The Hazard Mitigation Section consists of a team of dedicated and passionate professionals focused on increasing resiliency and reducing risk to lives and property throughout California. The Hazard Mitigation Grants Division, Hazard Mitigation Quality Assurance Division, Hazard Mitigation Technical Assistance Division, and Hazard Mitigation Planning Division make up the Section.
Under the general direction of the Program Manager II, Technical Assistance Division Chief, the Senior Environmental Planner (SREP) is expected to provide subject matter expertise in environmental planning, analysis, and evaluation of a wide variety of projects and initiatives. The incumbent is expected to be proficient, and independently perform under general direction, the essential functions listed below in support of the Technical Assistance Division within the Resilience Branch of the Hazard Mitigation Section.
The Technical Assistance Division within the Resilience Branch supports the CalOES mission and strategic plan through the innovation, planning, development, and implementation of mitigation-focused projects and initiatives. The Division is responsible for technical assistance to local jurisdictions in devising plans and projects that will advance climate adaptation and equity outcomes to enhance resilience throughout the state of California. The Technical Assistance Division is expected to work in partnership with the Hazard Mitigation Planning Division to ensure that all proposed projects and pending grant awards are in alignment with the established local and state hazard mitigation plans and comply with federal and state environmental and programmatic regulations and laws.
The SREP is responsible for the management, supervision, and operational oversight of resources to implement the objectives assigned to the Unit. This includes but is not limited to: the development and implementation of tools, resources, and programs that support the development, administration, ongoing monitoring, and compliance of hazard mitigation grants; implementation of initiatives and directives that support the department’s pre- and post-disaster related objectives, staffing plans, assessments and applicable mitigation/management measures, vulnerability studies, benefit cost analyses, environmental and historic preservation reviews, and financial reports.
The position requires the incumbent to have a broad working knowledge of state and federal Hazard Mitigation policies and programs as provided under the California Emergency Services Act, California Disaster Assistance Act (CDAA) and federal Public Law 93-288, as amended (Robert T. Stafford Act). The incumbent must possess a general understanding or experience with one or more of the following: hazard mitigation, risk reduction, climate adaptation, environmental planning, state and federal environmental policies, engineering, and/or architectural and geological techniques used in a wide variety of public infrastructure construction projects.
The SREP is expected to comfortably handle risk and uncertainty, as well as make decisions to act without having the total picture, dealing with ambiguity is crucial to this role. The incumbent must be forward thinking and be able to anticipate the implications and consequences of situations and take appropriate actions to be prepared for possible contingencies, anticipating, and preparing for future developments with regards to the impacts of climate change throughout the state of California. The Resilience Branch is responsible for maintaining visibility of the innovative approaches to mitigation resiliency and the SREP must be prepared to develop recommendations of improved effectiveness and efficacy of best practices and the latest academic research related to resilience as it pertains to the unit’s functional organization.
This position may require extensive travel across the State, including overnight stays, to conduct field/site visits and environmental assessments.
This position is located in the Technical Assistance Branch Unit in Mather.