Senior Environmental Planner/Project Manager - Energy

AECOM; Sacramento (CA); Hybrid; USD 120,000 - 150,000; Full time

Job summary

AECOM seeks a Senior Environmental Planner/Project Manager - Energy to join the Environmental Planning and Permitting team in Northern California. This hybrid role supports permitting, entitlement work, and seller-doer activities for energy clients across multiple Bay Area offices including Oakland, Sacramento, San Francisco, and San Jose.

You will lead teams, manage schedules and budgets, and coordinate with clients and subconsultants to advance transmission, solar, wind, and energy storage

Qualifications

• CEQA/NEPA experience and ability to prepare environmental documents.
• Experience leading multi-disciplinary teams on energy projects.
• Strong project management, budgeting, and client coordination skills.

Responsibilities

• Lead environmental planning and permitting work compliant with CEQA/NEPA.
• Manage early-stage due diligence for siting energy projects.
• Provide project management on mid- to large-sized projects including schedules and budgets.
• Prepare environmental documents and entitlements for energy projects.
• Support marketing, proposals, and cost estimates as seller-doer.
• Mentor staff and provide feedback on project tasks.

Skills

CEQA/NEPA knowledge

Client management

Project scheduling

Team leadership

Microsoft Office

Education

Bachelor's degree in environmental planning

Tools

Microsoft Office

Job description

Senior Environmental Planner/Project Manager - Energy

• Full-time
• State/Province: California
• Business Group: DCS
• Legal Entity: AECOM Technical Services Inc
• Business Line: Environment
• Work Location Model: Hybrid
• Primary Location: US - Oakland, CA - 300 Lakeside Driv
• Compensation: USD 120,000 - USD 150,000 - yearly

Work with Us. Change the World.

At AECOM, we're delivering a better world. Whether improving your commute, keeping the lights on, providing access to clean water, or transforming skylines, our work helps people and communities thrive. We are the world's trusted infrastructure consulting firm, partnering with clients to solve the world’s most complex challenges and build legacies for future generations.

There has never been a better time to be at AECOM. With accelerating infrastructure investment worldwide, our services are in great demand. We invite you to bring your bold ideas and big dreams and become part of a global team of over 50,000 planners, designers, engineers, scientists, digital innovators, program and construction managers and other professionals delivering projects that create a positive and tangible impact around the world.

We're one global team driven by our common purpose to deliver a better world. Join us.

AECOM has an exciting opportunity for a Senior level Environmental Planner/Project Manager - Energy to join our Environmental Planning and Permitting (EPP) team in Northern California. This hybrid role can be based out of AECOM’s Sacramento, Oakland, San Francisco, or San Jose, CA offices.

Our EPP team serves numerous private industry and public utility energy clients, on a variety of energy projects including transmission, grid modernization, and renewable energy developments. In this role you will lead project teams and work with our environmental planning practitioners and technical subject matter experts to prepare environmental documents, with a particular focus on supporting permitting and entitlement work for our growing line of work with energy developers and utilities.

This role would involve serving as a seller-doer, including managing clients, project teams and complex projects, and leading and supporting new and ongoing business development activities.

The responsibilities of this role would include, but are not limited to:

• Lead environmental planning and compliance work and support the development of environmental documents and studies in compliance with California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), and other state and federal environmental regulations.
• Manage early-stage due diligence efforts for siting energy projects and associated infrastructure.
• Provide project management on mid- to large-sized projects, including developing and tracking project schedules, budgets, invoicing, and coordination with clients, technical staff and subconsultants.
• Work on environmental documents and entitlements related to high profile infrastructure projects, with particular emphasis on energy sector projects.
• Contribute to marketing and business development, preparation of proposals, and formulating proposal cost estimates as a seller-doer.
• Providing leadership in mentoring personnel, including reviewing their work for accuracy and clarity and providing constructive feedback on project tasks.

Minimum Requirements:

• Bachelor’s degreein environmental planning or related field.
• 6 years of relevant experience or demonstrated equivalency of experience and/or education in electric transmission and renewable energy (e.g., solar, wind, energy storage) through preparing CEQA and/or NEPA documents, routing and siting analysis, critical issues analysis, land use entitlement applications and/or overseeing multi-disciplinary technical teams for resource technical studies and permitting.
• A valid U.S. Driver's license is required for this role.
• Due to the nature of the work, US Citizenship is required.

Preferred Qualifications:

• 12+ years ofexperience successfully managing and preparing CEQA and NEPA documentation, strong understanding of current state and federal regulations and guidance.
• Electric transmission and renewable energy (e.g., solar, wind, energy storage) experience through preparing CEQA and/or NEPA documents, routing and siting analysis, critical issues analysis, land use entitlement applications and/or overseeing multi-disciplinary technical teams for resource technical studies and permitting.
• Experience and relationships with California planning and resource agencies, and with processing project applications for land use entitlements.
• Experience leading licensing with the CPUC and other state transmission agencies.
• Experience leading NEPA and technical studies and other requirements of projects located on federal lands.
• Project management experience on environmental planning and permitting projects.
• Strong organizational skills, spreadsheet/document tracking skills, and an ability to work on several projects or issues simultaneously.
• Sponsorship will not be provided

At AECOM, we are committed to maintaining a secure and trustworthy recruitment process and take any fraudulent hiring activity seriously. To support this commitment, all newly hired employees are required to attend an in-person Day 1 onboarding at an AECOM office location as a condition of employment.

About AECOM

AECOM is proud to offer comprehensive benefits to meet the diverse needs of our employees. Depending on your employment status, AECOM benefits may include medical, dental, vision, life, AD&D, disability benefits, paid time off, leaves of absences, voluntary benefits, perks, flexible work options, well-being resources, employee assistance program, business travel insurance, service recognition awards, retirement savings plan, and employee stock purchase plan.

AECOM is the global infrastructure leader, committed to delivering a better world. As a trusted professional services firm powered by deep technical abilities, we solve our clients’ complex challenges in water, environment, energy, transportation and buildings. Our teams partner with public- and private-sector clients to create innovative, sustainable and resilient solutions throughout the project lifecycle – from advisory, planning, design and engineering to program and construction management. AECOM is a Fortune 500 firm that had revenue of $16.1 billion in fiscal year 2025. Learn more at aecom.com.

What makes AECOM a great place to work

You will be part of a global team that champions your growth and career ambitions. Work on groundbreaking projects - both in your local community and on a global scale - that are transforming our industry and shaping the future. With cutting-edge technology and a network of experts, you’ll have the resources to make a real impact. Our award-winning training and development programs are designed to expand your technical expertise and leadership skills, helping you build the career you’ve always envisioned. Here, you’ll find a welcoming workplace built on respect, collaboration and community—where you have the freedom to grow in a world of opportunity.

As an Equal Opportunity Employer, we believe in your potential and are here to help you achieve it. All your information will be kept confidential according to EEO guidelines.