Senior Environmental Planner
Amended on August 11, 2025, to reflect updated Application Deadline. Application Opening: Monday, July 14, 2025. Application Deadline: Interested applicants are encouraged to apply as soon as possible as this announcement may close at any time after 5:00 p.m. PDT on Monday, August 18, 2025. Annual Compensation: $150,384 - $182,702 Recruitment ID: PBT-5299-156631 (Multiple Positions)
Working at San Francisco International Airport (SFO), an enterprise department of the City and County of San Francisco (CCSF), has approximately 1,700 CCSF employees and strives to be a diverse, equitable, and inclusive employer. SFO's mission is delivering an airport experience where people and our planet come first and our core values are Safety and Security, Teamwork, Excellence, Care, and Equity.
Under general direction from the Environmental Affairs Manager, the Senior Environmental Planner will successfully prepare and manage federal and state environmental reviews supporting critical airport projects/programs, and obtain resource permits when required. The Senior Environmental Planner will work collaboratively in a team environment. You are excited about this opportunity because you will:
- Manage and analyze complex federal National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) environmental reviews that are prepared according to Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Orders 1050.1F and 5050.4B implementing NEPA; and state California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) environmental reviews according to State CEQA Guidelines, CEQA Statute, and Chapter 31 of the SF Administrative Code, to advance Airport strategic goals, objectives, and the capital program.
- Obtain regulatory permitting for projects by formulating and executing streamlined permitting strategies to successfully comply with special purpose laws and other relevant statutes.
- Review engineering, airport planning and programming studies that are carried forward into environmental reviews, FAA submittals, and regulatory permits.
- Supervise tasks and assignments performed by other staff planners, administrative support staff, and technical consultants supporting projects.
- Review off-airport development projects and prepare responses maintaining the importance of airport land use compatibility, according to FAA rules and regulations and state laws.
- Promote positive public relations, identify solutions, and serve as liaison to outside agencies and communities, including but not limited to the FAA, local municipalities, and airlines/pilots, to advance airport strategic goals and objectives.
- Prepare presentations, briefings, memos, recommendations, and reports on environmental planning/permitting for projects to Airport leadership, Airport Commission, internal staff, regulatory agencies such as the FAA, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and other external stakeholders and entities.
- Manage, draft, and administer competitive procurements, professional services contracts, invoices, task and contract budgets to effectively execute environmental review and permitting projects.
- Review, evaluate, and communicate proposed relevant legislation, studies, and policies affecting environmental planning and permitting.
- Perform other functions outlined in the 5299 Planner IV-Environmental Review.
Minimum Qualifications:
Education: Possession of a baccalaureate degree from an accredited college or university. AND Experience: Five (5) years of progressively responsible experience in the areas of planning, environmental review, or environmental law, of which at least four (4) years must be in environmental review or environmental law, including management and scheduling experience. Substitution: Advanced degrees in related fields of planning, science or law may be substituted for up to two years of experience; or an equivalent combination of training and experience.
Special Conditions (Additional requirements for this position): Three (3) years of recent and verifiable experience in airport/aviation planning, including airport facilities planning, airport master planning, airfield/airspace planning, aviation demand forecasting, and environmental planning/permitting in aviation/airport (i.e. CEQA and NEPA environmental approvals; and permitting from U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, California Department of Fish and Wildlife, Regional Water Quality Control Board, and Bay Conservation and Development Commission). AND Licenses/Certifications: Possession of a valid California driver's license (California driver's license must be obtained prior to appointment).
Desirable Qualifications: The stated desirable qualifications may be considered at the end of the selection process when candidates are referred for hiring: Experience leading technical environmental planning studies such as air quality modeling, aircraft noise modeling, among others. Experience presenting to and communicating effectively and tactfully with the public and government officials. Experience writing clear and concise technical documents. Experience managing administrative procedures and budgets. Experience managing, mentoring and training direct and indirect staff. Experience facilitating Airport policy discussions relating to airports and representing the Airport's interests at industry conferences.
Selection Procedures: After application submission, candidates deemed qualified must complete all subsequent steps to advance in this selection process, which includes the following: Oral/Performance Examination: (Weight - 100%) Candidates who meet the minimum qualifications and special requirement will be invited to participate in an oral/performance examination designed to measure their relative knowledge, ability and skill levels in job related areas. Written, assessment type, or other performance-based exercises may be utilized. Candidates will be placed on the eligible list in rank order according to their final scores. Candidates' scores on this examination process may also be applied to other announcements involving other job titles, when directed by the Human Resources Director. A passing score on the Oral Exam must be achieved in order to be placed/ranked on the eligible list.
Transportation Security Administration (TSA) Security Clearance: Candidates for employment with the San Francisco Airport Commission are required to undergo a criminal history record check, including FBI fingerprints, and Security Threat Assessment in order to determine eligibility for security clearance and may be required to undergo drug/alcohol screening.
Eligible List/Score Report: A confidential eligible list of applicant names that have passed the civil service examination process will be created and used for certification purposes only. An examination score report will be established, so applicants can view the ranks, final scores and number of eligible candidates. Applicant information, including names of applicants on the eligible list, shall not be made public unless required by law. However, an eligible list shall be made available for public inspection, upon request, once the eligible list is exhausted or expired and referrals resolved. The eligible list/score report resulting from this civil service examination process is subject to change after adoption (e.g., as a result of appeals), as directed by the Human Resources Director or the Civil Service Commission. The duration of the eligible list resulting from this examination process will be six (6) months and may be extended with the approval of the Human Resources Director.
To find Departments which use this classification, please see Position Counts by Job Codes and Departments.
Certification: The certification rule for the eligible list resulting from this examination will be Rule of 10. The hiring department may administer additional position-specific selection procedures prior to making final hiring decisions.
Terms of Announcement and Appeal Rights: Applicants must be guided solely by the provisions of this announcement, including requirements, time periods and other particulars, except when superseded by federal, state or local laws, rules or regulations. Clerical errors may be corrected by posting the correction on the Department of Human Resources website. The terms of this announcement may be appealed under Civil Service Rule 111A.35.1. The standard for the review of such appeals is 'abuse of discretion' or 'no rational basis' for establishing the position description, the minimum qualifications and/or the certification rule. Appeals must include a written statement of the item(s) being contested and the specific reason(s) why the cited item(s) constitute(s) abuse of discretion by the Human Resources Director. Appeals must be submitted directly to the Executive Officer of the Civil Service Commission within five business days of the announcement issuance date.
Additional Information Regarding Employment with the City and County of San Francisco:
Information About the Hiring Process, Equal Employment Opportunity, Employee Benefits Overview, Conviction History, ADA Accommodation, Veterans Preference, Seniority Credit in Promotional Exams, Right to Work, Copies of Application Documents, and Diversity Statement.
HOW TO APPLY: Applications for City and County of San Francisco jobs are only accepted through an online process. Visit and begin the application process.
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