The Environmental Planner will assist with the planning and development of community and wildfire resilience projects within the Eastern Sierra and the completion of relevant environmental planning documents. This position will lead project development and environmental planning efforts on projects of low to medium complexity and provide essential support to the Environmental Planning Program Manager and the Community Engagement Program Manager with programs and projects designed to enhance resilience to wildfire and community engagement on a regional scale. This position will report directly to the Environmental Planning Program Manager and will work closely with various teams within the Whitebark Institute.
Specific job duties include, but are not limited to, the following. Estimates of FTE% hours within each area of work may change over time.
Project Development 50% FTE
- Convene partners for project development efforts, ensuring broad representation and engagement.
- Coordinate partners including Whitebark staff, the Inyo National Forest (INF), other agency staff, community members, and others to identify projects that advance community and ecosystem resilience in the Eastern Sierra.
- With guidance and support from Community Resilience Program Manager and Whitebark Leadership Team, manage the planning and development of community and ecosystem resilience projects within the Eastern Sierra.
- Utilize GIS to facilitate project identification and planning
- Work with the Resilience Director and Environmental Planning Program Manager to foster relationships with partners, tribal members, small businesses, regional experts, and other relevant entities to solicit input, gather feedback, and foster community engagement in project planning and implementation efforts that reflect the interests and needs of the community and environment.
- Provide administrative support for project-related activities, including preparing materials, organizing resources, taking detailed meeting notes, following up, advancing and tracking action items, and maintaining project files.
- Organize and maintain project-related data, including survey results, community feedback, and other relevant information to support decision-making and reporting processes.
- Conduct literature reviews, archive reviews, and background research on existing plans to gather relevant project development information for Whitebark Leadership.
Outreach Collaboration (5%)
- Collaborate with the Outreach and Education team to develop materials that address gaps in knowledge and effectively communicate the rationale and needs for project implementation to various audiences, including visitors and community members.
Environmental Planning/ Technical Support: 35% FTE
- Provide technical analysis support, including survey support and preparation of specialist reports and environmental analysis in hydrology, botany, biology, and other relevant fields. Technical experience in range management and/or botany is preferred.
- Utilize GIS to conduct spatial analysis to support environmental analysis
- Assist in the preparation of environmental compliance documents including NEPA and CEQA environmental documents. Prepare supporting documentation such as technical reports for wildlife, botany, hydrology, and/or air quality and greenhouse gas analysis.
- Provide technical document support, including reviewing, editing, conducting reference checks, and formatting, for documents related to environmental planning, such as technical reports and California Environmental Quality Act/National Environmental Policy Act documents.
- With support from the Environmental Planning Program Manager, manage the preparation of NEPA and CEQA documents for projects of low to medium complexity.
Grant & Budget Management: 10% FTE
- Work with Whitebark Administrator to complete grant tracking and reporting, ensuring compliance with funding requirements.
- Support budget management tasks, including maintaining up-to-date budgets and providing accurate reports to Whitebark Institute leadership.
- Communicate with subcontractors to facilitate timely payment of invoices and approval of work submitted under grants.