Environmental Planner Job Kahului area,Hawaii USA,Engineering

Position: ENVIRONMENTAL PLANNER

DOT-ADMIN-EXEMPT-2026-04

THIS POSTING WILL REMAIN OPEN FOR TWO WEEKS OR 14 DAYS ONLY. PLEASE APPLY IMMEDIATELY AS THIS RECRUITMENT MAY CLOSE AT ANY TIME.

NOTE:

This position is exempt from civil service and considered temporary in nature. Therefore, if you are appointed to this position, your employment will be considered "At Will", meaning that you may be discharged from your employment at the prerogative of your department head or designee at any time.

The Environmental Planner is an integral part of HDOT’s environmental planning and compliance functions and supports HDOT’s mission to plan, design, construct, operate, and maintain a safe, efficient, accessible, and sustainable inter-modal transportation system for Hawai i. Transportation projects in Hawai i must comply with complex federal and state environmental laws while balancing community priorities, cultural stewardship, and climate resiliency objectives.

This position plays a key role in preparing HDOT for NEPA Assignment, supporting the development of internal policies, procedures, quality assurance/quality control (QA/QC) protocols, training, documentation standards, and administrative record systems necessary for assuming federal NEPA responsibilities.

The Planner is part of the Office of Energy Security and Community Outreach within HDOT’s Administration Division, which supports all three modal divisions—Highways, Airports, and Harbors. The Planner provides expertise and support to all modal divisions as needed and works closely with HDOT project managers, federal and state regulatory agencies, consultants, county partners, community organizations, and Native Hawaiian Organizations. Through technical rigor, regulatory fluency, and proactive coordination, this position helps HDOT strengthen environmental compliance systems, maintain defensible documentation, improve project delivery timelines, and build trust with communities statewide.

Major

Duties and Responsibilities

A.
NEPA Assignment Readiness & Program Development

Assist HDOT in preparing for NEPA Assignment by helping develop policies, procedures, manuals, templates, training materials, and internal QA/QC processes consistent with FHWA guidance.

Support readiness assessment efforts and gap analyses.

Help establish documentation standards and administrative record protocols necessary for federal assumption.

Provide training and technical guidance to HDOT staff on environmental compliance responsibilities under NEPA Assignment.

Assist with audit preparation and continuous improvement efforts to ensure consistent and ongoing compliance with federal oversight requirements.

B.
Environmental Review & Project Advisory

Serve as environmental planning subject matter expert on project development teams across modal divisions.

Provide guidance on NEPA (CE, EA, EIS) and HRS Chapter 343 (Exemption Declarations, DEA, FEA, EIS) document preparation, alternatives analysis, cumulative effects, and significance determinations.

Advise project managers on permitting pathways, sequencing, and documentation strategies to improve efficiency while maintaining compliance.

Assist in preparing purpose and need statements, impact analyses, mitigation commitments, and findings documents.

Support integration of energy security, climate adaptation, and resiliency considerations into transportation planning and environmental documentation.

C.
Environmental Commitments, Monitoring & Documentation

Track environmental commitments from planning through construction.

Support development of environmental commitment tracking systems consistent with NEPA Assignment requirements.

Assist with pre-construction environmental briefings and ensure commitments are incorporated into plans, specifications, and estimates (PS&E).

Review consultant deliverables for compliance with regulatory standards and internal QA/QC procedures.

Maintain organized administrative records that are legally defensible and audit-ready.

D.
Regulatory Compliance, Permitting & Interagency Coordination

Prepare, review, and coordinate environmental documents and permit applications required under NEPA, HRS Chapter 343, Clean Water Act Sections 401/404, Coastal Zone…