Lead Environmental Planner

Job Description

At WSP, we are inspired by bringing together the right people to be a part of future‑focused business objectives to support our vast client base. Across the world, the importance of ethical environmental systems and projects is the foundation of shaping the future of our environment. Through public consultancy, strategic planning practices and stakeholder engagement, we can provide clients with a concrete and realistic understanding of a project’s impact.

As a worldwide leader of environmental and transportation consulting and planning services, we invite you to be a part of that vision. Our Planning & Environment group in Albuquerque, New Mexico is looking for a Lead Environmental Planner to support and add to our wide and diverse range of environmental planning services that enables future‑ready growth.

Your Impact

• Manages the planning, development, and implementation of environmental projects to ensure compliance with environmental laws and regulations with minimal supervision.
• Develops planning studies and documents related to environmental planning, including NEPA, Clean Water Act, Endangered Species Act documentation, and other environmental planning documentation, figures, and maps.
• Authors technical reports with clarity and minimal grammatical or spelling errors.
• Conducts biological evaluations and wetland studies in support of planning projects.
• Prepares and completes environmental survey reports, data entry, impact assessment, and permitting activities for assigned projects (e.g., Endangered Species Act, Clean Water Act permitting, NEPA).
• Provides environmental risk identification and impact assessment, offering input on developing action plans for moderate‑to‑high‑level threat mitigation and permitting activities to minimize impacts to the health of the environment and the population.
• Assists with scoping, strategic planning, and developing permitting execution strategy for clients on small‑to‑medium projects.
• Actively engages in business development and proposal writing.
• Demonstrates commitment to keeping up‑to‑date in knowledge of current regulations and planning practices.
• Coordinates, prepares, and submits development permit applications and other land use planning for energy (oil/gas, renewables, etc.), transportation, mining, or government projects with minimal supervision.
• Maintains and designs project tracking mechanisms, process design, and record keeping.
• Oversees implementation of project development requirements with WSP personnel, outside contractors, and agency/tribal stakeholders.
• Performs additional responsibilities as required by business needs.

• Participates in decision making to carry out land development with consideration given to the natural environment, social, political, and economic factors to achieve sustainable outcomes while following local, state, federal, and/or tribal environmental regulations and procedures.
• Conducts data collection, research, field surveys, and technical work under supervision—up to 50% time spent traveling.
• Uses 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.
• Prepares technical memoranda, documentation, and reports under minimal supervision.
• Remains current in latest environmental planning subject matter, practices, regulations, and techniques.
• Is responsible for understanding regulatory rules and rule changes.

• Manages field calendar for biological and cultural field surveys, often for multiple projects in multiple locations with up to 6 staff in the field at one time.
• Oversees and monitors 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.
• Provides guidance to junior staff or interns to assist with project flow.
• Coordinates with clients, resource/regulatory agencies, and environmental and technical staff in a confident and professional manner.
• Collaborates with…