DESCRIPTION

This Environmental Permitting Specialist will lead and coordinate environmental studies and permitting efforts, including wetland delineation, habitat assessments, preparation of Local, State, and Federal permit applications. Support technical engineering projects in the Great Lakes Region, with a focus on Pennsylvania by leading environmental document preparation and applications such as Erosion and Sediment Control Permits, General Permits, USACE Joint Permit Applications, and Nationwide permits (NPDES).

RESPONSIBILITIES

Coordinate and prepare applications for local, state and federal agencies for a variety of project types, including bridges, highways, dams, public utilities, energy utilities, and other civil/environmental projects, as needed. This position will leverage experience with agency coordination and agency knowledge/experience to facilitate positive outcomes. Priorities will include quality control, peer reviews, and coordination among multiple project disciplines. A knowledge of applicable environmental laws, rules, and regulations to prepare technical reports is required.

Environmental Specialists are an integral part of the team and work closely with planners and engineers through project scoping, design, construction and beyond. They provide technical guidance to junior environmental staff and assist and/or lead in proposal development, which includes developing environmental scopes, schedules and budgets.

ROLE ACCOUNTABILITIES

• Identify potential permitting requirements and develop permitting strategies to provide guidance to internal and external teams and clients.
• Use strong technical writing and communications skills to support the development of technical reports, work plans, memoranda, and other environmental documents necessary to develop permit applications and supporting materials for various regulatory agencies.
• Support the preparation of permit applications and supporting materials in accordance with specific local, state, and federal regulatory requirements.
• Assist with the coordination of wetlands and waterbodies delineations, flora/fauna surveys, and/or threatened and endangered species field surveys in accordance with applicable regulatory requirements.
• Support task management to assist with the growth of new and existing client relationships through delivery of quality work and data.
• Hybrid work structure allowing remote and office work as needed.
• Coordination of field assessments related to ecological aspects of projects, requiring knowledge of GPS systems and the ability to conduct fieldwork for long hours and in difficult terrain.
• Travel requirements for field assessments.

PROFESSIONAL REQUIREMENTS

• Bachelor’s degree in Environmental Science, Biology, Ecology, or a related field
• 10+ years of related experience
• Relevant regional working knowledge and experience in supporting the preparation of permit applications and obtaining permits in Pennsylvania (adjacent States is a plus).
• Experience working with interdisciplinary teams to support the development of comprehensive reports/permit applications.
• Experience with civil and environmental engineering design process (e.g., preparation of Preliminary Engineering Technical Environmental Studies)
• Knowledge of environmental regulations and the tenets of other environmental laws, rules, and regulations.
• Experience with transportation and non-transportation infrastructure and development project (e.g., highways, facilities, freight rail, transit, DOD, DOI, energy, land management) for private sector clients and public agencies is desirable.
• Must be proficient with Esri, ArcGIS software as well as Microsoft Office.
• Interest in and/or experience with evaluating project compliance with state and federal laws and environmental and regulatory processes such as PADEP and USACE
• Proficiency with using hand-held Trimble GPS is a plus.
• Proficiency with using MicroStation or AutoCAD is a plus.

COMPENSATION

The approximate compensation range for this position is $85, 000 - $135, 000. This compensation range is a good faith estimate for the position at the time of posting. Actual compensation is dependent upon factors such as education, qualifications, experience, skillset, and physical work location.