Environmental Permitting, Lead

Description

The Environmental Permitting Lead serves as a technical lead and project manager for environmental permitting and compliance activities supporting electric transmission, distribution, substation, and utility infrastructure projects. Candidate will lead proposal preparation, permitting strategy development, agency coordination, environmental review processes, and regulatory compliance efforts necessary to advance projects from planning through construction.

Candidate will work closely with project managers, engineers, environmental specialists, clients, and regulatory agencies to identify permitting requirements, mitigate environmental risks, and ensure projects maintain schedule and budget objectives. The Environmental Permitting Lead will also provide technical guidance and mentorship to environmental staff while supporting business development and client engagement activities.

Requirements

Job Duties:

• Support proposal development, fee estimates, scope development, and project pursuit activities related to environmental permitting services.
• Interpret project contracts and scope requirements to ensure environmental deliverables align with client expectations and project obligations.
• Lead and oversee environmental permitting efforts across multiple concurrent power delivery projects, maintaining technical ownership of permitting strategies, agency coordination, and regulatory compliance activities.
• Develop and execute permitting plans for transmission lines, substations, distribution systems, renewable energy facilities, and associated infrastructure improvements.
• Serve as the primary permitting lead for clients, project teams, and regulatory agencies throughout project development and execution.
• Interpret federal, state, and local environmental regulations and translate requirements into project-specific permitting strategies.
• Coordinate environmental studies, field investigations, and technical reports necessary to support permit applications and environmental reviews.
• Lead preparation and review of permit applications, environmental assessments, environmental constraints analyses, and regulatory documentation.
• Coordinate with multidisciplinary teams including environmental scientists, engineers, cultural resource specialists, surveyors, and planners to ensure project requirements are fully integrated into the permitting process.
• Identify permitting risks, schedule constraints, and regulatory challenges and develop mitigation strategies to support successful project execution.
• Lead client meetings, agency consultations, and stakeholder discussions regarding permitting requirements, project impacts, and regulatory approvals.
• Identify scope gaps, permitting risks, and potential schedule impacts and coordinate resolution across project stakeholders.
• Monitor project performance from a permitting and compliance perspective, including schedules, budgets, quality objectives, and agency commitments.
• Lead project coordination meetings and provide regular permitting status updates to project teams and clients.
• Oversee QA/QC processes for environmental permitting deliverables to ensure consistency, accuracy, and regulatory compliance.
• Provide mentorship, technical guidance, and training to environmental staff regarding permitting regulations, processes, and industry best practices.
• Support construction and post-permit compliance activities including permit condition tracking, agency reporting, and environmental inspections.
• Monitor regulatory trends and emerging environmental requirements that may impact utility and power delivery projects.
• Identify and implement improvements to permitting tools, workflows, templates, and processes to improve project execution and consistency.

Skills and

Qualifications:

• Bachelor's Degree in Environmental Science, Environmental Planning, Natural Resources, Biology, Ecology, Environmental Engineering, or a related field.
• 8+ years of environmental permitting experience supporting utility and energy projects in the Northeast United States.
• Demonstrated experience leading environmental permitting efforts for transmission, distribution, substation, renewable energy, or other power delivery projects.
• Strong knowledge of applicable federal, state, and local environmental regulations and permitting frameworks.
• Experience coordinating with regulatory agencies including U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, state environmental agencies, and local jurisdictions.
• Proven ability to manage multiple…