This is a Position-Based Test conducted in accordance with CSC Rule 111A. Learn more about the City's hiring process here: Understanding the hiring process (https://careers.sf.gov/knowledge/process/) .
Specific information regarding this recruitment process is listed below:
Application Opening: November 9, 2026
Application Deadline: This job announcement may close at any time but not before November 23, 2026, at 5:00 p.m. PT; interested applicants are encouraged to apply as soon as possible.
Salary Range: $131,300 - $159,562 annually
Recruitment ID: PBT-5298-163034
San Francisco International Airport (SFO) is one of the most dynamic and consequential airports in the world, serving as the primary international gateway to Northern California and Silicon Valley. As an enterprise department of the City and County of San Francisco, SFO welcomes over 54 million guests annually and offers nonstop service to more than 140 destinations worldwide on 50+ airlines.
SFO is far more than a transportation hub. It is a recognized leader in environmental sustainability, equity, arts and culture, and forward-thinking infrastructure. With approximately 1,900 City employees and a broader community of more than 25,000 workers across airlines, concessionaires, and partners, SFO generates significant economic vitality across the Bay Area region.
Our mission is to deliver an airport experience where people and our planet come first. Our core values of Safety and Security, Teamwork, Excellence, Care, and Equity guide everything we do as we build a supportive, purpose-driven workplace where all employees can thrive.
SFO is proud to be an equal opportunity employer committed to a diverse, equitable, and inclusive workplace. We welcome candidates of all backgrounds, identities, and lived experiences. Applicants are considered regardless of race, sex, age, religion, color, national origin, ancestry, disability, genetic information, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, military and veteran status, or other protected category under applicable law.
Learn more about careers at SFO at flysfo.com, and follow us on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, LinkedIn, Bluesky and Threads.
Under the direction of the Environmental Affairs Manager, the Planner III - Environmental Review conducts environmental reviews under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) and the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). You will prepare resource permits and compliance documentation, review airport land use compatibility, and interpret Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) requirements. You will support specialized Airport projects and programs, coordinate with regulatory agencies, work collaboratively in a team environment, and promote positive public relations in support of Airport strategic goals and objectives.
Prepare necessary federal and state environmental review documents under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), the Federal Aviation Administration's (FAA) orders and regulations, and the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) to ensure environmental approvals and permits are secured prior to project financing and implementation;
Prepare resource permits for approval by various federal, state, and local resource agencies such as the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Regional Water Quality Control Board, San Francisco Bay Conservation and Development Commission, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, National Marine Fisheries Service, and/or the California Department of Fish and Wildlife to support airport capital development and maintenance projects;
Prepare airport development and maintenance projects, including pre- and post-construction reports and other compliance reporting;
Interpret and explain FAA rules and regulations regarding airport design and the legal, technical and procedural aspects of environmental reviews;
Prepare technical reports and correspondence;
Support the review of off-Airport developments and associated environmental review cases of concern to the Airport, including compliance with the airport land use compatibility plan and related policies and regulations governing the safe operation of Airport and aircrafts;
Support the development and management of the Airport's West of Bayshore San Francisco Garter Snake Recovery Action Plan;
Draft and administer public competitive procurement processes through requests for qualifications/proposals for the Bureau, including managing consultant selection process, negotiating contracts, obtaining local approvals for contract awards, and performing ongoing contract management, including contract and associated project budgeting;
Consult with appropriate resource agencies;
May supervise staff and/or consultants in the preparation of various environmental impact evaluation documents and permit applications;
Perform other duties as listed in the 5298 Planner III Environmental Review class specification, which can be found on DHR's website (https://careers.sf.gov/classifications/?classCode=5298) .
1.
A. Education: Baccalaureate degree from an accredited college or university);
AND
B. Experience: Four (4) years (8000 hours) of verifiable full-time equivalent experience either:
Performing environmental review functions;
OR
In a city/regional/urban planning environment preparing documents for entities such as California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), California Department of Fish and Game, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Regional Water Quality Control Board, Federal Aviation Administration (FAA);
OR
2.
