Principal Environmental Planner

Principal Environmental Planner

Join an agency committed to creating a healthy breathing environment for every Bay Area resident while protecting and improving public health, air quality, and the global climate! The Air District is conducting an open recruitment for the position of Principal Environmental Planner in the Planning and Climate Protection Division. This is a full-time, represented position for one (1) vacancy. About the Position The Principal Environmental Planner will join a high performing and motivated team of professional planners, engineers, technical, and legal experts working on preparing and implementing plans, policies and programs to address regional air quality challenges while also bringing a specific focus on reducing longstanding air pollution and health disparities in the most overburdened communities in the Bay Area.

In this role, under direction, you will:

• Be a thought leader using innovation and creativity to integrate air quality, climate, health, equity, and environmental justice.
• Lead and contribute to the successful preparation and implementation of community-scale air quality plans in partnership with Air District staff, community members, partner organizations, local governments, the California Air Resources Board, and other state agencies.
• Support the development and implementation of regional-based plans and assistance to local governments to advance health protective and equitable air quality and climate plans and policies.
• Cultivate strong working relationships and collaborations with community-based organizations, community members, local governments, regional, state and federal agency partners.

To be successful in this role, you must be a strong team leader, have excellent communication, project management and analytical skills, and be able to work with people of varied backgrounds and perspectives, including low-income communities of color and communities overburdened by air pollution. You will leverage your knowledge of land use, transportation, air quality, equity and environmental justice to lead interdisciplinary team-based projects that research, analyze issues, and craft high impact recommendations to support community and Air District decision making. You will work with your team to prepare and deliver community centered materials including presentations, writing summaries, and plan documents.

First-hand experience developing and implementing local land use policies and plans that consider air quality, equity and environmental justice; planning, organizing and facilitating community and stakeholder meetings and interpreting, analyzing and visualizing geospatial environmental, health and socio-economic data to support plan and policy development is a plus.

Definition Under direction, participates in the most complex environmental planning activities; performs related work as assigned. Distinguishing Characteristics This class provides high-level professional environmental planning services in support of the Air District's goals and objectives. Incumbents are responsible for handling difficult and/or innovative environmental planning activities for the Air District and providing project leadership for developing programs. This class is distinguished from Supervising Environmental Planner, in that the latter supervises assigned staff on a continuing basis and prepares performance evaluations.

About the Planning and Climate Division The Planning and Climate Protection Division is responsible for preparing plans to meet state and federal air quality standards and assisting local communities, cities, counties, and regional agencies improve air quality and advance climate protection efforts. Division staff work on the Air District's Community Health Protection Program implementing Assembly Bill 617; partner with impacted and overburdened communities and their local governments to reduce local air pollution, climate impacts and improve health outcomes; and work collaboratively to integrate air quality, health and climate protection into local and regional air quality plans, projects, and programs. The Division is responsible for developing the Air District's California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) air quality and climate impact thresholds of significance and for developing and keeping current data, tools and guidelines to assist lead agencies complete air quality and climate impact analyses.

About the Air District Bay Area Air District is a regional government agency, committed to achieving clean air to protect the public's health and the environment. The Air District accomplishes this goal through regulation of industrial facilities and various outreach and incentive programs designed to encourage clean air choices. The Air District's jurisdiction encompasses all of seven counties - Alameda, Contra Costa, Marin, San Francisco, San Mateo, Santa Clara and Napa, and portions of two others - southwestern Solano and southern Sonoma. At the Air District, we take pride in our commitment to fostering a workplace that values diversity and promotes cultural awareness. We prioritize employee engagement by providing a collaborative and inclusive environment that encourages active participation and open dialogue. Additionally, we believe in pay equity and strive to create an equitable compensation structure. With a strong emphasis on work-life balance, we understand the importance of supporting our employees' well-being both inside and outside the workplace. Join us in a dynamic and inclusive culture where your contributions are celebrated and your growth is nurtured. The Air District recognizes and values the contributions of every employee and works to sustain an environment where everyone is respected. We incorporate the principles of diversity, equity and inclusion within our decision-making strategies, policies, procedures, regulations, funding initiatives, public outreach, planning, and hiring.

