Environmental Scientist-Inspector

Office of Energy Infrastructure Safety; Sacramento (CA); On-site; USD 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

Office of Energy Infrastructure Safety in California seeks an Environmental Scientist to analyze performance with vegetation management commitments in electrical utility Wildfire Mitigation Plans (WMP). The role involves developing inspection plans, conducting vegetation near electrical infrastructure inspections, and writing reports while ensuring regulatory compliance.

The incumbent will investigate external concerns and prepare policy guidance as needed.

Qualifications

• Knowledge of wildfire, vegetation management, and forestry science.
• Experience performing inspections and documenting findings.
• Experience as a technical scientist with public and agency stakeholders.
• Ability to clearly communicate complex scientific findings.
• Experience with regulatory processes and enforcement.
• Ability to work under tight timelines.

Responsibilities

• Develop inspection plans to assess electrical corporation performance with approved Wildfire Mitigation Plans (WMPs).
• Conduct inspections of vegetation near electrical infrastructure and write inspection reports.
• Review regulatory requirements of the Department and ensure compliance.
• Investigate concerns raised by external parties regarding potential WMP findings.
• Prepare guidance, policy, planning, or regulatory documents on issues of importance to the department.
• Identify field issues and elevate to the Supervisor with proposed recommendations.

Skills

Knowledge of wildfire and vegetation

Inspections experience

Technical scientist experience

Communication of complex findings

Cross-disciplinary coordination

Regulatory processes & compliance

Experience with tight timelines

Job description

Are you looking to make a difference and join a highly motivated team working on issues critical to ensuring the safety and sustainability of California? The Office of Energy Infrastructure Safety’s Environmental Science Division is seeking an Environmental Scientist to analyze performance with vegetation management commitments in electrical utility Wildfire Mitigation Plans (WMP).

The Environmental Science Division is responsible for evaluating the vegetation management aspects of utility WMPs, assessing performance in meeting vegetation management-related commitments described in the WMPs, and ensuring that each utility is reducing its risk of igniting catastrophic wildfire. To this end, Division scientists review regulatory filings and utility procedures, analyze reported data, perform audits, conduct field inspections, publish findings, and engage with the utilities and interested parties. Division scientists serve as subject matter experts in utility vegetation management and environmental policy related to wildfire risk reduction. Our team of scientists is highly collaborative and works closely with the Performance Assessment, Electrical Policy, and Data Analytics Divisions.

Under general direction of the Senior Environmental Scientist Supervisor of the Inspections & Investigations Branch the incumbent will develop inspection plans to assess electrical corporation performance with approved Wildfire Mitigation Plans (WMPs), conduct inspections of vegetation near electrical infrastructure, write and review inspection reports, and other regulatory requirements of the Department associated with forestry, wildfire science, and the environment. Incumbent will also conduct investigations into concerns raised by external parties regarding potential WMP findings, conduct critical and/or sensitive scientific investigations and studies and prepare guidance, policy, planning, or regulatory documents on issues of importance to the department as assigned. Incumbent will identify issues found in the field and elevate to the Supervisor with proposed recommendations. The incumbent will develop and maintain positive relationships with internal and external agency partners. The incumbent will be a subject matter expert on vegetation management inspection programs to assess electrical utility performance with approved WMPs and other regulatory requirements of the Department associated with forestry, wildfire science, climate change and the environment.

You will find additional information about the job in the Duty Statement.

Desirable Qualifications

In addition to evaluating each candidate's relative ability, as demonstrated by quality and breadth of experience, the following factors will provide the basis for competitively evaluating each candidate:

• Knowledge of wildfire, vegetation management and/or forestry science and approaches to reducing wildfire risk.
• Experience performing inspections, documenting and communicating findings.
• Experience as a technical scientist working with members of the public, external stakeholders, and agency representatives
• Ability to effectively communicate and present complex scientific findings to non-scientific audiences through written reports and presentations.
• Ability to coordinate with individuals from different professional backgrounds.
• Experience with regulatory processes and compliance and enforcement of regulations.
• Experience working under tight timelines.

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