A. Education: Master's degree from an accredited college or university in city/regional/urban planning, environmental studies, architecture, law, earth sciences, geography, economics, landscape architecture, civil engineering, urban studies or public administration;
AND
B. Experience: Two (2) years (4000 hours) of verifiable full-time equivalent experience either:
Performing environmental review functions;
OR
In a city/regional/urban planning environment preparing documents for entities such as California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), California Department of Fish and Game, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Regional Water Quality Control Board, Federal Aviation Administration (FAA);
Desirable Qualifications: The stated desirable qualifications may be used to identify job finalists at the end of the selection process when candidates are referred to hiring.
Recent and verifiable experience in aviation/airport planning including airport facilities planning, airport master planning, airfield/airspace planning, and/or aviation demand forecasting.
Experience in environmental planning and permitting, including CEQA and NEPA environmental review and approvals, and obtaining permits from regulatory agencies such as the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, California Department of Fish and Wildlife, Regional Water Quality Control Board, and San Francisco Bay Conservation and Development Commission.
Knowledge of federal and state environmental laws and regulations, including the Clean Water Act, Porter-Cologne Water Quality Control Act, McAteer-Petris Act, federal and California Endangered Species Acts, California Fish and Game Code guidelines.
Working knowledge of state CEQA statute and guidelines.
Working knowledge of FAA rules and regulations, orders, advisory circulars, including FAA Orders 1050.1G and 5050.4B implementing NEPA.
Verification:
Applicants may be required to submit verification of qualifying education and experience at any point during the recruitment and selection process. If education verification is required, information on how to verify education requirements, including verifying foreign education credits or degree equivalency, can be found at https://sfdhr.org/how-verify-education-requirements.
Note: Falsifying 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.
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.
Resumes will not be accepted in lieu of a completed City and County of San Francisco application.
Applications completed improperly may be cause for ineligibility, disqualification or may lead to lower scores.
Every application is reviewed to ensure that you meet the minimum qualifications as listed in the job ad. Please review our articles on Employment Application and Minimum Qualifications (https://sfdhr.org/recruitment-details#qualifications) and Verification of Experience and/or Education (https://sfdhr.org/recruitment-details#verification) for considerations taken when reviewing applications.
Selection Procedures:
After application submission, candidates deemed qualified must complete all subsequent steps to advance in this selection process, which includes the following:
Oral/Performance Examination (Weight: 100%)
Applicants who meet the minimum qualifications will be invited to participate in an Oral/Performance examination designed to determine their relative knowledge, skill, and ability levels in job-related areas. Written, assessment @type, or other performance-based exercises may be utilized. Candidates will be placed on the eligible list in rank order according to their final passing score.
Note: Applicants who meet the minimum qualifications are not guaranteed to advance through all the steps in the selection process. Only those applicants meeting the minimum qualifications requirement will be notified of the exact date, time, and place to report for the Oral/Performance Examination.
Knowledge, Skills, and Ability: Knowledge of environmental analysis; methods and data sources for environmental investigations; accepted practices in implementation of environmental law. Ability to carry out assigned tasks decisively and accurately; work effectively in a department team framework; exercise judgment in the critical analysis of the work of a wide variety of specialized environmental consultants; prepare concise reports; maintain organized records; deal tactfully with the public, governmental officials, professional and technical persons.
Eligible List/Score Report:
A confidential eligible list of applicant names that have passed the civil service examination process will be created and used for certification purposes only. An examination score report will be established, so applicants can view the ranks, final scores and number of eligible candidates. Applicant information, including names of applicants on the eligible list, shall not be made public unless required by law. However, an eligible list shall be made available for public inspection, upon request, once the eligible list is exhausted or expired and referrals are resolved. The eligible list/score report resulting from this civil service examination process is subject to change after adoption (e.g., because of appeals), as directed by the Human Resources Director or the Civil Service Commission.
The duration of the eligible list resulting from this examination process will be six (6) months and may be extended with the approval of the Human Resources Director. To find Departments which use this classification, please see Position-Counts-by-Job-Codes-and-Department-FY-2023-24.pdf (https://sfdhr.org/sites/default/files/documents/Forms-Documents/Position-Counts-by-Job-Codes-and-Department-FY-2023-24.pdf) .
Certification: The certification rule for the eligible list resulting from this examination is Rule of Ten (10). The hiring department may administer additional position-specific selection procedures prior to making final hiring decisions.
What else should I know?
