Senior CEQA Planner — Lead EIR Expert (Hybrid)

Verdantas; Folsom (CA); Hybrid; USD 135,000 - 170,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Flexible Work Environment

Paid Parental Leave

Medical

Dental

Vision

Life and AD&D Insurance

Short-Term and Long-Term Disability

401(k) with Company Match

Paid Time Off + Holidays

Job summary

Verdantas is seeking a senior environmental planning professional to join our growing California team. The role requires a seasoned CEQA practitioner who can independently lead complex environmental reviews, manage multidisciplinary teams, and advise clients in both public and private sectors.

The candidate will prepare and manage full Environmental Impact Reports from initiation through certification, including scoping, oversight, mitigation, public review, responses to comments, findings, and

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Environmental Planning, Environmental Science, Urban Planning, Geography, Biology, or a related field.
• At least 10 years of progressively responsible environmental planning and CEQA experience, preferably in environmental consulting.
• Demonstrated ability to independently manage and prepare full EIRs, including scoping, impact analysis, alternatives, mitigation, responses to comments, findings, MMRPs, and certification support.
• Strong knowledge of the CEQA Statute and Guidelines, California environmental regulations, and the requirements for developing defensible environmental documents.
• Proven experience managing scopes, budgets, schedules, multidisciplinary teams, subconsultants, client expectations, and concurrent assignments.
• Excellent technical writing, editing, presentation, communication, and client management skills.

Responsibilities

• Lead the preparation and management of CEQA documents, including Initial Studies, Negative and Mitigated Negative Declarations, full EIRs, Subsequent and Supplemental EIRs, Addenda, Findings of Fact, Statements of Overriding Considerations, and Mitigation Monitoring and Reporting Programs.
• Manage complex environmental planning projects from initiation through completion, with responsibility for scope, schedule, budget, staffing, document quality, risk management, and client communication.
• Direct multidisciplinary teams and integrate biological, cultural, tribal cultural, air quality, greenhouse gas, noise, transportation, hydrology, land use, and other technical analyses into clear and legally defensible CEQA documents.
• Develop environmental review strategies, evaluate impacts and alternatives, formulate feasible mitigation measures, and guide clients through complex CEQA decisions and approval processes.
• Lead agency consultation, stakeholder engagement, public meetings, and hearings while coordinating with project proponents, regulatory agencies, legal counsel, technical specialists, and decision-makers.
• Support client development, proposals, project scoping, fee development, and interviews while mentoring staff and providing QA/QC review of environmental documents and technical studies.

Skills

Technical writing

Editing

Presentation

Communication

Client management

Education

Bachelor's degree in Environmental Planning/Science/Urban Planning/Geography/Biology

Tools

GIS

Job description

Verdantas is seeking a senior environmental planning professional to join our growing California team. The role requires a seasoned CEQA practitioner who can independently lead complex environmental reviews, manage multidisciplinary teams, and advise clients in both public and private sectors.

The candidate will prepare and manage full Environmental Impact Reports from initiation through certification, including scoping, oversight, mitigation, public review, responses to comments, findings, and