Senior Environmental Permitting Project Manager

ABOUT THE POSITION

Senior Environmental Permitting Project Manager - Energy | Winooski, VT

VHB is seeking a Senior Environmental Permitting Project Manager to join our Vermont/upstate New York operation's Energy Services practice. VHB's diverse and challenging professional portfolio includes projects for energy utilities, renewable energy development, ski resorts, transportation infrastructure, municipalities, and real estate development. Successful candidates will have strong leadership skills and a solid technical background in permitting, siting and evaluating environmental impacts of electric transmission and generation, including renewables and storage projects in New York state.

VHB is consistently rated as one of the Best Places to Work in Vermont, and in the northeastern U.S. and is one of the best places to live and work in the United States. This position would offer the flexibility of a remote in-region or hybrid/office work environment.

Responsibilities

Lead, prepare and support various federal and New York land use, siting, and environmental permit applications
• Conduct technical reporting and regulatory product development, agency coordination, project planning and design reviews
• Develop regulatory strategy, and project development, VHB and project public representation, as well as project/task and client management
• Supervise and coordinate with other technical staff (including ecology and water resource specialists, civil engineers, land planners, etc.), applicants, and regulatory program stakeholders
• Lead and assist with ecological data compilation and analysis, GIS support, and technical reporting
• Manage regulatory and siting law tasks within an integrated team for a multitude of energy infrastructure projects with a focus on sustainability and resiliency
• Perform project management responsibilities, including project deliverables, scope development, budget estimation, staff resource identification, implementation oversight, budget tracking, and administrative requirements
• Advise and/or manage project teams responsible for supporting the environmental permitting and licensing, engineering, and construction compliance phases of projects in the renewable energy market
• Attend/lead meetings with clients, regulatory agencies, and stakeholders to understand the objectives and discuss design/permitting issues
• Develop, manage, and mentor a technical support team focused on upstate New York, and supporting team members, clients, and projects in Vermont
• Coordinate with project attorney and client in-house counsel to support or serve as an expert environmental witness during project siting approval reviews
• Develop business opportunities with new and existing clients
• Manage a team of technical staff to support energy projects

Skills and Attributes

• Understanding of land use regulations such as the Clean Water Act Sections 401/404, NEPA, various New York state regulatory programs and siting laws, and permit application development, and coordination for projects that require land use and natural resource planning, and land-use regulatory approvals
• Ability to work independently with minimal supervision, and also collaboratively in a team-focused group
• Excellent verbal, technical writing, organization, responsiveness, coordination, and interpersonal skills
• Proficiency preparing permit application materials and obtaining regulatory approvals and permits
• Ability to communicate between team members, clients, and state/federal officials
• Self-motivated and enthusiastic about natural ecology and/or environmental law/policy with a demonstrated eagerness for continual learning and professional growth
• Knowledge of ArcGIS and Microsoft Office platforms

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in environmental science, natural resources, ecology, wetland science, environmental policy, or a related field required, Master's degree a plus
• 11-15 years of professional experience with environmental project management/permit application development and project coordination (with minimum of 3 recent years focused on energy permitting and siting) required
• Detailed knowledge of New York Article 24 and Article 15 regulations, required
• Direct experience with projects filed under New York Article VIII, Title 16 NYCRR Part 1100 under the Office of Renewable Energy Siting and Electric Transmission, preferred
• Ability to occasionally travel and work within the Hudson and Mohawk River Valley and Capital regions of NY
• Must have a valid driver's license

Our best estimate of the salary range for this position located in Vermont is $100,000 to $140,000. The final compensation will be based on a variety of factors such as individual qualifications, education, and experience.

We are VHB! We're an inspired and innovative team of engineers, scientists, planners, and designers who partner with clients in the transportation, real estate, institutional, and energy industries, as well as federal, state, and local governments. Our work helps improve mobility, enhance communities, and contribute to economic vitality. We do this while balancing development and infrastructure needs with stewardship of our environment.

Our people make us great! VHB provides a differentiating employee experience, which includes:

• Diverse and inclusive culture of collaboration and innovation
• Opportunity to work on complex, transformational projects
• Community and social responsibility as sustainable stewards
• Focus on learning, development, and career growth
• Best-in-class benefits, including flexible, hybrid workplace

We are consistently rated one of the top AEC firms to work for across our 30+ offices on the East Coast. We're growing, and we hope you'll join us!

VHB is a proud Equal Opportunity Employer. Since our founding, we have intentionally fostered a culture of inclusion and belonging, supported by deep-rooted core values, one of which is diversity. Qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, protected veteran status, or other characteristics protected by law.

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