Environmental Operations Assistant (5638) (SFO) (155923)

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.

Specific information regarding this recruitment process is listed below:

• Application Opening: September 29, 2025
• Application Deadline: This job announcement may close at any time but not before October 3, 2025 at 5:00 p.m. PT; interested applicants are encouraged to apply as soon as possible.
• Salary Range: $86,632 - $105,274
• Recruitment ID: PBT-5628-155923

Working at SFO:

San Francisco International Airport (SFO), an enterprise department of the City and County of San Francisco, has a workforce of approximately 1,900 City employees and is committed to being a diverse, equitable, and inclusive employer.

SFO is more than an airport—we are a dynamic organization where employees collaborate with a wide range of stakeholders to support global travel, economic development, and public service. We are recognized as a leader in environmental sustainability, equity, and forward-thinking infrastructure, and continue to be at the forefront of transforming the travel experience.

Our mission is to deliver an airport experience where people and our planet come first.

Our Vision, Mission, and Core Values shape our culture and operations as we continue to build a supportive, purpose-driven workplace where all employees can thrive.

Learn more about careers at SFO at flysfo.com, and follow us on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, LinkedIn, Bluesky and Threads.

Under immediate supervision, the Environmental Operations Assistant will work within the Airport Facilities Division’s Environmental Operations section to support the development, implementation, and integration of materials management and environmental compliance practices across all Airport operations. 

1. Support the Airport’s “zero” waste-to-landfill strategic plan goal by assisting in the design, implementation, and tracking of source reduction, reuse, recycling and composting, recovery policies, programs and projects.
2. Support teams (such as Design, Building, and Construction) by providing recommendations on Material Recovery Area (MRA) best practices, program enhancements, and requirements.
3. Perform waste management audits and inspections at SFO’s back-of-house kitchen spaces, Material Recovery Areas, and other locations within SFO’s campus.
4. Monitor waste management activities, such as proper use of Material Recovery Areas (MRAs) and hazardous waste handling, to ensure compliance with federal, state, and local regulations; support inspections, initiate corrective compliance actions, and maintain required documentation.
5. Support SFO’s waste management assets and infrastructure by ensuring all assets are functioning properly.
6. Map assets using ArcGIS, track performance, and coordinate repairs or replacements of faulty equipment in collaboration with the waste hauler.
7. Deliver education, training, and outreach to SFO employees, visitors, and partners on federal, state, and local compliance requirements for materials management.
8. Research, develop, coordinate, implement and evaluate environmental programs such as the Green Business Program, Waste Management, Reuse and Recycle Programs, Food Donation Programs, and other initiatives mandated by federal, state, and local laws, including SFO specific policies.
9. Lead certification processes and recruitment efforts for SFO’s Green Business Program.
10. Update and maintain databases and records; analyze data and report findings; create reports for review and analysis; and develop data use strategies.
11. Write letters, memos, reports and other documents to staff, the general public, and other relevant organizations in order to communicate information and data.
12. Perform duties as listed in the 5638 Environmental Assistant class specification, which can be found on DHR’s website.

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 and Verification of Experience and/or Education for considerations taken when reviewing applications. 

1. Education: Possession of a baccalaureate degree from an accredited college or university;

AND

1. Experience: One (1) year of experience in planning, coordinating, implementing, analyzing, or evaluating qualifying programs or policies. Qualifying programs and policies include those in the field of environment, public health, community engagement, or a field related to the position of hire.

Substitution: Additional qualifying experience as described above may substitute for the required degree on a year-for-year basis. Thirty (30) semester units or forty-five (45) quarter units equal one year.

One-year full-time employment is equivalent to 2,000 hours (2,000 hours of qualifying work experience is based on a 40-hour work week). Any overtime hours that you work above 40 hours per week are not included in the calculation to determine full-time employment.

Applicants must meet the minimum qualification by the final filing date unless otherwise noted.

Special Conditions: The above minimum qualifications reflect special conditions associated with the position(s) to be filled.  They may differ from the standard minimum qualifications associated with this class code.

• 12 months of Environmental Zero Waste experience required
• Possession of a valid California Class C driver’s license.

Desirable Qualifications: 

The stated desirable qualifications may be used to identify job finalists at the end of the selection process when candidates are referred for hiring.

• Experience advising teams on waste management best practices, including the implementation of three‑stream sorting systems.
• Proven ability to collaborate on and coordinate cross-departmental projects through engagement with diverse stakeholder groups (e.g. contractors, SFO Facilities Skilled Trades, Custodial Services, property managers, concessionaires, business owners).
• Experience coordinating the maintenance and replacement of waste management infrastructure.
• Experience in data collection, tracking, data visualization, data communication, and reporting.
• Experience in using tools such as ArcGIS, Microsoft Excel, Microsoft PowerPoint or asset management systems to map and analyze infrastructure.

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.

Selection Procedures:
After application submission, candidates deemed qualified must complete all subsequent steps to advance in this selection process, which includes the following:

The selection process will include evaluation of applications in relation to minimum requirements.  Applicants meeting the minimum qualifications are not guaranteed advancement to interview.  

Notes: Applicants who meet the minimum qualifications are not guaranteed advancement through all the steps in the selection procedure.

Supplemental Questionnaire Evaluation (Weight: 100%) - Qualified candidates will be emailed a Supplemental Questionnaire Evaluation. In order to advance, candidates must complete the Supplemental Questionnaire and it must be submitted before the provided deadline. The information provided on the Supplemental Questionnaire must be consistent with the information on the application and is subject to verification. Once submitted, applicant responses on the Supplemental Questionnaire cannot be changed. Applicants must achieve a passing score on the Supplemental Questionnaire Evaluation in order to be ranked on the eligible list.

The Supplemental Questionnaire is designed to measure knowledge, skills, and/or abilities in job-related areas as described within this announcement.

Knowledge of: federal, state, and local environmental issues, laws and regulations relating to zero waste, environmental programming, community outreach, governmental structure; quantitative and qualitative data tracking, analysis, and reporting; community outreach and stakeholder engagement techniques; program planning, implementation, outreach, coordination, and administration;

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.

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
• Conviction History
• Employee Benefits Overview  
• Equal Employment Opportunity 
• Disaster Service Worker
• ADA Accommodation
• Veterans Preference
• Right to Work
• Copies of Application Documents
• 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 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 [email protected]. 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.

Recruitment Analyst Information: If you have any questions regarding this recruitment or application process, please contact the Carmen Ng via email at [email protected].

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.