Transportation Security Administration (TSA) Security Clearance: Candidates for employment with the San Francisco Airport Commission are required to undergo a criminal history check, including FBI fingerprints, and Security Threat Assessment in order to determine eligibility for security clearance and may be required to undergo drug/alcohol screening. Per Civil Service Commission Rule Section 110.9.1, every applicant for an examination must possess and maintain the qualifications required by law and by the examination announcement for the examination. Failure to obtain and maintain security clearance may be basis for termination from employment with the Airport Commission.
Customs Clearance: This position requires that the incumbent be qualified for unescorted access to the San Francisco International Airport U.S. Customs Security Area. An application for a U.S. Custom Access Seal may be submitted to Customs ONLY after employment has commenced. Employment in this position requires that the incumbent submit an application for, successfully acquire and maintain a Customs Access Seal. Per Civil Service Commission Rule 110.9.1, every applicant must possess and maintain the qualifications required by law and by the examination announcement for this examination. Failure to acquire or maintain customs access, a requirement for this position, may be basis for termination from employment with the Airport Commission. Customs Access Seal requirements and procedures are located in the Code of Federal Regulations, Title 19, Part 122, Sections 181 or 189.
Medical Examination: Prior to appointment, candidates must successfully pass a medical examination to determine his/her ability to perform the essential functions of the job and/or the ability to meet the physical minimum requirements.
Terms of Announcement and Appeal Rights:
Applicants must be guided solely by the provisions of this announcement, including requirements, time periods and other particulars, except when superseded by federal, state or local laws, rules or regulations. [Note: The correction of clerical errors in an announcement may be posted on the Department of Human Resources website at https://careers.sf.gov/].
The terms of this announcement may be appealed under Civil Service Rule 111A.35.1. The standard for the review of such appeals is 'abuse of discretion' or 'no rational basis' for establishing the position description, the minimum qualifications and/or the certification rule. Appeals must include a written statement of the item(s) being contested and the specific reason(s) why the cited item(s) constitute(s) abuse of discretion by the Human Resources Director. Appeals must be submitted directly to the Executive Officer of the Civil Service Commission within five business days of the announcement issuance date.
Additional Information Regarding Employment with the City and County of San Francisco:
Information About the Hiring Process (https://careers.sf.gov/knowledge/process/)
Conviction History
Employee Benefits Overview (https://careers.sf.gov/benefits/)
Equal Employment Opportunity (https://www.sf.gov/what-equal-employment-opportunity-and-how-file-claim)
Disaster Service Worker (https://sfdhr.org/disaster-service-workers)
ADA Accommodation
Veterans Preference (https://sfdhr.org/recruitment-details#veteranspreference)
Right to Work
Copies of Application Documents (https://sfdhr.org/recruitment-details#copies)
Diversity Statement
Where to Apply:
All job applications for the City and County of San Francisco must be submitted through our online portal. Please visit https://careers.sf.gov/ to begin your application process. No other methods of application will be accepted.
Select the "I'm Interested" button and follow instructions on the screen.
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 Department of Human Resources at 1 South Van Ness Avenue, 4th Floor and at the City Career Center (https://www.sf.gov/city-career-center) at City Hall, 1 Dr. Carlton B. Goodlett Place, Room 110.
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.
Applicants may be contacted by email about this recruitment and, therefore, it is their responsibility to ensure that their registered email address is accurate and kept up-to-date. Also, applicants must ensure that email from CCSF is not blocked on their computer by a spam filter. To prevent blocking, applicants should set up their email to accept CCSF mail from the following addresses (@sfgov.org, @sfdpw.org, @sfport.com, @flysfo.com, @sfwater.org, @sfdph.org, @asianart.org, @sfmta.com, @sfpl.org, @dcyf.org, @first5sf.org, @famsf.org, @ccsf.edu, @smartalerts.info, and @smartrecruiters.com).
Upon successful submission, applicants will receive a confirmation email from notification@careers.sf.gov. Keep this email for your records. If you do not receive it, your application was not submitted successfully.
All your information will be kept confidential according to EEO guidelines.
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.
Recruitment Analyst Information: If you have any questions regarding this recruitment or application process, please contact the Carmen Ng via email at carmen.ng@flysfo.com.
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.
