Palisades Fire Post-Event Senior Project Planner

Overview

In January 2025, the Palisades Fire swept through Topanga State Park and Will Rogers State Historic Park, burning significant portions of both and destroying a significant number of the parks’ historic buildings and infrastructure. State Parks, with its partners, volunteers and members of the public, is undertaking a post‑event reassessment planning effort while clean‑up and resource assessment continues.

This Parks California position will serve as a Senior Project Planner, working alongside State Parks to coordinate the visioning and planning efforts for Topanga State Park, Will Rogers State Historic Park and the surrounding area. The role is responsible for advancing an integrative planning process and stakeholder engagement that support the stewardship of natural and cultural resources. The Senior Project Planner will integrate climate science, State Parks policy and community insights to prepare these parks for long‑term resilience.

The planner will collaborate with the Angeles District team, the Strategic Planning Division, State Parks headquarters staff, consultants and other partners to develop practical, lasting solutions.

The Senior Project Planner position is a full‑time position and will work through a matrixed management framework under the general direction of Parks California and the Angeles District Superintendent. The position is remote within Ventura, Los Angeles or Orange counties with expectations for regular travel to various field office locations within the Angeles District or Department. The position is funded for a period of two years, with potential for future extension.

• Project Management and Coordination: Provide project management and coordination for the development of State Park’s post‑fire reassessment and recovery planning documents for Topanga State Park and Will Rogers State Historic Park. Guide priorities for direction of funds, contracts and agreements associated with park and resource planning for the two state parks.
• Manage and inform the work of consultants assigned to projects or project tasks in the preparation of park planning or compliance documents. Coordinate with cross‑functional state parks staff to collaboratively develop materials for draft park planning documents, including narratives, maps and other written or visual materials. Provide contracting and management for field crews, educational and nonprofit partners to support wildfire recovery in Topanga State Park and Will Rogers State Historic Park.
• Stakeholder Engagement and Community Relations: Work in coordination and collaboration with partner NGOs and stakeholders, including organizing and facilitating meetings, forums, site visits, including public meetings with consultants and State Parks. Manage and help coordinate information content and public communications across multiple media platforms with partners, district and department staff, consultants and contractors. Assist park staff to plan, schedule and provide site tours.
  
  Synthesize and integrate public input into planning processes.
• Historic Preservation and Natural/Cultural Resources: In coordination with State Park’s Strategic Planning and Recreation Services Division and Angeles District staff, coordinate a planning process focused on the restoration and protection of the parks’ natural and cultural resources, appropriate historic preservation treatment options and the advancement of climate resilience. Ensure alignment with other regional plans already in place. Coordinate with historical resource specialists (historians, architects, engineers) and park operations staff to develop appropriate preservation treatments (restoration, rehabilitation, reconstruction and commemoration) and uses to be implemented for extant and damaged historic properties.
  
  Ensure that preservation and protection practices for archaeological and tribal cultural resources are integrated into planning and implementation efforts. Coordinate development of compliance documents and permit applications. Support development of landscape‑level strategies that support partnership coordination and collaboration, strategic planning for…