Environmental Project (Biological) Manager

County of Riverside; California (MO); On-site; USD 110,000 - 150,000; Full time

Job summary

The County of Riverside's TLMA Planning Department seeks an Environmental Project (Biological) Manager to lead the Biology Unit, overseeing ecological resource strategies and regulatory compliance in Riverside. You will guide reviews of land use proposals, coordinate with state and federal agencies, and drive habitat conservation plan activities.

Ideal candidates bring supervisory experience, GIS and UAV capability, and a strong background in ecological resources, mapping, and regulatory

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in environmental, biological science, or closely related field.
• Four years of professional planning experience with lead/supervisory responsibilities.
• Knowledge of MSHCP and environmental permitting processes.
• Experience with GIS mapping and drone/UAV technologies is advantageous.
• Experience in California local government, consulting, or resource agencies is desirable.

Responsibilities

• Oversee the Biology Unit within TLMA's Environmental Programs Division in Riverside.
• Ensure compliance with CEQA/NEPA and other regulatory standards for land development.
• Review biological elements of land use applications and advise on mitigation.
• Coordinate with agencies (CDFW, USFWS, RCA, ACOE) on environmental reviews.
• Manage budgets, staff, and project timelines for high priority environmental projects.

Skills

Supervisory experience

MSHCP familiarity

GIS mapping

Drone/UAV experience

Calif. government experience

Environmental permitting knowledge

Education

Bachelor's degree in environmental/biological science

Advanced degree preferred

Tools

GIS software

Drone/UAV review tools

Job description

About The Position

The County of Riverside's Transportation and Land Management Agency (TLMA) Planning Department has an exciting opportunity for an Environmental Project (Biological) Manager. This position plays a critical role in managing the Biology Unit within the Department’s Environmental Programs Division, located in Riverside.

The Environmental Project (Biological) Manager position focuses on the management of ecological resources. The incumbent will be responsible for:

• Overseeing the implementation of, and ensuring proposed project consistency with, Habitat Conservation Plans/Natural Community Conservation Plans.
• Ensuring compliance with local, state, and federal rules, regulations, and practices associated with land development projects.
• Reviewing and evaluating the biological elements of land use applications to ensure practical implementation of regional ecological policies and guidelines.
• Performing environmental evaluations related to ecological reserve/conservation configurations, urban/wildland interface issues, sensitive habitats/vegetation, animal movement, species relocation plans, revegetation plans, and other land use issues resulting from public and private development.
• Conducting meetings with various regulating agencies, including, but not limited to, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW), U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), Regional Conservation Authority (RCA), and the Army Corps of Engineers (ACOE).
• Reviewing biological assessments to ensure proper mitigation measures and conservation plan consistency, which may include, but are not limited to: Habitat Assessments, Multiple Species Habitat Conservation Plan (MSHCP) Consistency Analyses, Jurisdictional Delineations, and Determinations of Biologically Equivalent or Superior Preservation (DBESP).

In addition to the minimum qualifications, competitive candidates will possess:

• Supervisory or managerial experience overseeing professional biological or environmental staff.
• Demonstrated familiarity with the Multiple Species Habitat Conservation Plan (MSHCP).
• Experience working within California local government, consulting, resource agencies, or regional conservation programs is highly desirable.
• Strong technical background in ecological resource management paired with advanced mapping and technology skills.
• Comprehensive understanding of GIS mapping principles, application utilization, data input, and file sharing.
• Knowledge of, or experience applying, UAV/Drone technologies for site review and documentation will be especially competitive.
• An advanced degree in environmental, biological science, or a closely related field.
• A California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) Scientific Collecting Permit.
• A relevant certificate, license, or demonstrable experience in a biological discipline directly related to the work performed by the County, such as:
• Wetlands Delineation
• Regulatory Permitting

This class has been deemed eligible for the Performance Recognition Plan as set forth under Article 3, Section 311 of the County Management Resolution. Program eligibility requires employees to be in a leadership position, manage other employees or programs, and have significant influence on the achievement of organizational objectives.

Meet the Team!

The Planning Department is responsible for Riverside County's General Plan, a comprehensive long-range plan intended to guide the growth and development of unincorporated areas within the County. This department formulates growth management plans and zoning for the County.

