Lead Environmental Planning and Permitting Specialist

Opportunity

Serve as a key member of WSP’s regional Environmental Planning and Permitting program, focusing on project delivery, client communications, and project/task/staff management. Manage and prepare documentation compliant with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) for a variety of project scopes and clients. Specific tasks include preparing and adhering to scopes, schedules, budgets, completing or overseeing all components of environmental documentation, and mentoring junior staff.

Work collaboratively with Environmental Planning and Permitting leadership and technical staff throughout the northeastern U.S. Proven experience with Federal and State agencies is required; experience with regional Transportation is preferred.

The role involves managing and preparing documentation in compliance with NEPA and other environmental acts for diverse project scopes. Responsibilities include scoping, scheduling, budgeting, overseeing environmental documentation, and mentoring junior staff. Collaboration with technical staff and leadership across the northeastern U.S. is essential.

• Assist with scoping, strategic planning, and developing permitting execution strategy for clients on a variety of projects, including development of proposals, scope of work/technical approach, budget, and schedule.
• Prepare and complete environmental survey reports, data entry, impact assessment, and permitting activities for assigned projects (e.g., ESA and CWA permitting, NEPA, state-level environmental policy acts).
• Perform professional environmental planning work and conduct investigations, inspections, and environmental studies and surveys to gain additional information on a particular environmental problem or issue, verify site characteristics, and/or plan for future environmental needs.
• Oversee and monitor cross-functional teams in executing project work, permitting strategy, environmental impact assessments, and regulatory compliance, including project budgets, tracking hours and expenses, and task completion.
• Provide environmental risk identification and impact assessment, offering input for developing action plans for moderate- to high-level threat mitigation and permitting activities to minimize impacts to the environment and population health.
• Assist with scoping, strategic planning, and developing permitting execution strategy for medium- to large-sized projects.
• Coordinate with clients, resource/regulatory agencies, and environmental and technical staff in a confident and professional manner.
• Collaborate with professionals from a variety of disciplines to provide future-ready solutions for clients.
• Actively engage in business development and proposal writing.
• Remain current in latest environmental planning subject matter, practices, regulations, and techniques.
• Exercise responsible and ethical decision-making regarding company funds, resources, and conduct, and adhere to WSP’s Code of Conduct and related policies and procedures.
• Perform additional responsibilities as required by business needs.

• Bachelor’s Degree in Environmental Planning, Urban Planning, Environmental Policy, or a related field (or equivalent experience).
• 7 to 10 years of experience working in the environmental planning field, completing environmental impact assessments, and permitting.
• Highly proficient analytical skills and prior experience with research techniques, local/regional ecology, habitats, and applicable regulatory zones.
• Expertise and experience relevant to environmental laws, permitting requirements, notification and compliance practices, and applicable Regional/State/Federal regulatory framework.
• Demonstrated experience leading and reviewing environmental planning technical reports, environmental impact evaluations, siting reports, and environmental permit applications and licensing, including field surveys and reporting, and resource and impact evaluations (e.g., commercial, renewable energy, infrastructure).
• Established experience coordinating with clients, regulatory permitting and resource agencies, and environmental technical staff.
• Well-developed expertise with…