Senior CEQA Planner - Lead EIRs & Strategy

Verdantas; California; On-site; USD 140,000 - 230,000; Full time

Job summary

Verdantas seeks an experienced environmental planning professional to join our California team. This senior CEQA practitioner will independently lead complex environmental reviews, manage multidisciplinary teams, and advise public- and private-sector clients.

Responsibilities include leading CEQA documents from Initial Studies to full EIRs, managing scope, schedule, budget, and QA/QC. Preferred candidates have NEPA or AICP credentials and California project experience.

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

Communication

Client management

Leadership

Presentation

Editing

Education

Bachelor's degree in Environmental Planning/Environmental Science/Urban Planning or related field

AICP certification (preferred)

Tools

GIS

Job description

Verdantas seeks an experienced environmental planning professional to join our California team. This senior CEQA practitioner will independently lead complex environmental reviews, manage multidisciplinary teams, and advise public- and private-sector clients.

Responsibilities include leading CEQA documents from Initial Studies to full EIRs, managing scope, schedule, budget, and QA/QC. Preferred candidates have NEPA or AICP credentials and California project experience.