Consultant, Environmental Planner – Utilities & Vegetation Management - Northern California

Are you ready to shape the future of sustainable infrastructure in California? Join ERM’s fastest-growing global service line and make an impact on projects that power communities while protecting the environment. If you thrive on solving complex challenges and want to work with some of the most respected professionals in environmental planning, this is your opportunity.

ERM’s Impact Assessment & Planning (IAP) team is at the forefront of guiding major development projects through environmental planning and permitting. With over 1,000 experts worldwide and a reputation for tackling the most challenging projects, we help clients achieve success while minimizing sustainability risks. This role is critical in supporting California utilities with vegetation management and maintenance activities—ensuring compliance, safety, and environmental stewardship.

As a Consultant, Environmental Planner – Utilities & Vegetation Management in Northern California (Walnut Creek, or Sacramento offices), you will serve as the Contract Environmental Lead for a large California utility. You’ll coordinate permitting efforts, manage agency reviews, and ensure projects meet regulatory requirements. Your work will directly influence project timelines, environmental compliance, and client satisfaction—making you a key player in delivering sustainable solutions.

• Bachelor’s degree in environmental planning, biology, environmental science, or related field
• 0–3 years of experience with CEQA review and California natural resource regulatory permitting, including experience with electric/gas transmission and generation markets in California
• Technical competency in environmental permitting and planning
• General knowledge of biology, environmental compliance, cultural resources, water and air quality, and hazardous materials
• Strong written and verbal communication skills
• Commitment to safety and collaborative teamwork

• Master’s degree in a related field

• Act as Contract Environmental Lead, coordinating project reviews and permitting under agencies such as USFS, BLM, CA State Parks, USFWS, and others
• Review project details for accuracy and completeness
• Develop comprehensive project descriptions and ensure consistency across deliverables
• Assign agency reviews, mapping needs, and due dates based on client guidance
• Track projects from onboarding to completion
• Identify and communicate schedule delays and constraints, both internally with the ERM team and externally with the client
• Lead internal and external status meetings
• Prepare permit notifications and draft agency notifications for permit applications
• Create construction guidance documents for utility crews outlining environmental requirements
• Coordinate post-impact assessments for emergency or pre-release work
• Drive innovation within ERM’s Impact Assessment & Planning service offering
• Meet health & safety standards, financial targets, and client expectations

For the Consultant, Environmental Planner – Utilities & Land Management position, the anticipated annual base pay is $76,552–$96,901 (USD). Actual pay will depend on factors such as education, experience, skills, location, performance, and business needs. In some cases, pay may fall outside this range. This role may be eligible for bonus pay (casual and fixed term/flex force employees are not bonus eligible).

We offer a comprehensive benefits package, including paid time off, parental leave, medical, dental, vision, life, disability, AD&D insurance, 401(k) or RRSP/DPSP, and other applicable benefits to eligible employees.

Note:

Bonuses, commissions, and other forms of additional compensation are not guaranteed and subject to the sole discretion of ERM and its policies and procedures.

As the largest global pure play sustainability consultancy, we partner with the world’s leading organizations, creating innovative solutions to sustainability challenges and unlocking commercial opportunities that meet the needs of today while preserving opportunity for future generations.

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