Staff Level Environmental Planner

About the opportunity SWCA Environmental Consultants is seeking an experienced, dynamic, self-motivated Staff-Level Environmental Planner with strong interpersonal skills and experience in natural resources evaluation and impact assessment. This individual will help successfully drive our projects throughout all project phases from early planning, assessment, and permitting through construction. The successful candidate will possess a well-developed understanding of environmental permitting in the Gulf Coast (Texas, Louisiana) across multiple sectors including oil/gas, transportation, renewables, and land development, and have strong communication skills. The successful candidate should have experience across a broad range of land use planning and permitting activities such as critical issues analyses, reviewing state and local regulations, ESA consultation; CWA permitting (Sections 404/401); NHPA compliance; and other applicable regulatory requirements. Skills include the ability to manage small to medium-sized project tasks, track permitting activities, review permit applications for compliance with regulations, and track milestones within scope, schedule and budget. Attendance at local public open houses and public hearings may be required at times. This is a full-time, hourly, regular (with benefits) position that will report into our Houston, Texas office. Pay rate will be based on individual qualifications and experience. SWCA offers a team-oriented work environment, competitive salaries, and a competitive benefits package, including an employee stock ownership retirement plan (ESOP). Houston and/or Baton Rouge-area “hub” employees are preferred, though the flexibility of a hybrid work environment can be discussed. Remote (= distributed) work environments will only be considered for highly qualified candidates not local to Houston or Baton Rouge. This requisition can hire at two levels – Assistant Staff Environmental Planner – Typically with at least one (1) year of relevant industry expertise and experience. Staff Environmental Planner – Typically with at least two (2) years of relevant industry experience and expertise. Application deadline : Our team will begin reviewing applications immediately, and interviews will be scheduled with qualified candidates on a rolling basis. The application process will remain open until we have received a robust pool of qualified candidates. Once we have identified suitable individuals, we may close the application process without prior notice. We appreciate the time and effort invested by all applicants and will carefully consider each submission. What you will accomplish The selected candidate will be responsible for contributing to environmental impact analyses, supporting the development of Environmental Assessments (EAs) and Environmental Impact Statements (EISs), and helping to facilitate public and agency outreach. Specific responsibilities include : Assist project managers or technical leads with the development of EAs and EISs, including NEPA documents, for business lines that may include oil and gas, land use planning, generation, transmission and others. Prepare key aspects of NEPA documents and navigate the NEPA process, including Pre-NOI activities and project planning; development of the description of the proposed action and purpose and need; document structuring and content planning; public scoping; public comment review and response; and Records of Decisions and Findings of No Significant Impact. Demonstrate technical proficiency in an area of specialization, while demonstrating broad understanding across multiple resource areas. Apply knowledge of NEPA and other regulations/guidelines to a variety of environmental planning projects. Take initiative and resolve issues to ensure client needs are met effectively. Work closely with SWCA’s resource scientists and environmental planners, managers and directors in both natural and cultural resources throughout the company to promote SWCA’s business interests in adherence to its mission, vision, and values. Write technical reports and permit applications for approvals under the Clean Water Act (CWA), Endangered Species Act (ESA), National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), and other resource planning/permitting, and/or natural resource disciplines. Assist in the writing and development of written deliverables for project work and assist project managers in budgeting, scheduling, and tracking. Implement and administer SWCA’s safety procedures and standards of scientific and professional ethics. Experience and qualifications for success Minimum Qualifications : Minimum of a bachelor’s degree in biology, environmental science, natural resource management, geology, or other related field, or equivalent experience. A working knowledge of federal and state environmental regulations including NEPA, CWA, ESA, and the National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA). Community assessment knowledge is a plus. Demonstrated experience with federal and state agencies, including U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), Department of Energy (DOE), Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC), Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS), and/or U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS). A minimum of one (1) year of environmental planning or consulting