputation as thought leader in developing climate change solutions through conference presentations, workshops, and active participation in professional organizations.
• Foster meaningful engagement with diverse communities and interested parties and stakeholders and clearly communicate complicated scientific and climate related topics.
• Establish and maintain effective working relationships both externally and internally with clients and other colleagues.
• Support the professional development of ESA staff.

What’s Special About Our Team

ESA’s is an industry leader in Climate Change Planning Services, helping clients navigate the increasingly complex and interconnected needs of business, environment, and society, as climate change and other stressors increase the need for science-informed decision making and effective stakeholder communication. We serve primarily public sector clients, offering planning, technical assistance, and policy expertise in climate change, energy, water, transportation, solid waste, public health, and resource conservation. ESA enjoys a strong reputation built on more than 50 years as a premier environmental consulting firm offering a full range of technical capabilities in air quality, hydrology, biological resources, water resources, cultural resources, land use planning, and transportation planning. Our firm of more than 700 professionals, with 21 offices throughout the West Coast and the Eastern United States, strives to achieve the highest levels of sustainability in our business operations, as well as our daily lives in the most equitable way. We are looking to grow our team with people who are interested in collaborating to build sustainable and equitable communities. A sampling of our work can be found at: https://esassoc.com/services/climate-change-resilience/.

What’s Special About ESA

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 provide benefits such as medical, dental, and vision insurance (paid at 70% for you AND your family), annual allocations of company share through our ESOP, a 401(k) plan with company match, and paid vacation, sick leave, and holidays, to name a few.

We also provide specific programs 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 through tuition reimbursement, professional development bonuses, and attendance at conferences.

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)