Renewable Permitting & Environmental Engineer – NEPA Compliance Lead
Navigate complex U.S. permitting and drive clean-energy projects as a Renewable Permitting & Environmental Engineer. Lead NEPA compliance, craft winning permit strategies, and safeguard natural resources while accelerating utility-scale solar, wind, and storage developments—onsite or remote.
Responsibilities
- Orchestrate federal, state, and municipal permit pathways from scoping through notice to proceed.
- Prepare and defend Environmental Impact Statements, EA/FONSI, and categorical exclusions under NEPA.
- Direct wetland delineations, habitat assessments, and protected-species surveys; translate findings into defensible reports.
- Negotiate with Army Corps, Fish & Wildlife, State Historic Preservation Offices, and zoning boards—turn opposition into alignment.
- Chair public hearings, open houses, and tribal consultations; turn technical jargon into plain language that earns stakeholder trust.
- Build GIS layers in ArcGIS, integrate GPS field data, and visualize constraints for executive decisions.
- Draft compliance dashboards in MS Project; track mitigation, construction monitoring, and post-construction avian studies.
- Mentor junior analysts, consultants, and field biologists—instill rigor, curiosity, and safety culture.
- Update leadership weekly on schedule risk, cost exposure, and emerging regulatory shifts.
- Capture lessons learned, close out findings, and archive documentation for future refinancing or asset sale.
Requirements
- Bachelor’s or Master’s in Environmental Engineering, Natural Resources, or related discipline.
- 6+ years steering renewable-energy permitting in the U.S.; at least two utility-scale projects brought to COD.
- Mastery of NEPA, ESA, CWA, NHPA, plus state siting acts (e.g., Article 10, SB 100).
- Fluent with ArcGIS, GPS receivers, and desktop mapping; can mine large data sets for spatial patterns.
- Proven public-speaking prowess—comfortable answering pointed questions under pressure.
- Persuasive technical writing; you wield concise prose, airtight citations, and clear graphics.
- Solid project-management chops: critical-path scheduling, earned-value analysis, and contract oversight.
- Negotiation talent: you secure permits faster, cheaper, and with fewer conditions.
- Valid driver’s license and ability to travel to field sites up to 20%.
- GISP, PMP, or CEP certification is a plus but not mandatory.