Public Works Regulatory Specialist (Planner III)*

Salary : $87,339.20 - $123,240.00 Annually
Location : San Bernardino, CA
Job Type: Full-time
Job Number: 26-16179DPW-01
Department: Public Works
Opening Date: 08/08/2026
Closing Date: Continuous
FLSA: Non-Exempt

The Job
San Bernardino County Department of Public Works is recruiting for Public Works Regulatory Specialist (Planner III)* who are responsible for a wide range of environmental planning duties in support of capital improvement projects and maintenance of existing public works facilities.
DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS

The Department of Public Works is an innovative, forward-looking department that provides a wide variety of environmental and regulatory compliance services including California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) and National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) Compliance Services as well as other regulatory and environmental planning activities for a multitude of County Departments/Divisions including but not limited to Flood Control, Transportation, Solid Waste, and Special Districts. As such, the position requires an understanding of the planning, operating, and engineering characteristics of stormwater/flood projects and systems, transportation roadway and bridge projects, long term capital improvement projects and more. The Department of Public Works is responsible for preparing Federal and State regulatory applications and obtaining 404 permits, 401 certifications, and 1602 streambed alteration agreements for the construction and maintenance of public works facilities throughout the county by working closely with federal, state, and local resource agencies.

The Department of Public Works is seeking to hire Public Works Regulatory Specialists (Planner III) to support its Environmental Management Division (EMD) - Maintenance Section. The Maintenance Section is responsible for all environmental clearance efforts in support of ongoing maintenance activities of Public Works facilities. The Maintenance section works with multiple divisions within Public Works but primarily supports Operations Divisions.
Duties include but are not limited to:

• Prepare and manage the CEQA environmental review process for projects. The majority of CEQA documents are at the Categorical Exemption or Initial Study/Mitigated Negative Declaration level. The Regulatory Specialist will coordinate with technical support staff internally to provide preliminary analysis of impacts and/or procure a consultant will prepare the CEQA documents with the required environmental technical reports.
• Prepare and manage the federal and state routine maintenance permit applications and provide oversight leading to successful receipt of permits. Management involves consultation (permit application) and reporting (permit implementation) with federal and state agencies including the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Regional Water Quality Control Boards, U.S. Department of Fish and Wildlife, and California Department of Fish and Wildlife.
• Prepare emergency permit applications and supporting documents/maps in support of emergency operations work during storm season.
• Create or review GIS maps or data in support of permit applications and reporting.
• Review encroachment permit applications to determine if an applicant's proposed project will have environmental impact(s) to a public works owned/maintained facility.
• Schedule and lead project meetings as needed.
• Procure environmental consulting services, manage contracts, process invoices, oversee project schedule.
• Provide planning support to Operations and other DPW staff on an as needed basis.

*Official Title:Planner III

EXCELLENT BENEFITS

To review job-specific benefits, refer to: Summary of Benefits and the General Unit MOU

The County also offers an alternative Modified Benefits Option (MBO) that provides a wage differential.
CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT

Pre-Employment Process: Applicants must pass a background investigation, which includes fingerprinting and physical exam prior to appointment.

Travel: Travel throughout the County is required. A valid California Class C driver's license is required at time of appointment and must be maintained during employment. Employees in this class may be required to use personal vehicles and show proof of automobile liability insurance. Mileage reimbursement is available.

Sponsorship: Please note San Bernardino County is not able to consider candidates who will require visa sponsorship at the time of application or in the future.

Minimum Requirements

Applicants must meet the required experience and ONE (1) of the required education options listed below:

EXPERIENCE
Two (2) years of professional-level planning and project management experience in regulatory permitting and compliance, environmental review/analysis, or land use planning.

-AND-
EDUCATIONOption 1:
A Bachelor's Degree or higher in Planning, Environmental Science, Biology, Botany, Geographic Information Systems, Landscape Architecture, Geography, Engineering, or a closely related field.
Option 2:
An Associate Degree in Planning, Environmental Science, Biology, Botany, Geographic Information Systems, Landscape Architecture, Geography, Engineering, or closely related field -AND- One (1) year of planning-related experience which may include experience as an Engineering/ Land Use/Survey Technician or assisting with preparation/review of California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) and National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) applications for 404 permits/401 certifications (Clean Water Act), or Lake and Streambed Alteration Act (LSA) permits.

