Environmental Compliance Specialist

Position Overview

West Coast Forestry is seeking an Environmental Compliance Lead to support utility vegetation management operations. This role is responsible for ensuring full compliance with all environmental requirements, permits, and site-specific restrictions associated with field work.

The Environmental Compliance Lead will manage environmental reporting, lead incident investigations, implement corrective actions, and provide direct field support to crews and supervisors. This is a field-driven role that requires strong operational awareness, not just environmental knowledge.

Key Responsibilities

• Serve as the primary environmental compliance lead for all assigned vegetation management work
• Review environmental requirements in work packages prior to field execution
• Ensure crews understand and follow all environmental restrictions through tailboards and field support
• Act as the main point of contact between field operations and environmental stakeholders
• Lead environmental event response, including:
• Immediate reporting through required channels
• Coordination of environmental event reports
• Onsite containment and response support
• Conduct environmental investigations, including:
• Timeline reconstruction
• Root cause analysis
• Identification of control failures
• Develop and assign corrective actions tied directly to root cause
• Track corrective actions through completion and verify effectiveness before closure
• Perform field audits to verify compliance with:
• Sensitive resource protection
• Access restrictions
• Spill prevention controls
• Wildlife protection measures
• Support training of field personnel on environmental requirements and expectations
• Maintain environmental documentation, logs, and reporting records
• Participate in internal environmental trend reviews and continuous improvement efforts

Minimum Qualifications

• 5 years of experience in environmental compliance, utility vegetation management, construction, or related field operations
• Experience working in field environments with environmental restrictions (not office-only experience)
• Strong understanding of:
• Environmental compliance and permitting requirements
• Sensitive resource protection (wildlife, wetlands, cultural resources)
• Spill prevention and response
• Experience conducting incident investigations and root cause analysis
• Ability to manage environmental reporting processes and deadlines
• Strong communication skills with ability to work directly with field crews and leadership
• Valid driver’s license and ability to travel to field locations

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience working on utility or large-scale field operations projects
• Familiarity with environmental reporting systems and compliance tracking tools
• ISA Certified Arborist
• HAZWOPER 40-hour certification
• OSHA 30
• Background in biology, environmental science, forestry, or related field

Work Environment

• Primarily field-based with frequent travel to active job sites
• Exposure to outdoor conditions including heat, cold, dust, and uneven terrain
• Interaction with crews, supervisors, and environmental stakeholders daily

What Success Looks Like in This Role

• Environmental requirements are understood and followed before work begins
• Environmental events are reported immediately and handled correctly
• Investigations identify true root causes, not surface issues
• Corrective actions prevent recurrence and are verified in the field
• Crews operate with clear understanding of environmental expectations
• No repeat environmental compliance failures

About West Coast Forestry

West Coast Forestry provides vegetation management and environmental compliance support for field operations across California. The company focuses on safe, compliant, and efficient execution with strong oversight and accountability.

Pay: $30.00 - $45.00 per hour

Benefits:

• Dental insurance
• Health insurance
• Paid time off
• Vision insurance

Work Location: On the road

Salary : $30 - $45