Senior Environmental Permitting Specialist

Salary and Benefits

Salary range is $78k to $170k, with a midpoint of $118k. New hires typically receive between minimum and midpoint, however, we may go slightly higher based on experience, internal equity and market.

Sound Transit also offers a competitive benefits package with a wide range of offerings, including:

• Health Benefits: We offer two choices of medical plans, a dental plan, and a vision plan all at no cost for employee coverage; comprehensive benefits for employees and eligible dependents, including a spouse or domestic partner.
• Long-Term Disability and Life Insurance.
• Employee Assistance Program.
• Retirement Plans: 401a – 10% of employee contribution with a 12% match by Sound Transit; 457b – up to IRS maximum (employee only contribution).
• Paid Time Off: Employees accrue 25 days of paid time off annually with increases at four, eight and twelve years of service. Employees at the director level and up accrue additional days. We also observe 12 paid holidays and provide up to 2 paid floating holidays and up to 2 paid volunteer days per year.
• Parental Leave: 12 weeks of parental leave for new parents.
• Pet Insurance.
• ORCA Card: All full-time employees will receive an ORCA card at no cost.
• Tuition Reimbursement: Sound Transit will pay up to $5,000 annually for approved tuition expenses.
• Inclusive Reproductive Health Support Services.
• Compensation Practices: We offer competitive salaries based on market rates and internal equity. In addition to compensation and benefits, you’ll find that we provide work-life balance, opportunities for professional development and recognition from your colleagues.

Under general direction, performs a variety of professional level environmental planning and permitting functions; manages environmental permitting and ensures environmental regulatory compliance of Sound Transit’s capital projects through all stages including project development, final design, construction, and operations; develops ecosystem mitigation strategies for assigned projects and contracts; develops scopes of work and schedules; and works closely with a variety staff members and consultants to complete projects or tasks.

The following duties are a representative summary of the primary duties and responsibilities. Incumbent(s) may not be required to perform all duties listed and may be required to perform additional, position-specific duties.

• Manages environmental permitting for Sound Transit projects at the federal, state, and local level. Typical permits include Section 404 and 401 Clean Water Act Permits, Coast Guard Permits, Hydraulic Project Approvals, Local Shoreline Development Permits, and Local Critical Areas Permits. Work includes:
• Providing critical permit strategy input and reviewing ecosystems work during Project planning phases,
• Developing permit plans and preparing and reviewing permit applications,
• Managing consultant teams working on environmental permitting and mitigation work,
• Leading all coordination with federal, state, and local regulators as well as Tribal staff for work related to environmental permitting and ecosystem mitigation,
• Tracking permit conditions for compliance.
• Manages the development of natural resource (wetlands, water resources, wildlife, fisheries, and habitat) mitigation strategies for assigned Sound Transit Projects; oversees the identification of mitigation opportunities and needs for projects; tracks changes to mitigation regulations; works with federal, state, and local agencies on project mitigation requirements; collaborates with environmental staff during natural resource mitigation site selection and develops scope, schedule, and budget for final natural resource mitigation design package.
• Manages endangered species act (ESA) compliance for Sound Transit projects; develops strategies for ESA consultations, reviews ESA consultation documents for new projects as well as ESA re-initiation documents as projects change and new species are listed.
• Supports and oversees ecosystem related portions of the environmental review for Sound Transit projects to ensure that the Agency complies with local, state, and federal environmental…