Senior Environmental Planner-Permitting Lead

Seattle, Washington, United States

Environmental Science Associates (ESA) is a 100% employee-owned environmental consulting firm. We plan, design, permit, mitigate, and restore for projects across our communities, infrastructure systems, open spaces, and wildlands. We are 50 years strong in 21 offices across California, the Pacific Northwest, and the Southeast United States.

We are seeking a highly motivated Senior Environmental Planner (Permitting) with intellectual curiosity and initiative to help drive the growth of our dynamic team of environmental planners in the Pacific Northwest. This is a senior-level opportunity focused on land use and environmental permitting in our NW Environmental Planning team, which provides environmental compliance and permitting expertise for municipalities, water districts, energy providers, transit agencies, educational institutions, airports and maritime ports, telecommunications providers, and private developers throughout the Puget Sound region and the Pacific Northwest.

As a Senior Environmental Planner focused on permitting, you will pursue and manage local, state, and/or federal permitting projects. Your expertise in SEPA and NEPA compliance; WA State Growth Management Act comprehensive planning; and/or climate action and adaptation planning will also be used in this role.

The team is growing into new markets and applying their expertise and skill to new opportunities, so a successful candidate is a person who thrives in a growth environment, where supporting new clients and learning new skills is expected. In addition to project delivery, this position provides opportunities to contribute to the growth and evolution of the practice through business development, client relationship building, and market leadership.

We value creative thinking, diversity, and multi-disciplinary and cross-disciplinary engagement and integration.

We are seeking a person who:

• Brings strong environmental and land use permitting experience, particularly in the Pacific Northwest, and can navigate local and state permitting requirements to develop practical permitting strategies and move projects forward.
• Thrives in a dynamic, client-focused environment with shifting priorities and varied project needs.
• Is motivated by contributing to the growth, strength, and long-term success of the environmental planning group.
• Collaborates effectively and takes pride in mentoring, supporting, and developing others.
• Is energized by taking on unfamiliar challenges and learning new skills.
• Identifies growth opportunities and builds strong client relationships to support the environmental planning business development goals in the region.
• Able to work onsite a few days per week when needed.

• You hold a bachelor’s or master’s degree with major course work in environmental, urban or transportation planning, geography, public policy, science, or a related interdisciplinary field and have a minimum of 10 years of relevant, professional experience
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• You have hands-on experience and comprehensive knowledge of land use and environmental permitting, including the ability to develop permitting strategies and navigate complex approval processes, and relevant regulatory requirements and processes in Washington state.
• You are known for preparing documents that are concise, well-written and supported, and for your ability to present information understandably and speak persuasively about complex topics to colleagues, clients, agency staff, teaming partners, other project stakeholders and the general public.
• You are known for developing permitting strategies and preparing permit applications that are complete and compliant, for local, state or federal…