Fire Planner - California - SWCA Environmental Consultants

About the opportunity:

SWCA Environmental Consultants is seeking a highly experienced, collaborative, and self-motivated Project or Senior Fire Planner for a dynamic and high-in-demand field. This individual will successfully support or lead (assistant or project manager) projects while also providing technical and subject matter expertise in fire management planning and fire behavior.  This position is available for remote work but will be associated with one of our California offices. Opportunities will be available to work with other offices in the region and across the country.

 

The Project/Senior Fire Planner position will have technical expertise in forestry/silviculture and wildfire management planning; forest and fire behavior modeling, analysis, and interpretation; fuels/vegetation management; wildfire management policies, standards, and methods; and current wildfire and fire ecology research and applications. Experience working in California and Pacific Northwest ecosystems is desired, and experience working with state and federal land management agencies, fire prevention agencies, and local fire safe councils is highly valued. Additional skills include the ability to manage complex projects within schedule and budget expectations, the ability to provide quality assurance/quality control oversight, and strong interpersonal and writing skills.  The position will support or manage a variety of project types, including relevant and newly emerging areas in fire sciences and technology.  Project types include CEQA wildfire compliance for developments; vegetation and fuels management plans for state and local governments; NEPA documents for pre and post-fire restoration and land management activities; wildfire mitigation plans for utility companies; biofuels development projects; and community wildfire protection plans.   

 

This position is available at the below levels and title will be based on years of relevant experience or expertise:

• Associate Project Fire Planner - typically at least 5 years of related experience or expertise 
• Project Fire Planner - typically at least 7 years of related experience or expertise 
• Sr. Fire Planner - typically at least 10 years of related experience or expertise 

 

Our Vision (the North Star), Core Values, and Purpose:  Help drive SWCA to be the best workplace and industry leader in sustainability, bringing sound science and creative solutions to global environmental challenges while maintaining a dedication to employee-ownership.We are #OneSWCA and collaborate across all our offices, programs, and disciplines. We are #AlwaysLearning, we #NeverSettle and we #GiveBack. We are 100% employee-owned, and we build our success together. SWCA is a team of scientists, planners, technical experts, and corporate services professionals who are committed to our culture.

Application deadline: Our team will begin reviewing applications immediately, and interviews will be scheduled with qualified candidates on a rolling basis. The application process will remain open until we have received a robust pool of qualified candidates. Once we have identified suitable individuals, we may close the application process without prior notice. We appreciate the time and effort invested by all applicants and will carefully consider each submission.

What you will accomplish:

• Serve as a technical specialist in forestry and wildfire sciences.
• Serve as assistant/project manager or subject matter expert on a variety of complex projects such as CEQA wildfire compliance for developments; vegetation and fuels management plans for state and local governments; NEPA documents for pre and post-fire restoration and land management activities; wildfire mitigation plans for utility companies; biofuels development projects; and community wildfire protection plans.
• Stay abreast of current and relevant forestry and wildfire research and applications in the face of climate change and increased impacts.
• Work closely with a project team and the client.
• Take initiative and resolve issues to assure client needs are met effectively.
• Lead and advise on the development of specific planning strategies and technical approaches. Problem solve in a dynamic environment.
• Provide QA/QC of deliverables.
• Supervise, mentor, and provide technical support to junior staff and other projects.
• Manage small and large projects, including maintaining budgets, schedules, and quality of service.
• Work with Corporate accounting department to review invoices, expenditures and project audits for projects/tasks.
• Work closely with SWCA’s resource scientists and environmental planners, managers and directors in both natural and cultural resources throughout the company to promote SWCA’s business interests in adherence to its mission, vision, and values.
• Implement and administer SWCA’s safety procedures and standards of scientific and professional ethics.
• Take responsibility for team safety, develop safety plans (when applicable), and anticipate potential safety hazards.

Experience and qualifications for success:

• Minimum of a Bachelor’s Degree in forestry, fire science, environmental science, or other related field preferred.
• A minimum of five (5) years combined experience in forestry, wildfire operations or planning, project management, or environmental consulting for forestry/wildfire/fuels required; with some experience specific to project management.
• Candidate should have a working knowledge of federal and state laws (e.g., NEPA, CEQA) as it relates to forestry, wildfire and land management and major western ecosystems.
• Demonstrated experience with federal agencies such as Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and US Forest Service (USFS) and state agencies such as California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection and other state natural resources departments.
• Experience with staff and project team supervision.
• Experience and ability to manage multiple projects with changing requirements.
• Experience working in a fast-paced work environment and desire to work in a highly collaborative team atmosphere.

HIGHLY DESIRED QUALIFICATIONS

• A working knowledge of forest modeling applications such as Forest Vegetation Simulator (FVS) and Field Sampled Vegetation (FSVeg).
• Experience carrying out common stand exams or similar forest inventory protocols in a range of forest types.
• Experience developing forest stand prescriptions and fuel treatments.

 

SWCA Environmental Consultants is a growing employee-owned firm, providing a full spectrum of environmental services. With offices across the United States, SWCA is one of the largest environmental compliance firms and ranks among Engineering News-Record’s Top 200 Environmental Firms.

 

If you would like to contact SWCA regarding the accessibility of our website or need assistance completing the online application process due to a disability, please email accommodations@swca.com or call 480-581-5378. This contact information is for disability accommodation requests only. All other inquiries will not receive a response. 

 

SWCA is committed to salary equity and salary transparency for all its employees.  In alignment with this commitment, SWCA posts good faith pay ranges in all its advertised job postings to promote pay equity and transparency.

 

An employee in this California based position can expect an annual salary of $70,200-102,960/year for the Project Planner role and $101,790-$132,210/year for the Sr. Planner role. Actual pay within this range may depend on experience, qualifications, geographic location, client requirements where applicable, and other factors permitted by law.  Regular-status employees are also eligible for performance bonuses. Candidates are also encouraged to consider SWCA’s Total Rewards package, which includes a competitive Benefits package, forward-thinking workplace flexibility, outstanding corporate culture, award-winning career development, and more.

 

EOE - women, minorities, individuals with disabilities, and veterans are encouraged to apply. At SWCA Environmental Consultants, we celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive work environment. We strongly encourage candidates from all backgrounds, including those with diverse experiences and veterans, to apply. We believe that a diverse and inclusive workforce enhances creativity, innovation, and overall organizational success.

 

SWCA continues to invest deeply in career development programs, delivering our award-winning Career Landscape support resources to accelerate the growth of our staff. We recognize the valuable skills and experiences our internal team members bring to SWCA’s continued success. Qualified internal candidates are encouraged to apply and will be seriously considered for this position. We believe in promoting from within, where possible, providing our existing employees with compelling opportunities to advance their careers.

 

Applicants must be willing to participate in a drug testing and alcohol screening as part of the pre-employment process, as some projects require such screenings. Applicants must have valid driver’s license and be able to meet SWCA’s driver requirements.

 

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