The Environmental Science Division is responsible for evaluating the vegetation management aspects of utility Wildfire Mitigation Plans (WMPs), assessing performance in meeting vegetation management-related commitments described in the WMPs, and ensuring that each utility is reducing its risk of igniting a catastrophic wildfire. To this end, the Environmental Science Division supervisors and environmental scientists review regulatory filings and utility procedures, analyze reported data, perform audits, conduct field inspections, publish findings, and engage with the utilities and interested parties. The Environmental Science Supervisor of the Audit, Guidelines and Standards Branch oversees the division environmental scientists that are Energy Safety’s subject-matter experts in utility vegetation management and environmental policy related to wildfire risk reduction and implements the SVM compliance program. Our team of supervisors and environmental scientists is highly collaborative and works closely with the Compliance Assurance, Electric Safety Policy, and Data Analytics Divisions across Energy Safety.
Under general direction of the Program Manager I, the Senior Environmental Scientist Supervisor of the Audit, Guidance and Standards Branch in the Environmental Science Division, will supervise, organize, and plan staff activities in the Audits, Standards & Guidelines Branch, by organizing all activities, supervising work, making assignments, controlling quality, while adhering to State funding and budgeting processes and constraints to ensure fiscally aligned, timely scheduled, and successful completion of all Branch work. The Supervisor will also direct, monitor, and review all aspects of the Branch by directing the audits of utility vegetation programs for general wildfire safety and wildfire mitigation plan compliance, reviewing and approving SVM audit documents, corrective actions submitted by the utilities and SVM audit reports, leading interagency coordination on SVM audit efforts for the division, and ensuring staff is prepared and trained to meet responsibilities of the Branch. The Supervisor will also serve as a subject matter expert on the creation of guidelines and standards necessary to fulfill statutory mandates by reviewing existing department guidelines and industry standards and directing staff on the creation of associated guidelines and standards. The Supervisor will be the point of contact for the regulated utilities on the SVM workstream and will develop and maintain relationships with Federal, State, and local agency partners and collaborate across other Energy Safety Divisions.