Substitution: A Master's Degree in one of the areas listed above or in Public/Business Administration or Project Management may substitute for one (1) year of the required experience.
Desired Qualifications
The Ideal candidate will:

• Possess a strong knowledge base and demonstrated ability in preparing regulatory permits and applications in accordance with local, state, and federal environmental permitting laws, regulations, and best practices, including:
  • California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA)
  • Clean Water Act (Sections 404 and 401), including an understanding of USACE NEPA environmental review requirements
  • Endangered Species Act (ESA) and California Endangered Species Act (CESA)
  • California Fish and Game Code
  • Federal and State Habitat Restoration and Conservation Plans
  • Other applicable environmental regulations and guidance

• Demonstrate the ability to interpret and apply regulatory requirements to environmental planning, permitting, and compliance projects.
• Highly Desired: Possess professional experience with Geographic Information Systems (GIS), including ArcGIS Pro desktop application and/or online GIS platforms, for analyzing, managing, and presenting environmental data.

Selection Process
Application Procedure: Please complete and submit the online employment application and supplemental questionnaire. Applications will be accepted until further notice; recruitment may close at any time once sufficient applications are received. Resumes will not be accepted in lieu of the application and/or supplemental questionnaires.
There will be a competitive evaluation of qualifications based on the information provided in the Application and the Supplemental Questionnaire. You are encouraged to include detailed descriptions of your qualifying experience and skills, as only the most highly qualified applicants will be referred to the Department.
To ensure timely and successful submission of your online application, please allow ample time to complete and submit your application before the posted filing deadline. Applicants will be automatically logged-out if they have not submitted the application and all required materials prior to the posted deadline. Once your application has been successfully submitted you will receive an onscreen confirmation and an email. We recommend that you save and/or print these for your records. Please note: if you do not receive an onscreen confirmation and an email acknowledging our receipt of your application, we have not received your application.
All communications regarding the selection process will be via email. Applicants are encouraged to check their e-mails frequently to obtain any correspondence associated with this recruitment. Please be sure the email provided on this application is always current; it is your responsibility to update your personal information. Update your Spam, Junk, Bulk and Firewall settings as needed to ensure that you receive all information pertaining to this recruitment.

For more important details, review the links below:

Guide to Completing a County Job Application

Applicant Information and the County Employment Process
Administrative Services Unit

San Bernardino County offers a range of benefit programs for employees and their eligible dependents. These include health, dental, vision, and life insurance, as well as a variety of other voluntary benefits. Programs and benefit amounts vary and are based on bargaining unit, family size, hire date, plan selection, and number of hours worked.

Please review the appropriate * for more information

Refer to the appropriate MOU, contact the County's Employee Benefits and Services Division at (909) 387-5787 or visit the for more detailed information.

*Retirement benefits subject to change.
01

PLEASE READ THE BELOW STATEMENT
Instructions: The information provided on your application and in your responses to the following Supplemental Questionnaire will be used to determine if you meet the minimum requirements for this position, as well as in a competitive evaluation of qualifications. It is in your best interest to be as thorough as possible in your responses. Resumes will NOT be reviewed to determine qualifications. Applicants will not be able to update their application materials or answers to the questionnaire once the application has been submitted. Note: Experience listed on this questionnaire must also be listed and fully detailed in the work experience section of your application.

• I have read and understand the above statement.

02

Education: Select below the option that best describes your highest level of education.

• Bachelor's Degree or higher in Planning, Environmental Science, Biology, Botany, Geographic Information Systems, Landscape Architecture, Geography, or Engineering.
• Bachelor's Degree in a field closely related to those listed above.
• Master's Degree in one of the specific fields listed above or in Public/Business Administration or Project Management.
• Associate Degree in Planning, Environmental Science, Biology, Botany, Landscape Architecture, Geography, Engineering, or closely related field.
• Technical, Certificate Program or Some College
• High School or GED
• None of the above

03

CEQA AND NEPA ENVIRONMENTAL PLANNING AND REGULATORY PERMIT COMPLIANCE: Describe your experience preparing and reviewing CEQA or NEPA documents and/or contracting for CEQA/NEPA-related consulting services. If no experience, indicate "N/A".
04

FEDERAL AND STATE REGULATORY PERMITTING: Describe your experience with Federal and State regulatory permit efforts and identify the public agencies with which you have interacted with. If no experience, indicate "N/A".
05

AVOIDANCE, MINIMIZATION AND MITIGATION EFFORTS: Describe your experience implementing environmental conditions that involve avoidance, minimization, and mitigation efforts. If no experience indicate "N/A".
06

SHORT-TERM AND LONG-TERM MITIGATION PLANS: Describe your involvement in short-term and/or long-term mitigation plans or restoration efforts. If no experience, indicate "N/A".
07

GEOGRAPHIC INFORMATION SYSTEMS: Describe your understanding, working experience, or courses taken in GIS software and other business software applications, such as Microsoft applications and MS Project. If no experience, indicate "N/A".
08

COORDINATION WITH OTHER AGENCIES: Describe your experience interacting with public agencies and consulting firms. Include your role and responsibilities for each public agency. If no experience, indicate "N/A."
09

PROJECT MANAGEMENT: Describe your experience managing projects, including your approach to managing projects when assigned, procuring and m