Sr. Manager of Environmental Permitting & Sustainability

Sr. Manager of Environmental Permitting & Sustainability

Location: Fort Worth, TX

Start Date: 02/16/2026

Number of Positions: 1

Salary Range: $122,310 - $135,900

As BNSF’s subject‑matter‑expert, the Senior Manager of Environmental Permitting & Sustainability will manage the environmental permitting activities for construction and expansion projects across the BNSF Network. Primary permitting focus areas include, but are not limited to, U.S. Army Corps wetlands and waterway permits, Section 106, Floodplain Development, U.S. Coast Guard, and endangered species consultation and protection. The role collaborates with Engineering Services, Signals/Telecom, and Environmental Operations to implement process flows that reduce permitting time and impact, improve efficiency, and ensure compliance.

• Subject Matter Expert, providing permitting guidance to BNSF’s Engineering, Operations, and Economic Development partners and external environmental permitting consultants.
• Advocate and Co‑Lead, BNSF’s Permitting Center of Excellence, proactively guiding construction and expansion permitting/restoration projects and ensuring compliance with environmental conditions placed on permits by regulatory agencies.
• Champion continuous improvement and incorporation of Sustainable Development principles into BNSF’s engineering construction and land development efforts, leveraging rail sustainability advantages.
• Creator of permitting principles and best practices, including the Sustainable Development Playbook to avoid/minimize overall environmental impact, reduce permitting timelines, and lower Total Cost of Ownership (TCO).
• Collaborator with federal and state environmental permitting agency partners, community and tribal representatives, and internal and external stakeholders.

• Manage BNSF’s environmental permitting portfolio and collaborate across operations teams, focusing on federal and state environmental permitting regulations.
• Ensure compliance with key permitting regulations, including NEPA, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ Section 404, Endangered Species Act–Section 7, Flood Control Act, National Historic Preservation Act–Section 106, state permitting regulations (e.g., CEQA, SEPA), and ICCTA post‑preemption clause and related court decisions.
• Communicate directly and clearly the status of permit applications, project permit requirements, project timelines, and related compliance accountabilities.
• Assure compliance with environmental conditions placed on permits and associated restoration activities, minimizing cost and resources by avoiding unnecessarily extended permits.
• Support and continually improve BNSF’s environmental permit tracking and scheduling program/systems to guarantee real‑time awareness of open or applied permits, prevent accidental expiration, and resolve delays proactively.
• Develop training materials and participate in outreach activities to internal and external audiences concerning BNSF’s environmental permitting program and sustainable practices.
• Act as an internal environmental permitting subject‑matter‑expert, monitoring emerging regulations, trends, programs, and issues.
• Co‑manage key relationships with environmental agencies, external community representatives, and other stakeholders.

• Bachelor of Science or Bachelor of Engineering in Environmental Science or related field required.
• Master of Science or Master of Engineering in Environmental Science or related field preferred.
• 7+ years of experience, particularly with environmental permitting or structures engineering.
• Excellent interpersonal skills to build partnerships and forge trust with environmental staff, other BNSF departments, external consultants and contractors, and government agencies.
• Extensive and demonstrated knowledge of federal and state environmental permitting regulations, including NEPA, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ Section 404, Endangered Species Act, Flood Control Act, and National Historic Preservation Act.
• Experience with state permitting regulations (e.g., CEQA, SEPA) and ICCTA post‑preemption clause and related court decisions is beneficial.
• Familiarity with…