Lead Consultant, Environmental Planning

In this role, you will provide high-level technical environmental planning assistance and guidance to minimize the environmental impacts of commercial, industrial, utility, transmission, development, infrastructure, construction, pipeline, and/or transportation-related projects. You will provide support and guidance for multi-site/phase environmental permitting projects, site and impact assessment, restoration, land use management plans, public involvement, and ensuring environmental regulatory compliance.

Your New Role What’s Involved?

• Provide guidance with data collection efforts for identifying and compiling observational, spatial, operations, and environmental data from multiple matrices for projects, investigations, and surveys.
• Use topographic maps, aerial photographs, GPS data, and other visualization tools to determine exact locations of project areas, associated physical and wildlife sensitivities, and to uncover primary, secondary, and tertiary environmental impacts.
• Prepare and complete environmental survey reports, data entry, impact assessment, and permitting activities for assigned projects (e.g. Endangered Species Act, Clean Water Act permitting, CEQA, NEPA, etc.).
• Ensure regulatory requirement compliance pertaining to the data integrity, documentation, procedures, training, monitoring systems, reporting, and record compliance and retention.
• Perform professional environmental planning work and conduct investigations, inspections, and environmental studies and surveys to gain further information on a particular environmental problem or issue, verify site characteristics, and/or to plan for future environmental needs.
• Conduct environmental site assessments (Phase I and II).
• Prepare data and visualizations such as tables, charts, reports, models, cross-sections, and other illustrations for the interpretation or presentation of more complex data, findings, or analyses.
• Prepare comprehensive technical reports and presentations that explain research, findings, and recommendations to address, prevent, control, or restore mid- to larger-scale environmental problems.
• Oversee and monitor cross-functional teams in executing project work, permitting strategy, environmental impact assessments, and regulatory compliance, including project budgets, tracking hours and expenses, and task completion.
• Provide high-level oversight for desk-based research and site work, including measurements, data interpretation, demographics, patterns and trends, and computer modeling.
• Provide environmental risk identification and impact assessment, offering input with developing action plans for moderate- to high-level threat mitigation and permitting activities projects to minimize impacts to the health of the environment and the population.
• Assist with scoping, strategic planning, and developing permitting execution strategy for clients on medium- to large-sized projects.
• Coordinate with clients, resource/regulatory agencies, and environmental and technical staff in a confident and professional manner.
• Collaborate with professionals from a variety of disciplines to provide future-ready solutions for clients.

We’d Love to hear from you if you have:

• Bachelor’s Degree in Environmental Planning, Urban Planning, Geography, Environmental Science, Engineering, or a related field (or equivalent experience).
• Extensive experience working in the environmental planning field, completing environmental surveys, fieldwork, habitat and construction support, impact assessments, and permitting.
• Highly proficient analytical skills and prior experience with research techniques, local/regional ecology, habitats, and applicable regulatory zone.
• Expertise and experience relevant environmental laws, permitting requirements, notification and compliance practices, and applicable Regional/State/Federal regulatory framework.
• Demonstrated experience leading and reviewing environmental planning technical reports, environmental impact evaluations, siting reports, and environmental permit applications and licensing, including field surveys and reporting, and resource and impact evaluations (e.g. commercial, renewable energy, infrastructure, etc.).
• Established experience coordinating with clients, regulatory permitting and resource agencies, and environmental technical staff required.
• Experience in conducting Phase I and Phase II Environmental Site Assessments in accordance with ASTM guidelines and industry standards.
• Well-developed expertise with consulting practices, conducting NEPA / CEQA / other analysis and preparation of associated documentation.
• Highly proficient self-leadership and interpersonal communication skills with the ability to effectively, persuasively, and tactfully interact with employees at all levels of the organization.
• Ability to work independently and provide guidance and leadership to junior team or project members, with strict adherence to QA/QC.
• Experience with discipline-specific software (i.e., ArcGIS, Adobe Illustrator, Adobe Creative Suite, Sketch-Up).
• Proficiency with technical writing, office automation and communication software, technology, and tools.
• Well-developed critical thinking and problem-solving skills required to reach conclusions from testing results, data collation, and identify the most effective solutions to accomplish objectives of assigned projects.
• Ability to work schedules conducive to project-specific requirements that may extend beyond the typical workweek.
• Occasional travel may be required depending on project-specific requirements.