Urban Planner – Community Planning

Environmental Science Associates (ESA) is a 100% employee-owned environmental consulting firm. We plan design permit mitigate and restore for projects across our communities infrastructure systems open spaces and wildlands. We are 50 years strong in 21 offices across California the Pacific Northwest and the Southeastern United States.

ESA is seeking an Urban Planner Community Planning to join our Northern California Community Development team with 2-7 years of professional experience. Strong preference for candidates with 3 years experience who are ready to take on increasing responsibility in project delivery while learning from experienced planners scientists and designers.

This is an exempt full-time salaried position that follows a hybrid work model combining in-office collaboration with flexible remote work and offers opportunities to work on projects both in-office and off-site throughout the region. Qualified candidates must be within a commutable distance to one of our NorCal ESA Offices including: San Francisco Sacramento Petaluma Oakland & San Jose. Preference given to candidates able to work hybrid in our San Francisco office.

This role may involve some travel for site visits projects and in-person team collaboration as needed. Please note writing samples may be requested as a step in the interview process.

Who You Are

Are you ready to take the next step in your planning career and help shape communities across Northern California Do you enjoy working on meaningful land use and community planning projects alongside multidisciplinary teams while continuing to grow your technical and project management skills If so ESA invites you to chart your professional journey with us.

• Growing Community Planning Professional: You have a solid foundation in land use and community planning and are excited to continue developing your technical expertise across related disciplines including climate resilience transportation planning and urban design. You are comfortable supporting and leading planning tasks conducting research and analysis and contributing to high-quality planning documents. You are a strong technical writer able to translate complex ideas data and policy frameworks into clear well-organized and accessible written materials.
• Organized and Reliable Project Contributor: You enjoy managing your work meeting deadlines and coordinating with project managers and teammates. You are ready to lead defined work tasks and support project schedules budgets and deliverables and you are comfortable collaborating with colleagues across multiple offices and locations.
• Collaborative and Curious Team Player: You thrive in a fast-paced collaborative environment and enjoy working with people from different disciplines and backgrounds. You value learning from others adapting to evolving project needs and contributing ideas that strengthen project outcomes.
• Equity-Minded Planner: You are committed to equity inclusion and community impact and want to be an active participant in building ESAs Justice Equity Diversity and Inclusion (JEDI) culture. You value collaboration mentorship sponsorship and supportive team environments and are eager to contribute to and grow within a workplace that prioritizes inclusive practices shared learning and professional development.
• Must hold a Bachelors degree in Urban Planning Environmental Studies Geography Public Policy or a related field. Masters degree is a plus
• Previous experience with project management entitlement support and applications urban design climate/resilience planning is a plus not required
• You are open to fieldwork if needed and can walk long distances carrying a backpack; and are able to lift at least 50 pounds. You are confident working outside in remote and rural settings as well as in urban environments. Physical outdoor work may include but may not be limited to work in all types of weather traversing uneven ground and sometimes steep terrain in vegetated environments agricultural fields arid lands and along stream banks. You may be exposed to inclement weather and uncomfortable working conditions. Some early morning late night and/or weekend work as well as long hours may be required.

What You Will Do for ESA

As an Urban Planner Community Planning you will contribute to and help lead planning work across a variety of community-focused projects while continuing to grow your skills through mentorship collaboration and hands-on experience.

• Technical Planning and Task Leadership
  • Perform land use and community planning research and analysis including zoning interpretation policy review demographic and spatial analysis.
  • Serve as a contributing author of planning documents such as Specific Plans Area Plans Master Plans General Plan updates zoning and design standards technical memoranda.
  • Prepare clear concise and well-supported draft documents and graphics.
  • Lead assigned planning tasks with guidance from senior staff applying standard planning methods and sound judgment.

• Project Coordination and Support
  • Support project managers with task tracking schedules and coordination of deliverables.
  • Assist with scope schedule and budget tracking for assigned tasks.
  • Deliver work on time and within budget communicating proactively about progress and challenges.
  • Participate in quality control and peer review to ensure accuracy and consistency.

• Collaboration and Engagement
  • Work closely with interdisciplinary teams including planners scientists engineers and designers across ESAs business lines and offices.
  • Participate in public outreach and engagement efforts including facilitation assistance coordination and preparation of materials for public meetings workshops and stakeholder engagement activities.
  • Attend and participate in client and agency meetings as appropriate.

• Additional Opportunities
  • In addition to core project responsibilities this role offers opportunities to grow professionally and engage more broadly across the firm.
    • Demonstrate a growing interest in business development including learning how client relationships are built and maintained and supporting efforts to grow ESAs client base.
    • May participate in proposal development activities such as assisting with scope development budgeting and scheduling under the guidance of senior staff.
    • Engage in ESA initiatives and internal programs including those focused on innovation digital tools and responsible use of AI that support collaboration efficiency and professional growth.
    • Show a growing interest in project management including learning about project delivery coordination and financial tracking.
    • Participate in professional organizations conferences and industry events to support professional development and broaden planning knowledge.

• Other ad-hoc tasks as needed

Whats Special About Our Team

This position will sit within ESAs Northern California Community Development business group. Our Community Development team has built a legacy of success providing planning services environmental compliance and clearance and advancement. We combine our firms technical depth in natural resources science and environmental planning with deep knowledge of local regulatory practices and procedures including the most current legislation and case law to create value-added cost-effective and legally defensible solutions for our clients.

ESA is unique in that we have a deep scientific technical and regulatory expertise which we apply to our planning and environmental review projects. We keep project approval and implementation at the forefront balancing long-term planning community attributes stakeholder objectives and cost. Our focus is on our clients needs and delivering high quality planning CEQA and NEPA documents. We prioritize comprehensiveness and clarity and the result is that our documents are frequently recognized by professional organizations with awards for creative approach and quality. We maintain strong lasting relationships with the clients we serve.

Whats Special About ESA

Joining ESA means becoming part of a close-knit team of environmental professionals who contribute to outstanding projects improve environmental stewardship and advance a more sustainable and resilient future for our communities and wild places.

At ESA we provide benefits such as medical dental and vision insurance (paid at 70% for you AND your family) annual allocations of company share through our ESOP a 401(k) plan with company match and paid vacation sick leave and holidays to name a few.

We also provide specific programs whether you want to further your technical expertise sharpen your business acumen or help lead the next generation of employee-owners. We want to support you in reaching your career goals through tuition reimbursement professional development bonuses and attendance at conferences.

Who We Are

We are a 100% employee-owned environmental consulting firm who values diversity and inclusion and celebrate the differences that make each of us unique. Our culture is built on mutual respect recognizing that our variety of backgrounds experiences and perspectives leads to better solutions which fosters our continued success for our employee-owners and clients.

In accordance with ESAs duty and responsibility to provide and maintain a safe workplace that is free of known hazards and to minimize the exposure to potential hazards any employee who works from an ESA office or conducts any other in-person ESA work-related activity is required to submit their proof of vaccination status or have received an approved exemption and accommodation in states which this applies.

If you are an applicant with a disability that requires a reasonable accommodation to complete any part of the application process or are limited in the abilityor unable to usethe online application system and need an alternative method for applying you may contact our Human Resources Department via email:for assistance.

Please include the following in your message so we can promptly address your request:

• Full name
• The best method to contact you (phone number and/or email address)
• Title of Job Position Applied
• Description of your accommodation request

ESA is an Equal Opportunity Employer committed to a diverse and inclusive work environment. (EOEM/V/F/D)