Senior/Principal Environmental Planner at Contra Costa Water District

Contra Costa Water District is an innovative leader in water management and provides employees with a fast-paced and stable work environment that encourages professional growth and development. 

The Mission of the Contra Costa Water District is to strategically provide a reliable supply of high-quality water at the lowest cost possible, in an environmentally responsible manner.

Our Values:

• Safety: We provide, as a top priority, a safe and healthy work environment for our team. 
• Trust: We protect the public trust with uncompromising integrity, commitment to our professional standards, full transparency, and fairness in all our business dealings. 
• Responsibility: We take ownership for our results and deliver on our performance outcomes to responsibly serve our customers, our community, and our planet. 
• Exceptional Service: We value our customers, act in their best interest, and take pride in delivering personalized service. 
• Employee Success: We share a meaningful sense of purpose in an environment that strives to offer professional growth, diversity, inclusivity, and work-life balance. 
• Teamwork: We engage in respectful, collaborative, trust-based relationships at all levels within the organization and with our business partners. 
• Continuous Improvement: We continuously seek opportunities to optimize our business practices and assets by engaging the expertise of our employees and embracing innovation.
• Recognition: We reward the positive contributions of our employees at the organization, team, and individual levels. 
• Communication: We strive for open, effective dialogues at all levels of the organization to ensure input is valued and considered and reasons for decisions are explained.

THE POSITION  
We are seeking a highly motivated and skilled Senior/Principal Planner to perform complex environmental and natural resource planning and permitting activities in support of District capital improvement projects, operations and maintenance systems and facilities, and management of watershed and conservation properties. This is an advanced journey-level role responsible for overseeing and managing diverse and complex tasks, using independent judgment and discretion to establish objectives, timelines, and methods to complete assignments. You will serve as a project manager for planning projects, collaborating with multiple departments, external agencies, and stakeholders, and ensuring CCWD remains compliant with environmental regulations.

We are looking for someone who is: 

• Solutions-focused and a creative problem-solver.
• A motivated self-starter with effective interpersonal and leadership skills. 
• An organized and results-driven leader.
• Able to work with highly effective and collaborative teams.

 What you will typically be responsible for: 

• Coordinating the environmental review and permitting needs for large and complex capital engineering projects.
• Coordinating and implementing permits to support CCWD’s large-scale operations and maintenance needs.
• Serving as the main contact and liaison between CCWD and the multitude of resource and environmental permitting agencies.
• Building and maintaining positive working relationships with internal clients in the O&M, Engineering, Real Property, and Water Resources divisions/departments.

A few reasons you might enjoy this job:

• Your desire to make a positive difference in the lives of CCWD employees and the community.
• You enjoy supporting large-scale multi-year capital projects with very complex regulatory and permitting requirements.
• Your desire to ensure CCWD remains a good steward of the environment while also finding creative cost-effective solutions to meet infrastructure goals.

The following will also benefit candidates with a few of the unique challenges related to this job:

• Seasoned CEQA and NEPA practitioner as they both relate to large water civil projects being planned and implemented in potentially sensitive areas.
• Experience with California and Federal Endangered Species Acts and engaging with resource agencies such as U.S. Fish and Wildlife, California Department of Fish and Wildlife, and National Marine Fisheries Service.
• Experience engaging with environmental permitting agencies such as the Regional Water Quality Control Board, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Bay Conservation and Development Commission, and others.
• Experience working with the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation.
• Experience working with regional and city planners and negotiating with developers.

**This position may be filled at the Senior Planner or Principal Planner classification level, depending on the candidate’s skills, knowledge, and experience.




For a full description of examples of duties, please refer to the job descriptions by visiting the following links:
Senior Planner 
Principal Planner 
For a full description of required knowledge, skills, and abilities, please refer to the job descriptions by visiting the following links: 
Senior Planner 
Principal Planner

PHYSICAL DEMANDS
Must possess mobility to work in a standard office setting and use standard office equipment, including a computer; to operate a motor vehicle and visit various District and meeting sites; vision to read printed materials and a computer screen; and hearing and speech to communicate in person and over the telephone. This is primarily an office classification and standing in work areas and walking between work areas is required. Finger dexterity is needed to access, enter, and retrieve data using a computer keyboard or calculator and to operate standard office equipment. Positions in this classification occasionally bend, stoop, kneel, reach, push, and pull drawers open and closed to retrieve and file information. Employees must possess the ability to lift, carry, push, and pull materials and objects up to 25 pounds. When working in the field, must possess strength, stamina, and mobility to sit, stand, and walk on level, uneven, or slippery surfaces to conduct field visits and assess field conditions; and reach, twist, turn, kneel, bend, stoop, squat, and crouch in the performance of assigned duties.  

ENVIRONMENTAL ELEMENTS 
Employees work in an office environment with moderate noise levels, controlled temperature conditions, and no direct exposure to hazardous physical substances. Employees occasionally work in the field and are exposed to loud noise levels, cold and hot temperatures, inclement weather conditions, road hazards, vibration, confining workspace, chemicals, mechanical and/or electrical hazards, hazardous physical substances and fumes, dust, and air contaminants.  

WORKING CONDITIONS 
Employees may be required to work various shifts and outside of normal shift hours on evenings, weekends, and holidays as needed.     

EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY
Contra Costa Water District is committed to equal employment opportunity for all employees and applicants.  We prohibit discrimination based upon race, color, religion, marital status, age, national origin, physical or mental disability, medical condition, pregnancy, genetic information, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, veteran status, or any other actual or perceived status protected under federal, state, or local law.  Employment decisions are based on individual qualifications and performance.  
  
DIVERSITY, EQUITY, AND INCLUSION
One of the many CCWD goals is to pursue organizational excellence through diversity, equity, inclusivity, leadership, and professionalism.  We recognize the strengths of staff creativity, innovation, problem-solving, and improved decision-making resulting from diverse perspectives, and we strive to be a culturally diverse organization that values, recognizes, and supports inclusion. 

CONVICTION HISTORY
A condition of employment for all CCWD positions includes successfully passing a Department of Justice Live Scan fingerprint check and completion of the federal Employment Eligibility Verification Form I-9.  Additionally, in compliance with federal law, CCWD participates in E-Verify.
  
DISASTER SERVICE WORKER
All CCWD employees are designated Disaster Service Workers through state and local law. As such, CCWD employees may be called upon to support the activities of CCWD during an emergency situation.  

Compensation details: 68.83-107.26 Hourly Wage

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