Senior Analyst - Technical Project, National Reimbursement

Role Overview

The Technical Project Analyst, National Reimbursement is a hands-on technical review and state team support role within the Material Services team responsible for evaluating the feasibility, eligibility, and strategic alignment of reimbursement-funded projects across California and emerging EPR states. 

Reporting to the Technical Project Principal Analyst, this role supports state teams by reviewing proposed projects against applicable regulatory requirements, covered-cost criteria, operational realities, technical assumptions, and CAA’s strategic priorities to support defensible reimbursement recommendations. This is a position in the Material Services department of Program Planning and Operations (PPO), which also includes Compliance & Regulatory Affairs (CRA), Data & Analytics (D&A) and Emerging States.

The Analyst performs detailed technical assessments of funding requests, including reviewing project scopes, supporting documentation, cost assumptions, implementation plans, operational impacts, performance expectations, and claimed alignment with regulatory and program requirements. The role helps determine whether proposed projects are practical, allowable, well-supported, feasible, and likely to advance CAA’s reimbursement, compliance, recycling, and circularity objectives, serving as the initial screen for these matters before appropriate items are advanced to the Grant and Reimbursement Analyst within the National Reimbursement Office for further reimbursement processing and analysis.

The role collaborates with the Principal Analyst and internal teams such as Legal, State level operations teams, Data & Analytics, Materials Services, Compliance & Regulatory Affairs, Finance, and other CAA functional teams to obtain the subject matter input needed to assess project feasibility, reimbursement eligibility, technical validity, and program value. The Analyst prepares clear findings, questions, recommendations, and decision-support materials for review by the Technical Project Principal Analyst and other internal stakeholders.  The Senior Analyst also supports the continued improvement of review procedures, application review tools, templates, and documentation practices by identifying recurring issues, gaps, and process improvement opportunities.

The position requires strong technical judgment, regulatory comprehension, analytical discipline, practical project review experience, and the ability to identify risks, gaps, unsupported assumptions, and opportunities to improve project value before reimbursement decisions are made.

Key Responsibilities

• Technical Feasibility Review: Conduct hands-on technical review of proposed reimbursement projects to assess feasibility, practicality, implementation readiness, and alignment with stated objectives.
• Regulatory & Program Alignment Review: Review funding requests for alignment with applicable EPR laws, regulations, program plan requirements, covered-cost criteria, and CAA reimbursement policies.
• Strategic Priority Assessment: Assess whether proposed projects advance CAA’s strategic priorities, including regulatory compliance, improved recycling outcomes, operational effectiveness, equitable service delivery, system modernization, and measurable program value.
• Application Review & Technical Due Diligence: Review reimbursement applications and supporting materials to determine whether the proposed project is sufficiently defined for technical assessment.
• Assessment of Funding Requests: Assess reimbursement applications to determine whether requested funding is technically justified, adequately documented, and connected to eligible program outcomes.
• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Work collaboratively across internal teams—including Legal, State level operations teams, Data & Analytics, Materials, Finance, Planning, and Compliance & Regulatory Affairs—to obtain inputs needed for technical, regulatory, operational, and financial review.

Additional Responsibilities

• Conduct technical, regulatory, operational, and economic research needed to evaluate proposed projects and reimbursement requests.

• Document review rationale, assumptions, unresolved issues, and recommendation basis in a clear and audit-ready manner.
• Operate effectively in ambiguous, evolving environments by applying sound judgment, escalating material concerns, and distinguishing feasibility issues from documentation gaps.
• Perform other related duties as assigned.

Skills & Competencies

• Strong technical judgment and ability to assess project feasibility, implementation readiness, operational dependencies, and practical constraints.
• Ability to interpret regulatory, program, and reimbursement requirements and apply them to specific project facts and funding requests.
• Experience reviewing technical project scopes, cost assumptions, documentation packages, implementation plans, and performance expectations.
• Ability to identify unsupported assumptions, gaps, risks, inconsistencies, and potential misalignment with strategic or regulatory objectives.
• Strong analytical and written communication skills, including the ability to prepare clear findings, recommendations, questions, and decision-support materials.
• Attention to detail and commitment to documentation quality, traceability, and audit readiness.
• Ability to work with operational, financial, performance, and project data to evaluate reasonableness and supportability of funding requests.
• Ability to operate effectively in a fast-paced, dynamic environment with flexibility to pivot as needed.
• Familiarity with recycling operations, infrastructure projects, municipal programs, environmental policy, EPR programs, or regulated funding programs preferred.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree required in engineering, environmental science, environmental studies, public administration, economics, data analytics, project management, or a related field.
• Masters or advanced degree in engineering, environmental science, environmental studies, public administration, economics, data analytics, project management, or a related field preferred.
• 7+ years of relevant professional experience in technical project review, infrastructure or operations assessment, recycling or solid waste programs, regulated funding programs, reimbursement review, project analysis, or similar fields.
• Experience evaluating project scopes, costs, feasibility, regulatory alignment, implementation plans, or technical documentation preferred.
• Experience with EPR programs, recycling systems, municipal operations, public-sector funding programs, regulated programs, or application-based reimbursement processes preferred.

Compensation & Other Information

• Location: Remote from the United States of America, with some travel for meetings and interest holder interactions.
• Pay Rate: Based on a variety of factors in accordance with applicable law including the successful candidate’s relevant experience, skills, knowledge and experience.
• Reports To: Technical Project Principal Analyst

Circular Action Alliance is an equal employment opportunity employer. All qualified applicants for employment will be considered without regard to race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, lactation, and related medical conditions), national origin, military or veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity, age or any other category protected by applicable federal, state, or local law. If you require accommodation as part of the application process, please contact careers@circularaction.org.