DOES THIS DESCRIBE YOU?

You are an environmental planner with experience managing CEQA or NEPA compliance documents addressing natural resources issues. You would like to apply your experience to improving community resilience and contributing to the implementation of California’s response to our wildfire crisis. You also relish collaboration with other natural resources professionals and agency staff to solve challenging resource problems. Recently, you’ve been wanting to apply your skills to manage more CEQA and NEPA reviews that lead to improved forest resilience in California. You are excited about the prospect of being on the leading edge of a state-wide effort to increase the pace and scale of projects that address California’s wildfire and climate crises. Analytical thinking and writing quality are core skills. You believe strongly in the value of well-conceived, concise, and clearly written analysis, so that clients, regulators, and public agency officials have technically accurate, objective, and reliable information to support their decisions.

Job Duties/Responsibilities

Ascent seeks to fill a full-time position for an experienced  Environmental Planner/Project Manager to help improve wildfire resilience as part of our environmental practice in Sacramento, San Diego, Berkeley, Lake Tahoe, or Orange County/Irvine. In a typical week, you might:

• Manage the preparation of a CEQA document for a vegetation management project in cooperation with interdisciplinary staff and public agency clients.
• Oversee preparation of a NEPA document that addresses fire fuel reduction and forest ecosystem restoration on National Forests, National parks, or Reclamation watershed lands. 
• Drive environmental review of park and open space, ecosystem restoration, or fish and wildlife management plans, in addition to wildfire resilience projects. 
• Collaborate with state or federal agency staff to identify the most appropriate strategy to comply with CEQA or NEPA, including streamlining innovations.
• Contribute to a forest management plan or fire protection plan for a land conservancy, local government, or state agency.
• Evaluate a proposed vegetation management project for consistency with the California Vegetation Treatment Program (CalVTP) or a similar programmatic environmental document.
• Help prepare a scope of work and price estimate for new work to conduct an environmental review of a forest management plan, fire protection plan, or fuel reduction project.
• Speak at a conference or in-house training about the latest strategies to increase the pace and scale of vegetation treatment to promote wildfire resilience or best practices in fire protection planning.

Please note this job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties, or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities, and activities may change at any time with or without notice. 

Qualifications

• Have a BS or MS in environmental studies, ecology, forestry, or a related field. 
• Strong interest in forest resilience and wildfire risk reduction, be located in California or Nevada.
• A minimum of 4+ years of relevant experience is required.
• Excellent writing skills and strong organizational skills for budget and schedule management are important.
• Knowledge of and experience with CEQA and/or NEPA is required.

Work environment

• Typical office environment
• Hybrid schedules available

Physical Demands

• Prolonged periods of sitting at a desk and working on a computer.
• Must be able to lift 15 pounds at a time.

Travel 

• Limited travel may be required.

Diversity Statement

Ascent is committed to creating a culture of diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging throughout all facets of the organization. We value and will strive to ascend by welcoming and uplifting all voices, ideas, achievements, and contributions, including those from marginalized communities and identities. We believe that recognizing and embracing our differences makes us a stronger organization. We commit to proactively nurturing environments of mutual support, respect, and caring for all through our words and actions. Join us on our journey.

Affirmative Action/EEO Statement 

Ascent provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local laws. This policy applies to all terms and conditions