Legal & Policy Specialist - San Juan, PR

The Opportunity:
Tetra Tech is currently seeking an experienced Puerto Rico Vacant Property Legal & Policy Specialist to provide legal and policy expertise in support of the Puerto Rico Department of Housing's (PRDOH) Vacant Property Recovery (VPR) Program. This position will serve as the lead subject matter expert on vacant and abandoned property regulations, municipal code enforcement practices, public policy development, and legal frameworks that affect neighborhood revitalization and property recovery efforts throughout Puerto Rico.
 
Why Tetra Tech:
At Tetra Tech, we are Leading with Science to solve the world’s most complex challenges.  Our industry-leading experts in engineering and consulting are committed to driving positive change in communities around the world.  For over 50 years, we have been at the forefront of innovation and sustainability.  Today we stand as a market leader, offering cutting-edge solutions in water, environment, energy, and international development.  Our work has improved more than 625 million lives around the world.

Your Impact:
Join Tetra Tech to make a real difference.  Our work leverages cutting-edge technologies, advanced analytics, and the expertise of world-class scientists and engineers to create meaningful change around the world. Discover your full potential – join us to advance your career while leaving a lasting legacy.

Position Summary:
Working collaboratively with planners, municipal officials, community stakeholders, and program leadership, the Legal & Policy Specialist will evaluate existing laws, regulations, policies, and administrative procedures related to vacant and abandoned properties. The successful candidate will help identify opportunities to strengthen local capacity, improve municipal processes, and support the implementation of effective property recovery and revitalization strategies.

This position will also support the development of policy recommendations, technical guidance documents, participation agreements, training materials, and capacity-building activities designed to enhance municipalities' ability to address vacant and abandoned properties in a legally compliant and sustainable manner.

Essential Job Functions: 
The following duties are considered essential to the role. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform these essential functions:

• Provide legal and policy analysis related to vacant and abandoned properties, nuisance abatement, code enforcement, land use, housing, and municipal administration in Puerto Rico.
• Review municipal ordinances, policies, procedures, and regulatory frameworks related to property management and revitalization efforts.
• Support assessments of municipal processes, staffing structures, and operational practices related to vacant property management.
• Develop policy recommendations, legal guidance, and implementation strategies to strengthen municipal capacity and improve program outcomes.
• Assist in developing participation agreements, templates, memoranda, legal summaries, and policy guidance documents.
• Contribute to the development of technical reports, planning tools, toolkit resources, and implementation strategies.
• Support training, workshops, and capacity-building activities focused on legal and regulatory topics impacting vacant and abandoned properties.
• Conduct research on local, national, and international best practices related to vacant property recovery, code enforcement, and community revitalization.
• Provide technical assistance to municipalities and participating entities regarding regulatory compliance and policy implementation.
• Coordinate with planners, GIS specialists, environmental experts, and project management staff to ensure legal and policy recommendations are integrated into broader planning efforts.

Required Qualifications:

• Juris Doctor (J.D.) degree from an accredited institution.
• Licensed to practice law in Puerto Rico and in good standing with the applicable bar association.
• Minimum seven (7) years of professional experience in municipal law, land use law, housing law, administrative law, public policy, or a related field.
• Demonstrated experience analyzing legislation, regulations, policies, and government procedures.
• Experience working with municipal governments, public agencies, housing programs, or community development initiatives.
• Strong legal research, technical writing, and policy analysis skills.
• Fluency in English and Spanish, including the ability to prepare professional documents and presentations in both languages.
• Ability to communicate complex legal concepts to non-technical audiences..

Preferred Qualifications:

• Ten (10) or more years of relevant professional experience.
• Experience with vacant property programs, code enforcement initiatives, land banking strategies, housing rehabilitation programs, or community revitalization efforts.
• Experience supporting federally funded programs, including HUD, CDBG-DR, CDBG-MIT, FEMA, or other grant-funded initiatives.
• Familiarity with Puerto Rico municipal operations, permitting processes, and public-sector governance.
• Experience drafting legislation, ordinances, administrative procedures, policy manuals, or governmental agreements.
• Experience delivering training and technical assistance to public-sector entities.
• Knowledge of environmental, planning, housing, and property redevelopment regulations affecting vacant and abandoned properties.

Physical Requirements: 
All candidates must be in Puerto Rico to be considered for the position.

Work Environment / Environmental Factors: 
This is a remote position with intermittent travel to participate in community meetings or outreach activities on island.

Compensation: 
The salary range for this position is $85,000 – $105,000 (depending on experience). The base salary range represents the low and high end of the compensation scale for this role. Actual salaries will be determined based on location, experience, responsibilities, and qualifications.

Additional Information:

• Employment Type: Full-time (contingent upon award)
• Work Schedule: Monday–Friday, 9AM–5PM (no expected overtime)
• Travel Requirements: 5%–10% (for community engagement meetings)
• Work Location: Puerto Rico (San Juan, Guaynabo, Ponce)