Regulatory Compliance Officer

Description

The Regulatory Compliance Officer (RCO) plays a vital role in ensuring that operations comply with complex environmental regulations at the local, state, and federal levels. This position is responsible for leading environmental permitting, reporting, compliance tracking, and risk management initiatives across multiple regulatory programs. The RCO will independently coordinate agency submittals, analyze environmental performance data, conduct environmental risk and vulnerability assessments, and manage all aspects of the environmental compliance obligations across assigned project facilities.

This role requires both technical expertise and strong regulatory acumen. The ideal candidate will be a self-driven environmental professional with a passion for environmental protection, innovation in compliance, and the ability to interpret and operationalize environmental regulations in a high-profile public-private infrastructure setting.

• Lead the development, implementation, and oversight of environmental permitting and regulatory compliance strategies for our facilities across the United States.
• Prepare and manage the submittal of regulatory reports and updates, including but not limited to:
  Discharge Monitoring Reports (DMRs), CIWQS uploads, QISP annual reports, EPA eGGRT, Toxics Release Inventory (TRI), and EPCRA Tier II submissions.
• Ensure compliance with applicable federal, state, and local environmental regulatory programs, including:
• National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES)
• Coastal Development Permits (CDP)
• Division of Drinking Water (DDW) regulations
• Industrial Discharge Permits
• Air Pollution Control District (APCD)
• U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and California Environmental Protection Agency (CalEPA)

• Maintain and optimize environmental monitoring programs related to air emissions, effluent discharge, source water intake, and marine outfall systems in accordance with permit and operational requirements.
• Track and analyze environmental compliance metrics to identify trends, risks, and opportunities for continuous improvement.
• Conduct data-driven evaluations of environmental performance; extrapolate laboratory and field sampling results in alignment with AWWA Standard Methods to inform operational decisions and regulatory reporting.
• Prepare and maintain environmental compliance registries and vulnerability assessments for assigned facilities.

• Lead environmental risk and vulnerability assessments for facility operations, capital projects, and offshore maintenance activities.
• Oversee watershed sanitary survey updates and marine discharge evaluations in accordance with DDW and California Ocean Plan requirements.
• Coordinate compliance efforts related to Coastal Development Permits and serve as primary point of contact with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and California Coastal Commission for shoreline and offshore activities.

• Serve as liaison to regulatory agencies including the State Water Resources Control Board (SWRCB), Regional Water Quality Control Boards (RWQCBs), U.S. EPA, and local CUPA/APCD jurisdictions.
• Represent company and the seawater desalination sector through active participation in relevant Technical Advisory Groups (TAGs), policy working groups, and regulatory steering committees at the state and local level.

• Support or serve as alternate Project Environmental Coordinator (PEC) for environmental initiatives at new and existing project sites.
• Collaborate closely with internal engineering, operations, maintenance, legal, and leadership teams to ensure seamless integration of environmental requirements into daily operations, project planning, and contract deliverables.
• Assist in the planning, execution, and follow-up of internal audits, third-party inspections, and regulatory compliance reviews, including development of corrective action plans and agency communications.
• Prepare annual environmental program budget estimates, capital and O&M purchase orders, and regulatory settlements for review and approval by the Director of Regulatory Compliance.

• Bachelor’s degree in Environmental Science, Environmental Engineering, Environmental Policy, or related field. Equivalent combinations of education and relevant experience (e.g., Associates + 4 years) may be considered.
• At least 5 years of progressively responsible experience in environmental permitting, compliance, and regulatory reporting in a utility, water/wastewater treatment, or industrial process environment.
• Experience preparing and submitting regulatory reports through platforms such as CIWQS, SMARTS, CERS, eGGRT, and TRI-MEweb.
• Proven ability to liaise with regulatory agencies, facilitate inspections/audits, and support permit negotiations or enforcement response.
• Demonstrated…