experience including a range of environmental compliance projects; supporting project teams; assisting with the preparation of technical studies and NEPA documents; and adhering to project delivery schedules. Excellent verbal and written communication skills; interpersonal skills and emotional intelligence; attention to detail; and the ability to work on schedule. Preferred or Helpful Qualifications: A minimum of three (3) years of relevant experience performing environmental, ecological, or natural resources studies, surveys, or projects in the private or public sector. At least one (1) year working as an environmental consultant. Experience working with renewable energy, oil & gas, transportation, public utilities, and/or mining clients. Experience with working on multiple complex projects and programs, in diverse settings and with changing requirements. Experience leading staff and providing task supervision. Demonstrated experience working in a fast-paced work environment, and a desire to work in a highly collaborative team atmosphere. Experience and/or a strong interest supporting business development efforts. Willingness to work with peers across various offices and accomplish tasks associated with a variety of projects in any given week. The ability to work directly with clients is a plus. Critical Skills and Attributes: Excellent verbal and written communication skills; interpersonal skills and emotional intelligence; attention to detail; and organization. Exposure to natural and cultural resource issues for multiple service areas, including oil/gas, transportation, and renewables projects. WHY WORK AT SWCA: SWCA Environmental Consultants is a growing employee-owned firm, providing a full-spectrum of environmental services. Our Vision (the North Star) is to make SWCA the best workplace and industry leader in sustainability, bringing sound science and creative solutions to global environmental challenges while maintaining a dedication to employee-ownership. We live our core values: we collaborate as #OneSWCA; we are #AlwaysLearning , we #NeverSettle, and we #GiveBack. We are 100% employee-owned , and we build our success together. With offices across the United States, SWCA is one of the largest environmental compliance firms and ranks among Engineering News-Record’s Top 200 Environmental Firms . We offer a supportive, team-oriented work environment and competitive wages and benefits, including a 100% employee stock ownership plan (retirement). At SWCA, we support our team members in developing their careers to make them leaders in their industry. Our Career Landscape initiative is a process and guide designed to help develop chart rewarding career paths for employees at SWCA. We encourage professional conference attendance, internal and external professional development and training programs, education reimbursement, and bonuses for publications meeting certain criteria. All regular status employees are eligible to participate in SWCA medical, dental, vision, employee assistance, wellness, life and disability plans, and are eligible to participate in the SWCA 401(k) Profit Sharing Plan and Trust. If you need assistance accessing SWCA’s website, completing the online application, or require accommodations at any point during the hiring process due to a disability, please contact us at [email protected] or call 1-480-581-5378. We’re committed to providing an inclusive and supportive experience for all candidates. This contact information is specifically for accommodation requests; other inquiries will not receive a response. EOE - women, minorities, individuals with disabilities and veterans are encouraged to apply. At SWCA Environmental Consultants, we celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive work environment. We strongly encourage candidates from all backgrounds, including those with diverse experiences and veterans, to apply. We believe that a diverse and inclusive workforce enhances creativity, innovation, and overall organizational success. SWCA is committed to salary equity and salary transparency for all its employees. In alignment with this commitment, SWCA posts good faith pay ranges in all its advertised job postings to promote pay equity and transparency. A person in this Houston-based position can expect a salary between $26.16/hour and $33.39/hour for a Staff Environmental Planner and $23.37/hour and $29.49/hour for an Assistant Staff Environmental Planner. Actual pay within this range may depend on experience, qualifications, geographic location, client requirements where applicable, and other factors permitted by law. Candidates are also encouraged to consider SWCA’s Total Rewards package, which includes a competitive benefits package (https://www.swca.com/careers/benefits-wellness/), forward-thinking workplace flexibility, outstanding corporate culture, award-winning career development, and more. SWCA continues to invest deeply in career development programs, delivering our award-winning Career Landscape support resources to accelerate the growth of our staff. We recognize the valuable skills and experiences our internal team members bring to SWCA’s continued success. Qualified internal candidates are encouraged to apply and will be seriously considered for this position. We believe in promoting from within, where possible, providing our existing employees with compelling opportunities to advance their careers. #LI-JR1 #IND-SWCA