Lead Project Manager - Utility Permitting

About the opportunity

SWCA Environmental Consultants seeks a qualified Lead Project Manager - Utility Permitting with strong interpersonal skills and experience in utility project permitting and project management to join our team and primarily support oil and natural gas infrastructure projects. The position will directly support a regulated utility program based in Chicago, Illinois.


This individual will provide strategic and technical leadership across all project phases, from early planning and permitting through construction, consulting with clients and internal teams to guide complex utility permitting efforts). The ideal candidate will possess extensive environmental consulting and project management experience, preferably with specific knowledge of oil and gas transmission in Chicago. SWCA is looking for the right candidate to take on existing and future projects and help build our presence throughout the Midwest.

This role will report to one of our Chicago, IL office location. This is a regular (with benefits), salaried, full-time position that is hybrid eligible.


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

• Strategically consult on and lead multidisciplinary project teams to navigate complex permitting challenges, aligning technical approaches with client objectives and regulatory requirements.
• Manage projects that include compliance, biological resource assessments and constraints analyses, state and federal Endangered Species Act consultations, Clean Water Act Section 404 and Section 401 permitting, state-level permits, and local level permits.
• Leads and is accountable for high-complexity projects or program components, coordinating teams and resources, overseeing technical approach and QA/QC, and ensuring delivery on regulatory compliance, scope, schedule, and budget.
• Demonstrates strong skills in project planning, internal communication, and human relations, ensuring effective collaboration within the team. Project plans should communicate status, schedules, task delegation, scope changes, budget allocation, and other project details (including goals, purpose, and/or reasoning).
• Continuously guides complex projects, proactively identifying and resolving risks to project success, safety, quality, and performance through informed judgment, creative problem-solving, and strategic adjustments.
• Revises or recommends revisions to project scopes, schedules, budgets, and technical strategies as project conditions evolve to ensure successful outcomes.
• Take initiative and anticipate/resolve issues to assure client needs are met effectively.
• Lead and advise on all aspects of project implementation, including the development of permitting strategies, provide QA/QC of work processes and deliverables, and lead or support teams completing technical studies that support permitting efforts.
• Engage with SWCA's Technical Director team to support quality initiatives, and development of policies & procedures in your areas of expertise.
• Engage with professional organizations, including attendance at conferences, trainings, and client-led events on behalf of SWCA.
• Supervise, mentor, and provide project technical support to junior staff.
• Drive compliance of safety policies and reporting requirements to ensure overall team safety.

Experience and qualifications for success

Minimum qualifications :

• Bachelor's degree in biology, botany, wildlife management, or a closely related field.
• Six (6) years of natural resources consulting experience on a variety of project types, sizes, and regions that include: energy facility siting and constraints studies, federal, state, and local permitting, and agency interactions at all levels.
• Three (3) years of experience managing projects, including developing and implementing budgets, schedules, and scopes of work.
• Experience in Illinois and the Midwest Region.
• Demonstrated experience with state local agencies such as IEPA, IDNR, MWRD, DuPage, Cook, Lake, and McHenry Counties.
• Demonstrated experience with applicable environmental federal, state and county regulations.
• Demonstrated experience with federal agencies such as USFWS, EPA, and USACE.
• Prior primary report authorship and finalization for clients and agencies in a natural resource consulting context for a variety of project types and sizes, regions, and agencies.
• Applicants must have valid driver's license and be able to meet SWCA's driver requirements

Preferred qualifications :

• PMP Certification
• Eight (8) years of natural resources consulting experience on a variety of project types, sizes, and regions that include: federal, state, and local permitting, compliance, and agency interactions at all levels.
• Four (4) years of experience managing projects, including developing and implementing budgets, schedules, and scopes of work.
• Demonstrated success managing multiple utility projects through permitting, construction, and closeout.
• Experience in more than one of the Midwest states.

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 an 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, a Science and Leadership Program, 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 View email address on click.appcast.io or call View phone number on click.appcast.io. 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.

An employee in this Chicago, IL-based position can expect an annual salary of $87,141.60 - $114,660.00 Actual pay within this range may depend on experience, qualifications, geographic location, client requirements where applicable, and other factors permitted by law. Regular-status employees are also eligible for performance bonuses. Candidates are also encouraged to consider SWCA's Total Rewards package, which includes a competitive Benefits package, 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-NP1