Project Manager - San Francisco, CA

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 Calif ...

Job description

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 a highly motivated Project Manager to
lead renewable energy projects, including solar, battery storage, and other emerging technologies
—across California, Nevada, and Arizona. The ideal candidate brings
10+ years of relevant work experience
with a bachelor's or master's degree in environmental planning, policy, science, or a related interdisciplinary field and a strong track record serving as a trusted advisor to renewable energy clients and leading the delivery of complex energy initiatives at all stages of the development life cycle. We are seeking a candidate with excellent strategic thinking and client‑service skills and the ability to build trusted, long‑term relationships. This role is ideal for a collaborative, delivery‑focused professional who is eager to grow, contribute meaningfully to a dynamic team, and help advance renewable energy development in the West.

This role is a great fit for someone with a growth mindset who enjoys taking ownership of their work, driving progress, and contributing to the growth of a dynamic and mission‑driven team. If you're passionate about shaping the future of energy and delivering meaningful results for clients, we'd love to meet you.

Who You Are

• You bring life-cycle industrial scale energy project experience, including: early-stage due diligence and constraints analysis; land use entitlement, including Conditional Use Permit applications, General Plan Amendments, and Williamson Act cancellations; siting and routing; managing field and desktop environmental studies; identifying potential permit requirements and permitting strategies; obtaining regulatory permits, and facilitating environmental compliance.
• You have a minimum of 10 years of relevant experience and a bachelor's degree.
• As a key member of our team, you will manage the scope, schedule, budget, and quality of complex energy projects, ensuring successful delivery for our energy‑developer clients. You will work closely with multidisciplinary teams, jurisdictional agencies, and project stakeholders to guide projects from early planning through implementation.
• You have successfully built and managed small to large, diverse teams to prepare project deliverables on time and within budget. You can effectively communicate with clients as well as colleagues to understand and manage expectations and prepare clear and concise deliverables that align with client expectations. You have intellectual curiosity, leadership qualities, and thrive in collaborative environments that may require innovative solutions to problem-solving.
• A demonstrated leader who communicates proactively, collaborates effectively in multidisciplinary teams, and constructively identifies and resolves project and team challenges.
• You treat colleagues, clients, and partners with respect, empathy, and professionalism.
• Proactively anticipate and mitigate risks to schedule and budget.
• Thrive in a challenging, fast‑paced, collaborative environment.
• Strong client-service orientation with the ability to build and maintain long-term, trusted relationships with energy developers.
• Highly organized, with proven ability to manage project scope, develop realistic schedules, and track budgets to keep projects on target.
• Strategic and creative thinker who brings innovative problem-solving approaches to evolving renewable energy needs.
• Clear and effective communicator, both written and verbal, able to collaborate with technical teams, permitting staff, and project partners.
• Proven experience with proposal development and successful project delivery for all stages of renewable energy development projects.
• Comfortable managing complex energy projects that span activities beyond their core technical expertise.
• Experienced in developing detailed, end-to-end environmental permitting schedules, including pre-application, construction, and post-approval activities, with clear dependencies and durations.
• Extensive experience with permitting and Williamson Act cancellations, including Conditional Use Permits; state and federal wildlife agency permits; and state and federal aquatic resource permits.
• Strong quality control and time management skills and attention to detail, with a consistent record of delivering high-quality work products.
• Willing and able to support business development efforts, including leveraging an existing professional network to win new work.
• Knowledgeable of regulatory frameworks and key agencies in California, Arizona, and Nevada.
• Able to thrive in a fast-paced, challenging environment and be able to manage multiple responsibilities and deadlines, while working on a team or independently.

What You Will Do For ESA
Project Leadership & Execution

• Lead and support proposals through strong written capability to scope renewable energy projects through all stages of development, permitting, and compliance.
• Lead and support project execution through all stages of the project.
• Oversee project scope, schedule, budget, and quality, ensuring all deliverables meet ESA's standards and are completed on time and within budget.
• Develop and maintain detailed project schedules that outline all permitting, development, and construction‑related activities.
• Lead the preparation, review, and quality assurance of technical documents to ensure accuracy, clarity, and compliance with all regulatory requirements.
• Proactively identify risks, anticipate challenges, and develop creative, strategic solutions to maintain project momentum.

Team & Stakeholder Coordination

• Collaborate closely with ESA's interdisciplinary teams—including technical specialists, environmental planners, engineers, and permitting staff—to support smooth project execution.
• Provide clear, timely communication to clients, teaming partners, and internal staff regarding project expectations, progress, milestones, and decision points.
• Serve as the primary point of contact for clients, nurturing strong, long‑term relationships with renewable energy developers and project partners.
• Take on and effectively manage tasks beyond your core technical expertise, demonstrating adaptability and a willingness to support a wide range of project needs.

Client Service & Business Development

• Deliver exceptional client service through proactive communication, dependable execution, and high‑quality project delivery.
• Support the development of proposals, scopes of work, and budgets, and contribute to contract negotiations as needed.
• Participate in client meetings, industry events, and conferences to represent ESA and promote our services that support renewable energy project.
• Leverage your professional network to contribute to business development efforts and help grow ESA's renewable energy portfolio.
• Engage with clients to understand their needs, identify pursuits, and gather information to pre-position the firm for success.

What's Special About ESA
At ESA, we spend our days helping to keep the environment in balance, and we want to help keep your life in balance too—by providing benefits such as medical, dental, and vision insurance (paid at 70% for you AND your family), a 401(k) plan with company match, an employee stock ownership program, and paid vacation, sick leave, and holidays, to name a few.

No matter what stage you are at in your career, we provide opportunities for continued growth, development, and recognition. 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. We believe these efforts will not only benefit you but will also benefit all ESA colleagues and clients. Specific programs we offer include tuition reimbursement, professional development bonuses, and attendance at conferences.

ESA has established multiple pay ranges tailored to the economic factors in the geographies in which ESA staff reside. For this position, the range is approximately as listed based on our anticipated hiring locations as noted in the above job details. Actual compensation is determined by several factors including but not limited to an individual's related experience, education, skills, and the city in which the applicant lives.
CA Pay Transparency Clause

$116,000—$155,000 USD

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 ESA's 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 ability—or unable to use—the 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. (EOE M/V/F/D)