Coastal Planner​/Coastal Resilience Planner

Coastal Planner / Coastal Resilience Planner

Rincon is seeking a Coastal Planner / Coastal Resilience Planner to support its Sustainability & Climate Resilience (SCR+) Practice. The role will work with cities, counties, special districts, ports, and tribes to plan, adapt to, and protect communities from coastal hazards such as sea‑level rise (SLR), storms, erosion, and flooding while preserving public access, habitats, cultural resources, and working waterfronts.

• Support Local Coastal Program (LCP) updates by integrating the latest science on SLR, coastal erosion, storm flooding, sediment dynamics, and groundwater interactions.
• Draft or review Land Use Plan policies and Implementation Plan regulations that address coastal hazards and protect public access, scenic resources, Environmentally Sensitive Habitat Areas (ESHA), wetlands, cultural resources, and water‑dependent uses.
• Develop adaptation pathways and nature‑based strategies (living shorelines, dune enhancement, green‑grey hybrid approaches).
• Regulatory Strategy & Permitting
  • Prepare technical analyses and application materials for coastal development permits (CDPs) and other approvals, coordinating with clients and agency staff such as the California Coastal Commission (CCC), local governments, State Lands Commission, and Regional Water Quality Control Boards (RWQCBs).
  • Interpret and apply California Coastal Act, LCP policies, CEQA, Clean Water Act, Endangered Species Act (ESA), and applicable California Endangered Species Act (CESA) coordination.
  • Track permit conditions and monitor compliance for approved projects.
• Technical Analysis & Resilience Planning
  • Conduct SLR vulnerability assessments, shoreline change analyses, coastal hazard screenings, asset criticality and risk assessments, and prioritize resilience projects.
  • Utilize or interpret coastal modeling outputs (e.g., flood/erosion scenarios) and translate findings into clear policy and design guidance.
  • Develop implementation plans (phasing, triggers, cost ranges, co‑benefits, operations/maintenance) and capital project pipelines.
• Funding & Implementation
  • Identify and pursue funding from State Coastal Conservancy, CCC, Ocean Protection Council (OPC), FEMA BRIC/HMGP, California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services (Cal OES), and local/state bond programs; support grant writing and management.
  • Coordinate with engineers, ecologists, and landscape architects to advance feasibility studies and preliminary concepts toward permit table, fundable projects.
• Community Engagement & Equity
  • Design and facilitate inclusive engagement with residents, community‑based organizations, working waterfronts, and tribes.
  • Prepare plain‑language materials and give presentations to councils, commissions, and the public, emphasizing environmental justice and equitable adaptation.
• Project Management & Delivery
  • Prepare technical memos, staff reports, policy language, graphics, and presentations.
  • Lead or support scope, schedule, and budget management, subcontractor coordination, and quality control.
  • Conduct site visits and limited fieldwork in the coastal zone.

• Education
  :
  Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Coastal Engineering, Civil Engineering, Environmental Engineering, Geology, Urban & Regional Planning, or a related discipline.
• Experience
  :
  Minimum ~4 years of related experience in coastal/marine science, environmental management, coastal economics, or climate adaptation.
• Policy/Regulatory Knowledge
  :
  Demonstrated understanding of the California Coastal Act, CCC LCP guidance, and coastal resource protections; familiarity with CCC SLR Guidance and OPC Sea‑Level Rise Guidance.
• Coastal Resilience Skills
  :
  Experience with SLR vulnerability assessments, coastal hazard analysis, adaptation strategies, and translating technical outputs into policy recommendations.
• Coastal Modeling
  :
  Experience using USGS CoSMoS to interpret flooding, erosion, wave runup, groundwater rise, and storm scenario outputs.
• Technical & Data Skills
  :
  Strong data management and analysis; advanced Excel;
  Python; GIS (ArcGIS or QGIS); interpreting modeling outputs.
• Communication
  :
  Excellent technical writing, visual communication, and public…