Principal Environmental Specialist - Project Design & Development - Public Works

Specific information regarding this recruitment process is listed below.

Application Opening:  September 11th, 2026 Friday
Application Deadline:  Apply immediately. Application filing will be open at least through 11:59pm (PST) of September 18th, 2026 Friday, and will close any time thereafter​​​​​​​
Recruitment ID:  TPV-View phone number on us.fitly.work

Appointment Type:  Temporary Provisional (TPV) . This is not a permanent appointment. A provisional appointee must participate and be successful in a Civil Service examination for this classification and be selected to be considered for permanent appointment. Provisional appointments may not exceed three (3) years.

Becoming a City employee means being a part of a team that cares about making a difference. Your work will shape both the present and future of San Francisco. When you work for the City, you’re choosing a job with purpose.

San Francisco Public Works (Public Works) has a far-reaching portfolio with a $453 million annual operating budget, an active capital portfolio that exceeds $3 billion and a workforce of 1,700-plus employees. The department operates around the clock, touching every neighborhood in San Francisco. The staff designs and manages the construction of civic buildings and streets; cleans and greens the right of way; maintains civic buildings; manages multi-million-dollar bond programs; trains people for jobs; keeps the right of way free of hazards; paves the roads; repairs bridges and public stairways; expands accessibility; and works at the forefront addressing some of San Francisco’s biggest challenges. With a mission to enhance the quality of life in San Francisco for residents, visitors and business owners, Public Works is committed to providing outstanding public service through an equity lens.

Please visit the “About Us” section of our website at to learn more about the department’s core values, Racial Equity Initiative, leadership team, history, budget and more.

Job Description

San Francisco Public Works is seeking a Principal Environmental Specialist at the Project Design and Development division.

Under general direction, the Principal Environmental Specialist manages environmental programs and projects within a defined area of specialty, such as clean air, energy conservation, public outreach, environmental impacts of project construction, NEPA/CEQA compliance, recycling, or toxics and pollution reduction. This position is responsible for planning, coordinating, implementing, and evaluating environmental initiatives and ordinances which include program oversight, staff supervision, budget administration, regulatory interpretation, public communication, and support for policy development and implementation.

IMPORTANT AND ESSENTIAL DUTIES

Your duties as Principal Environmental Specialist may include, but are not limited to the following:

• Managing complex environmental programs by developing goals, policies, strategic plans, and standard of protocol/procedures
• Supervising and assigning work to program staff
• Interpreting and applying relevant environmental laws and regulations
• Preparing budgets, monitoring expenditures to ensure adherence to the approved budget, and securing grant funding
• Supporting the administration of funding and contracting processes, including oversight of grant disbursements and consultant agreements
• Making public presentations, conducting outreach, preparing written communications, and fostering positive partnerships with community groups, nonprofit organizations, commissions and other private and public agencies
• Drafting environmental documentation, contributing to technical policy updates, coordinating permitting with regulatory agencies
• Developing environmental specifications and managing departmental environmental compliance information tracking system

Qualifications

MINIMUM

QUALIFICATIONS

Education: Possession of a baccalaureate degree from an accredited college or university

AND

Experience: Eight (8) years of professional experience leading, developing, and implementing environmental programs or policies

Substitution:

• Additional experience as described above may substitute for the required degree on a year-for-year basis. Thirty (30) semester units or forty-five (45) quarter units equal one year

• Possession of a Master’s degree in public administration, environmental science, environmental health, public policy, public health, or a related field may substitute for one (1) year of experience
• Possession of a Ph.D. in public administration, environmental science, environmental health, public policy, public health, or a related field may substitute for two (2) years of experience

Note
One (1) year of full-time employment is considered equivalent to Two Thousand (2,000) hours. Any overtime hours that you work above forty (40) hours per week are not included in the calculation to determine full-time employment.

Minimum Qualification Supplemental Questionnaire (MQSQ)
Candidates may be required to complete an MQSQ as part of the employment application. This MQSQ is designed to obtain specific information regarding an applicant's experience in relation to the Minimum

Qualifications

(MQ) for this position. The MQSQ will be used to evaluate if the applicant possesses the required minimum

qualifications

.

Verification

All work experience, education, training, and other information substantiating how you meet the minimum

qualifications

must be included on your application by the filing deadline. Information submitted after the filing deadline will not be considered in determining whether you meet the minimum

qualifications

.

Applicants may be required to submit verification of qualifying education and experience at any point during the recruitment and selection process. More information can be found at: . Failure to provide the required verification may result in rejection of the application and/or removal from eligibility for referral and appointment in this class.

Resumes will not be accepted in lieu of a completed City and County of San Francisco application.

Note: Any misrepresentation or falsification of one's education, training, or work experience, or attempted deception on the application, may result in disqualification for this and future job opportunities with the City and County of San Francisco.

SELECTION PROCEDURE

After application submission, candidates deemed qualified must complete all subsequent steps to advance in this selection process.

The selection process will include an evaluation of applications in relation to minimum requirements. Depending on the number of applicants, the department may establish and implement additional screening mechanisms to comparatively evaluate the

qualifications

of candidates. If this becomes necessary, only those applicants whose

qualifications

most closely meet the needs of the department will move forward in the recruitment process.

Applicants who meet the minimum

qualifications

are not guaranteed advancement through all of the steps in the selection procedure.

Additional Information

--- HOW TO APPLY --- 

All job applications for the City and County of San Francisco must be submitted through our online portal. Please visit to begin your application process.

Computers are available for the public (9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Monday through Friday) to file online applications in the lobby of the Dept. of Human Resources at 1 South Van Ness Avenue, 4th Floor and at the City Career Center at City Hall , 1 Dr. Carlton B. Goodlett Place, Room 110. 

For this job announcement, select the ‘Apply Now’ button and follow instructions on the screen to apply. 

Ensure your application information is accurate, as changes may not be possible after submission. Your first and last name must match your legal ID for verification, and preferred names can be included in parentheses. Use your personal email address, not a shared or work email, to avoid unfixable issues. 

Upon successful submission, applicants will receive a confirmation email from  View email address on us.fitly.work . Keep this email for your records . If you do not receive it, your application was not submitted successfully.

HR Analyst Information: If you have any questions regarding this recruitment or application process, please get in touch with the analyst, Kathy Mei at View email address on us.fitly.work . Please include the recruitment ID,  TPV-View phone number on us.fitly.work , in the subject line.

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ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

REGARDING EMPLOYMENT WITH THE CITY AND COUNTY OF SAN FRANCISCO--- 

Statement on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion: At the City and County of San Francisco, we share a commitment to a diverse, inclusive and equitable community. Each member of our organization is responsible and accountable for what they say and do to make San Francisco an inclusive and equitable place to live and work by employing fair and just practices to and for all.

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The City and County of San Francisco encourages women, minorities and persons with disabilities to apply. Applicants will be considered regardless of their sex, race, age, religion, color, national origin, ancestry, physical disability, mental disability, medical condition (associated with cancer, a history of cancer, or genetic characteristics), HIV/AIDS status, genetic information, marital status, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, gender expression, military and veteran status, or other protected category under the law.

The City and County of San Francisco encourages women, minorities and persons with disabilities to apply. Applicants will be considered regardless of their sex, race, age, religion, color, national origin, ancestry, physical disability, mental disability, medical condition (associated with cancer, a history of cancer, or genetic characteristics), HIV/AIDS status, genetic information, marital status, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, gender expression, military and veteran status, or other protected category under the law.