Environmental Affairs & Compliance Senior I - San Diego, CA

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SDG&E is not just an energy company, we are the architects of a brighter, cleaner future. Our employees power everyday life for 3.7 million people - bringing the energy to support their passions, ambitions, and the heartbeat of our community.

We call Southern California our home. It's where we chase our dreams and raise our families. That's why the people who live here deserve an energy company unlike any other, and that's why every day, SDG&E employees strive to be at the forefront of innovations to reduce emissions, modernize the electric grid, and enable our customers to make the transition to clean technologies. We're redefining sustainability, advancing zero-emissions solutions, and driving the electric vehicle revolution.

It takes the best to build the best - join us!

Career Level: P3

Primary Purpose:
Executes environmental compliance activities and ensures operational practices meet regulatory obligations. Serves as a resource for internal teams by interpreting requirements and supporting initiatives that reduce environmental risk.

Primary Focus:

• Serves as a Natural Resources Subject Matter Expert (SME) for multiple complex environmental projects involving special status flora and fauna.
• Supports the implementation and management of the SDG&E Habitat Conservation Plan Amendment, Natural Community Conservation Plan (NCCP), the Low-Effect HCP for the Quino Checkerspot Butterfly, and other permits.
• Coordinates with wildlife agencies (USFWS and CDFW) to secure project approvals and develop appropriate avoidance, minimization, and mitigation measures (AMMs).
• Oversees the preparation, submittal, and implementation of Pre-Activity Survey Reports per SDG&E NCCP and HCP requirements.
• Prepares Environmental Releases and provides environmental compliance oversight for active construction activities.
• Evaluates proposed projects to determine applicable natural resource permitting pathways and manages the development of biological reports and supporting environmental compliance documentation.
• Develops natural resource permits, standard practices, guidance materials, and training content; delivers program updates and conducts training for operating groups.
• Identifies, analyzes, and interprets natural resource regulations, proposed legislation, and standards, and negotiates with regulatory agencies to address potential impacts on company operations.

Duties and Responsibilities:

• Implements and executes environmental compliance programs related to air, water, and land quality, ensuring operations are aligned with regulations.
• Regularly monitors environmental conditions on the organization's premises, ensuring adherence to clean air, hazardous waste disposal, and other environmental regulations.
• Serves as a point of contact for regulatory agencies, addressing any compliance concerns and facilitating required audits or inspections.
• Prepares and maintains detailed records of environmental permits, reports, and audits, ensuring compliance with government standards.
• Leads or participates in internal audits to assess compliance with environmental standards and regulations, identifying areas for improvement.
• Provides guidance on identifying and mitigating environmental risks, including compliance with relevant federal and state regulations.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

Duties and Responsibilities:

• Implements and executes environmental compliance programs related to air, water, and land quality, ensuring operations are aligned with regulations.
• Regularly monitors environmental conditions on the organization's premises, ensuring adherence to clean air, hazardous waste disposal, and other environmental regulations.
• Serves as a point of contact for regulatory agencies, addressing any compliance concerns and facilitating required audits or inspections.
• Prepares and maintains detailed records of environmental permits, reports, and audits, ensuring compliance with government standards.
• Leads or participates in internal audits to assess compliance with environmental standards and regulations, identifying areas for improvement.
• Provides guidance on identifying and mitigating environmental risks, including compliance with relevant federal and state regulations.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

Required Qualifications:

• Typically requires a 4 year degree in a relevant field, or equivalent combination of relevant education and experience.
• Typically requires 5 years of related experience.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

• Data Analysis - Measuring and managing organization data, identifying methodological best practices and conducting statistical analyses.
• Environmental Awareness - Understanding natural environment protection and the activities that can cause harm to the environment.
• Environmental Permitting - Defining (in a transparent, accountable manner) legally binding requirements to protect human health and the environment.
• Environmental Reporting - Communicating information about an organization's environmental performance and impacts.
• Environmental Risk Management - Identifying, assessing, and managing risks and uncertainties associated with environmental factors. It includes analyzing potential hazards, evaluating their likelihood and potential consequences, implementing risk control measures, and monitoring and reviewing the effectiveness of risk management strategies.
• Policy Design & Development - The effort to develop efficient and effective policies through the application of knowledge about policy.
• Policy Management - Creates, implements and maintains policies and procedures within an organization.
• Regulatory Compliance - Ensuring an organization's adherence to laws, regulations, guidelines and specifications relevant to its business processes.
• Relationship Management - Activities undertaken to improve business relationships.
• Stakeholder Management - The process of organizing, monitoring and improving relationships with stakeholders.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree in wildlife biology, ecology, environmental science, zoology, botany, entomology, or a related biological field, Master's preferred.
• Understanding of federal, state, and local environmental laws and regulations related to natural resources, including the Endangered Species Act (ESA), California Endangered Species Act (CESA), Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act (BGEPA), and Migratory Bird Treaty Act (MBTA).
• Professional experience in natural resource management.
• 7+ years experience conducting biological assessments, habitat mapping, and species-specific surveys in southern California.
• 3+ years of experience managing and supporting electric and gas infrastructure projects
• Possession of an active USFWS Section 10(a)(1)(A) recovery permit (not required).
• Technical expertise in conducting protocol-level biological surveys and/or habitat assessments.
• Experience preparing EIRs, EISs, PSRs, and other biological resource documents.
• Environmental Specialist Certification or other environmental certification is preferred.

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, citizenship, disability or protected veteran status.

HYBRID: Work a combination of onsite and remote days each week, typically 4 days per week onsite.

Environmental

Full-time

Note: SDG&E strives to ensure that employees are paid equitably and competitively. Starting salaries may vary based on factors such as relevant experience, qualifications, and education.

SDG&E offers a competitive total rewards package that goes beyond base salary. This position is eligible for an annual performance-based incentive (bonus) as well as other merit-based recognition. Company benefits include health and welfare (medical, dental, vision), employer contributions to retirement benefits, life insurance, paid time off, as well as other company offerings such as tuition reimbursement, paid parental leave, and employee assistance programs.

Pay Range Pay Range

The estimated pay range for this job. Disclosing pay information promotes competitive and equitable pay.

The actual pay rate will depend on the person's qualifications and experience.

$103,500.00 - $163,500.00 / year

In order to support the Fair Compensation Strategy by the US Govt., HR Dept., clients are required to adhere to "Pay Transparency Law"; in the impacted states; that have mandated the employers to list the salary ranges in Job advertisements or postings for job opportunities and Job promotions.