Examples Of Essential Duties

• Provide project management support on an array of technically complex projects related to drainage, biology, water ways, water quality, and hydrologic data.
• Plan, organize, direct, review, and evaluate the work of professional department staff and external consultants involved in the oversight of the environmental process for either land use planning, and other urban infrastructure projects or studies; engage and direct staff while coordinating with department project managers, planners, or development applicants during project planning, design and construction phases, or development land use review phases to ensure compliance with environmental laws and regulations, and adherence to the County's General Plan and applicable ordinances.
• Direct and review the selection and design of techniques for the collection, coordination and development of methodologies for data applications and research in water quality and conservation planning, studies of land use, environmental resources and water/flood facilities, or patterns of environmental changes and community development in order to identify both existing and future water quality and conservation issues.
• Directly manage the environmental process for specific, high priority projects; prepare and review the scope of work; review and comment on environmental work products; coordinate project tasks and delivery with project managers, planners, and outside approving agencies.
• Direct or participate in consultant selection and proposal evaluation of Service Agreements; prepare Form 11s for consideration and approval by the Board of Supervisors; prepare and review the environmental project scope, budget, and schedule with consultant firms and on call consultants.
• May prepare, manage and monitor project budgets and schedules; review consultants' monthly progress reports to ensure compliance with project scope and agreement provisions, and approve consultants' invoices for payment processing.
• Review and comment on proposed land use or drainage project plans and legislation that affect the Agency's environmental compliance process; review current Department practices for environmental compliance and prepare or revise existing Department environmental policies and practices to ensure continual environmental compliance.
• Represent the Department before other County departments, governmental agencies, environmental regulatory and permitting agencies, stakeholders, and the public.
• Develop and manage environmental compliance through policy and regulatory development.
• Perform research, analyze, prepare, and/or manage complex environmental documents including Environmental Impact Reports (EIRs); provide technical expertise in comprehensive land use drainage or planning activities; may evaluate and/or review field checking project entitlement plans, grading plans, water quality improvement plans, drainage projects, or land use developments.
• May testify in court proceedings or other administrative hearings as an expert witness in areas within assigned purview.

Minimum Qualifications

Education: Graduation from an accredited college or university with a bachelor's degree, preferably in engineering, physical, chemical, environmental, or biological science, planning, public administration, urban or physical geography, geology, architecture, or closely related field to the assignment. An advanced degree in a scientific field of study is highly desired.

Experience: Four years of professional transportation land use or water resource planning experience, which included two years of experience with responsibility for project oversight in a lead, supervisory, administrative, or managerial capacity.

Other Requirements

License: Possession of a valid California Driver's License is required. This position involves travel to various locations throughout the county to conduct site visits.

Physical/Environmental Conditions/Requirements

The Environmental Project Manager will:

• Walk over uneven outdoor terrain and work in a variety of environmental conditions.
• Be exposed to a variety of weather elements (e.g., high temperatures, rain) and local wildlife while performing field duties.

Essential job duties must be performed with or without reasonable accommodations. For more information, see “Reasonable Accommodations” under APPLICATION INFORMATION.

Knowledge of: The principles and practices of project management especially as they apply to public works and/or development activities; the principles and practices of land use and transportation planning; environmental monitoring; state and federal standards concerning public works and/or land use design and construction; techniques of project management, personnel management, and project funding and budgeting; the laws and regulations affecting environmental permitting and permit clearance including the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), Clean Water Act, and California Porter-Cologne Water Quality Control Act.

Ability to: Plan, organize, and direct the work of an environmental or water resources planning unit; lay out and supervise the work of professional or water resources environmental personnel; perform difficult technical research, analyze situations accurately, and adopt effective courses of action; review, evaluate, and comment on proposed environmental plans or legislation that affect the Department's environmental process; review current department practices, prepare policies or revise existing policies to ensure environmental compliance; establish and maintain cooperative working relationships with others.

Veteran's Preference

The County has a Veterans Preference Policy applicable to new hires. To qualify, attach the required documents to your job application. Documents include a copy of your (or your spouse's) Member-4 Form DD-214 indicating dates of service. For spousal preference, and as applicable, the following documents: a copy of your marriage certificate, spouse's death certificate, a letter of spouse's disability and/or letter of service-related death (if available) from the U.S. Veteran's Administration. For privacy reasons, it is recommended that you remove your social security information from the document(s). A Human Resources Representative will review the materials and determine if you qualify for veterans' preference. For complete details and documentation requirements, please review the Veterans Preference Policy, C-3 here: https://rivcocob.org/board-policies

Reasonable Accommodations

The County of Riverside is committed to providing reasonable accommodation to applicants as required by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Fair Employment and Housing Act (FEHA). Qualified individuals with disabilities who need a reasonable accommodation during the application or selection process should contact the recruiter for the position noted above. For additional information and/or to obtain the appropriate form for requesting a reasonable accommodation, please visit the Disability Access Office web page located at: https://rc-hr.com/disability

Work Authorization Requirement

Applicants must be legally authorized to work in the United States at the time of application. The County of Riverside does not participate in visa sponsorship programs, including H1-B visas, and will not provide sponsorship for any employment-based visas.

Equal Opportunity Employer

The County of Riverside is an Equal Opportunity Employer. It is the policy of the County of Riverside to provide equal employment opportunities for all qualified persons. All applicants will be considered without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, gender expression, marital status, ancestry, medical condition (cancer and genetic characteristics), genetic information, or denial of medical and family care leave, or any other non-job-related factors.

Pre-Employment

All employment offers are contingent upon successful completion of pre-employment requirements including a criminal background investigation, which involves fingerprinting. (A felony or misdemeanor conviction may disqualify the applicant from County employment). A pre-employment physical examination and background check may be required.

Probationary Period

As an Approved Local Merit System, all County of Riverside employees, except those serving “At Will,” are subject to the probationary period provisions as specified in the applicable Memorandum of Understanding, County Resolution, or Salary Ordinance. Temporary and Per Diem employees serve at the pleasure of the agency/department head.