Senior Environmental Scientist (Specialist)

Are you looking to make a difference and join a highly motivated team working on issues critical to ensuring the safety and sustainability of California? The Office of Energy Infrastructure Safety’s Environmental Science Division is seeking a Senior Environmental Scientist (Specialist) to evaluate vegetation management aspects of electric utility Wildfire Mitigation Plans (WMP). Evironmental Scientist will also be considered for recruitment purposes. The Environmental Science Division is responsible for evaluating the vegetation management aspects of utility 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, Division 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. Division scientists serve as subject-matter experts in utility vegetation management and environmental policy related to wildfire risk reduction. Our team of scientists is highly collaborative and works closely with the Compliance Assurance, Electrical Safety Policy, and Data Analytics Divisions. Under general direction of the Senior Environmental Scientist (Supervisory) of the Environmental Policy Branch in the Environmental Science Division, the incumbent will review and evaluate vegetation management-related aspects of electric utility WMPs, develop utility vegetation management best management practices for wildfire safety, and contribute to the development of Guidelines. The incumbent will also develop and maintain relationships with Federal, State, and local agency partners and serve as the environmental science subject matter expert to assist other Energy Safety Divisions.