Wildfire Mitigation Specialist

Summary/Objective

EDM is seeking a Utility Wildfire Mitigation Technical Specialist that would be responsible for performing in depth research and technical writing to help utilities assess and proactively mitigate wildfire risk, enhance the resilience and reliability of the electric grid, and facilitate compliance with applicable regulations. The specialist will play an important role as part of a larger wildfire mitigation consulting team to collaboratively develop and write comprehensive Wildfire Mitigation Plans (WMPs), resiliency plans, gap analyses, and related documents for electric utilities across multiple states, provinces, and regulatory jurisdictions. The specialist will translate complex technical and regulatory information into clear, actionable tactical and strategic plans that integrate current industry prevalent practices and technologies for wildfire mitigation and will collaborate with cross functional teams and utility stakeholders to gather data and insights needed for various wildfire mitigation deliverables. The role emphasizes technical writing, research, and staying current with emerging wildfire mitigation strategies, industry trends, technological advancements, and regulatory requirements.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

• Utility Wildfire Mitigation Document Development: Draft, edit, and update comprehensive wildfire mitigation documents for multiple electric utilities, including WMPs, resiliency plans, operations plans, gap analyses, white papers, etc. This includes writing detailed sections on wildfire risk assessment, prevention strategies, operational response protocols, and metrics for plan effectiveness. Ensure WMPs are tailored to the utility’s service territory, capabilities, aspirations, and meet all applicable regulatory requirements and industry standards

Research and Integration of Wildfire Mitigation Practices and Technologies: Conduct in-depth research on wildfire risks and mitigation techniques to inform wildfire mitigation recommendations and assist utilities with risk assessments and implementation of various wildfire mitigation technologies and strategies. Stay abreast of the latest developments in wildfire mitigation across the electric utility industry. Monitor what peer utilities and research institutions are doing to prevent and respond to wildfires, including emerging technologies and innovative practices. Integrate these prevalent strategies into deliverables (e.g., reports, plans, storyboards, etc.) and leverage proven technologies to reduce wildfire risk

Regulatory Compliance: Track and interpret evolving wildfire-related regulations, standards, and guidelines in different regions. Ensure that each utility’s wildfire mitigation practices and documents adhere to local, state, and federal requirements, as well as any applicable industry standards (e.g., state WMP regulatory requirements, state and federal wildfire safety mandates, and relevant NERC/FERC reliability standards).

Cross-Functional Collaboration: Work closely with utility subject matter experts and departments to gather information, conduct subject matter expert interviews, and validate plan content. Coordinate with utility representatives to collect data on existing mitigation activities, programs, and future initiatives. Collaborate with stakeholders to ensure WMPs align with operational realities and company objectives. Facilitate reviews and incorporate feedback from internal and external experts, including utility leadership or consultants, to refine the plan

Documentation and Technical Writing: Produce high-quality technical documentation for all components of the WMP. Write clear and well-structured explanations of mitigation programs, risk assessment methodologies, emergency response procedures, etc. Ensure that the writing is precise and accessible, conveying complex technical concepts in a way that regulators, utility staff, and community stakeholders can understand.

Continuous Improvement and Reporting: Support ongoing improvement of wildfire mitigation planning and development efforts. Assist in reviewing and updating WMPs on a regular cycle, incorporating new data, lessons learned from recent wildfire events, and feedback from regulators or independent evaluations. Track the utility’s progress on mitigation initiatives and performance metrics, and include these findings in plan updates or status reports. Recommend enhancements or new mitigation measures for future plan iterations based on emerging evidence and practices. Contribute to internal and external reports or presentations about the plan’s implementation as needed.

Education/Qualifications/Experience:

• Bachelor’s degree in a relevant technical field required (e.g., Environmental Science, Fire Ecology, Emergency Management, Engineering, or a related discipline).

• Master’s degree in a relevant technical field is preferred.

• Graduate research or thesis work specifically related to wildfire mitigation, power system risk, or climate adaptation may be considered in lieu of some work experience.

• Experience working directly for an electric utility or having utility-related experience strongly desired.

• Demonstrated experience with utility wildfire mitigation plan development and implementation a plus.

• Strong organizational and planning skills.

• Knowledge of wildfire risk assessment, mitigation strategies, regulatory frameworks, and industry standards. • Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.

• Exceptional communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to engage a wide range of stakeholders. • Excellent communication and presentation skills.

• Proficient in project management software and tools.

• Competent with Office 365 applications.

Work Environment / Physical Demands:

• This job operates in a professional office environment. This role routinely uses standard office equipment such as computers, phones, photocopiers, filing cabinets and fax machines.

• This job will require occasional travel and fieldwork. While performing some of these duties, the employee will be exposed to outdoor weather conditions.

• In the office work environment, the employee is regularly required to sit, speak, and listen/hear. The employee is occasionally required to stand and walk. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 25 pounds. The noise level in the office work environment is usually quiet.

• The employee must have sufficient physical ability and mobility to occasionally travel and work in a field environment; to walk, stand, sit, and operate a motor vehicle; to frequently stoop, bend, kneel, crouch, run, crawl, climb, reach, twist, grasp and make repetitive hand movement in the performance of fieldwork; carry, push and/or pull amounts of weight up to 50lbs.; to operate assigned equipment and vehicles; ability to verbally communicate to exchange information with the public; ability to see and hear in normal range with or without correction

Position Type/Expected Hours of Work:

• This is a full-time exempt/salary plus discretionary bonus position.

• This job will require occasional travel, including overnight and weekends.

Salary:

• $90,000-$110,000

To Apply:

Upload resume and cover letter on Indeed OR to apply by email see instructions on EDM website at http://edmlink.com/careers Please send a cover letter and resume to jobs@edmlink.com

EDM International, Inc.

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Wildfire Mitigation Specialist