Associate Project Environmental Planner - CEQA/NEPA/Renewables

SWCA Environmental Consultants is providing the opportunity to work in one of the most dynamic, diverse, and forward-thinking urban environments in California. Our well-established and growing Southern California Planning Practice Group providing high-quality CEQA/NEPA services is seeking an Associate Project Environmental Planner - CEQA/NEPA/Renewables to support and help expand our services within this geography. This role will support a wide variety of projects. Projects in the near term will include solar energy projects to support our renewable energy practice. In the long term, projects may include offshore and onshore renewable energy projects, and/or other land development projects, including residential, commercial, industrial, and public utility projects. This position can be based in either Pasadena or San Diego, CA, with the flexibility to work remotely, hybrid, or in-office, with travel required at times.

Want to work with clients that have a long-standing relationship with SWCA? Can you see yourself working alongside a team of all environmental scientists? Can you envision a place where you have career advancement, room for growth, and the ability to create your own destiny? SWCA is your place!

This is a regular status, full-time, salaried position. Pay rate will be based on individual qualifications and experience.

Application deadline: Our team will begin reviewing applications immediately, and interviews will be scheduled with qualified candidates on a rolling basis. The application process will remain open until we have received a robust pool of qualified candidates. Once we have identified suitable individuals, we may close the application process without prior notice. We appreciate the time and effort invested by all applicants.

• Prepare generalist sections of CEQA, NEPA, and/or other environmental planning documents, such as analyzing impacts on land use, public services, and population and housing.
• Prepare resource sections of CEQA, NEPA, and/or other environmental planning documents, based on provided technical studies prepared by technical experts, such as for transportation and circulation, geology and soils, air quality, and/or noise and vibration.
• Conduct background research and data collection on land use and environmental topics for CEQA and NEPA documents.
• Support Lead/Senior Environmental Planners on large, complex projects, including assisting the team with data gathering and file management (the administrative record), document preparation and public noticing and circulation, and client and agency liaison activities.
• Lead small to medium-sized complex projects, including coordinating efforts with internal and external teams and managing budget, schedule, and client expectations.
• Assist with preparation of marketing materials and proposal efforts.

• Bachelor's degree in urban planning, environmental science, or a related field.
• A minimum of at least five (5) years or more of experience with a public planning agency, an environmental consulting firm, or comparable experience.
• Some project management experience preferred.
• Working knowledge of CEQA and other environmental laws and regulations required. Familiarity with NEPA is a plus.
• Experience working on renewable energy projects and other complex land development projects preferred.

Knowledge, Skills, and Attributes

• Critical thinking and problem-solving skills.
• Excellent organizational, oral, written, and analytical skills with colleagues, clients, and teaming partners are required.
• Applicant must be able to work in a team environment, with strong multi-tasking skills and able to work on more than one project at a time, meeting tight deadlines.
• Proactive and focused on meeting team, project, and client goals.
• Demonstrates good judgement and routine, day-to-day decision making and able to make sound independent decisions in urgent and non-routine situations.
• Demonstrated ability to perform under high-pressure with schedule constraints.
• Uses good judgement about whether to act independently or to escalate an issue.
• Ability to be flexible and willing to improve writing and analysis approaches.

Additional Information:

• Ability to travel 10% of the time for projects throughout the Western U.S.
• This position is not available for U.S. work sponsorship and must be authorized to work in the U.S.

We are #OneSWCA and collaborate across all our offices, programs, and disciplines. We are #AlwaysLearning, we #NeverSettle, and we #GiveBack. We are 100% employee-owned, and we build our success together. It is imperative for the successful candidate to fit SWCA's unique culture. Do you appreciate sustainability and environmental awareness? Is giving back to your community a priority? SWCA is a team of scientists, planners, technical experts, and corporate services professionals that are committed to our culture.

Purpose: Our company purpose is to preserve natural and cultural resources for tomorrow while enabling projects that benefit people today. You are invited to be a part of our success story.

SWCA Environmental Consultants is a growing employee-owned firm, providing a full-spectrum of environmental services. With offices across the United States, SWCA is one of the largest environmental compliance firms and ranks among Engineering News-Record's Top 200 Environmental Firms.

If you would like to contact SWCA regarding the accessibility of our website or need assistance completing the online application process due to a disability, please email accommodations@swca.com or call 1-480-581-5378. This contact information is for disability accommodation requests only. All other inquiries will not receive a response.

EOE - women, minorities, individuals with disabilities and veterans are encouraged to apply.

SWCA is committed to salary equity and salary transparency for all its employees. In alignment with this commitment, SWCA posts good faith pay ranges in all its advertised job postings to promote pay equity and transparency.

An employee in this Southern, CA based position can expect a salary of $74,412-95,495/year for the Associate Project Environmental Planner role. Actual pay within this range may depend on experience, qualifications, geographic location, client requirements where applicable, and other factors permitted by law. Regular status employees are also eligible for performance bonuses. Candidates are also encouraged to consider SWCA's Total Rewards package, which includes a competitive Benefits package, forward-thinking workplace flexibility, outstanding corporate culture, award-winning career development, and more.

At SWCA Environmental Consultants, we celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive work environment. We strongly encourage candidates from all backgrounds, including those with diverse experiences and veterans, to apply. We believe that a diverse and inclusive workforce enhances creativity, innovation, and overall organizational success.

SWCA continues to invest deeply in career development programs, delivering our award-winning Career Landscape support resources to accelerate the growth of our staff. We recognize the valuable skills and experiences our internal team members bring to SWCA's continued success. Qualified internal candidates are encouraged to apply and will be seriously considered for this position. We believe in promoting from within, where possible, providing our existing employees with compelling opportunities to advance their careers.

#LI-AO1