Senior Manager – Material Characterization CA

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Full Time Remote, CA, US

12 days ago Requisition

Salary Range: $ To $ Annually

Role Overview

The California Material Characterization Senior Manager is responsible for leading CAA’s California material characterization efforts, including implementation of the 2027 California statewide characterization study in support of the state’s extended producer responsibility requirements for paper and packaging (SB 54). This position reports to the California Director of Recycling Operations and ensures methodological consistency, quality assurance, facility participation, audit center development, procurement coordination, and reliable reporting across characterization activities used to inform program implementation, reporting compliance, and operational decision-making.

The Senior Manager oversees California-focused sampling operations, auditing and reporting governance based on CAA National standards and protocols, develops and manages a team comprised of both internal staff and vendor contractors, and helps ensure alignment with applicable California regulatory and program requirements. This role directly supports and informs planning and operations by producing reliable, actionable data on material composition, recycling system performance, and program outcomes.

The position requires expertise in solid waste management, recycling systems, field execution frameworks and workflows, statistical analysis, QA/QC standards, vendor management and proposal awards, along with the ability to lead cross-functional work, collaborate with operational and data teams, and manage complex datasets. The California Material Characterization Senior Manager ensures that characterization efforts are accurate, actionable, and responsive to California policy, program, and operational needs.

Key Responsibilities

Methodology & Protocol Leadership

• Oversee the operationalization of California-specific protocols for material composition audits, inbound and outbound sampling at facilities and central audit centers, audit design, and consistent definitions of material categories as defined by California regulation and CAA National standards.
• Ensure data collection, storage, and reporting methodologies meet quality assurance and quality control standards and maintain integrity across all sampling locations.
• Align methodologies with California regulatory requirements and program needs to support consistent, defensible characterization data.

Data & Quality Assurance Oversight

• Collaborate with CAA National departments and provide direction to California material characterization operations teams who will supervise data recording, storage, and vendor management to maintain accurate and secure databases.
• Propose QA/QC processes to validate the accuracy, reliability, and completeness of all characterization data for implementation by the operational team.
• Monitor and report on methodological adherence and performance against CAA National program priorities and standards.

Strategic Program Leadership

• Oversee California characterization priorities, balancing resource allocation, regulatory compliance, and operational needs.
• Work closely with operational, data, and program planning teams to integrate characterization results into modeling, reporting, and policy frameworks.
• Identify emerging data needs, gaps, and opportunities to improve solid waste and recycling measurement practices.
• Lead the development of state-wide material sampling locations, operational structures, facility participation strategies, and vendor contract management, including securing and maintaining facility…