Hybrid Work Schedule The Air District offers a schedule that meets the needs of our staff, department operations, and the communities we serve. Remote hours may be available depending on the assignment.

The following duties are typical for jobs in the class. They are for illustrative purposes only and do not reflect the full scope of job duties.

• Lead the development and delivery of new and innovative policies, programs and projects to accelerate emission and exposure reductions in communities most disproportionately impacted by air pollution.
• Develop and maintain strong working relationships with community-based organizations, community members, local governments, regional, state and federal agencies to develop and implement local and regional air quality plans and programs.
• Lead collaborative projects and programs that actively engage staff from other Divisions to advanced local community health protection goals and objectives in overburdened, low-income, and communities of color.
• Prepare and make presentations to Air District staff, Committees and Board of Directors, as well as members of the public, other stakeholders and community organizations.
• Coordinates or provides a lead role in developing new projects and programs. Provides project leadership for difficult, sensitive, innovative or critical projects. Coordinates and participates in research, administrative and technical activities necessary to achieve environmental review, planning and transportation/air quality program objectives. Monitors and evaluates legislation and other governmental actions relating to air quality management planning; develops recommendations for District regulations, policies and programs. Interfaces with local, state, and federal agencies regarding land use, transportation and air quality planning and environmental review. Represents the District and responds to inquiries from governmental officials, consultants, and the public related to environmental planning issues. Coordinates and participates in the preparation, review and editing of environmental impact assessment documents from other agencies; prepares District Lead Agency documents in accordance with relevant guidelines. Directs the preparation of non-attainment area plans related to assigned work. Analyzes issues, prepares reports and recommendations relative to land use, regional development, transportation planning and programming, and related issues; provides input into planned development's impact on air quality. Confers with personnel from other divisions and agencies in coordinating assigned work; meets with community organizations and other groups to encourage cooperative action or resolve problems.

Minimum Qualifications

Education and Experience A typical way to obtain the knowledge and skills is: Equivalent to graduation from a college or university with a graduate degree in regional, urban, or environmental planning or a closely related field and four years of professional environmental planning experience. Additional relevant experience may substitute for the graduate degree.

Knowledge of:

Methods for developing environmental planning programs. Organization and functions of agencies involved in local and regional planning. Objectives, principles, procedures, standards, practices, information sources and trends in the field of air quality environmental impact assessment and land use, transportation and environmental planning. Application of land use, physical design, demographic, environmental, and social/economic concepts as applied to regional planning. Objectives, principles, practices, information sources and trends in the field of air quality environmental impact assessment. Statistical analysis and mathematical concepts related to the planning process. Applicable district rules and regulations and state and federal laws. Local planning procedures and customs. Terminology, symbols, methods and techniques of environmental, land use, and transportation planning.

Skill in:

Directing and conducting complex environmental planning studies and activities. Reading and interpreting laws, policies, procedures, regulations, maps, specifications, site and building plans, graphs and statistical data. Making persuasive presentations of ideas and recommendations. Exercising sound independent judgement within established guidelines. Preparing clear, concise and complete technical documents, reports and correspondence. Establishing and maintaining cooperative and effective relationships with those contacted in the course of the work.

How to Apply & Selection Criteria

Application Instructions Interested individuals must submit a completed Air District application and responses to the supplemental questionnaire by 5:00 p.m. on June 3rd, 2026. Resumes are encouraged, but not mandatory, and will not be accepted in lieu of the required application materials. Applications must be submitted online; please visit our website at to apply. Postmarked, faxed, and e-mailed applications will not be accepted. Except as requested in this announcement, do not include any additional documents, such as letters of recommendation, performance evaluations, work samples, etc. They will not be