Environmental Permitting Specialist

Environmental Permitting Specialist

Merjent, Inc. (Merjent) has exciting opportunities for Environmental Permitting Specialists with demonstrated success supporting permitting and environmental compliance for natural resource development projects. Technical knowledge of federal permitting regulations and general environmental compliance processes is required. The Environmental Permitting Specialist will join project teams providing environmental studies, routing, siting, and local, state, and federal permitting services for solar, wind, electric transmission, and other low-carbon energy generation and transmission projects in the Northern Great Plains and Upper Midwest. The role will serve clients and project teams with a regional emphasis on Minnesota, Wisconsin, Iowa, North Dakota, and South Dakota.

These are full-time benefits-eligible opportunities that can be based anywhere in the United States. The anticipated annual salary for this position is between $94,800 and $127,800 annually, depending upon qualifications and experience. These positions are bonus eligible.

Merjent is a medium-sized consulting and engineering company dedicated to creating an environment where both people and projects succeed. Merjent has staff located across the United States who may choose a remote, in-office, or hybrid work arrangement. All full-time employees begin their tenure at Merjent with 4 weeks of paid vacation regardless of seniority. In addition, employees receive 10 paid holidays and generous benefits and compensation packages. Merjent supports annual career-related training for employees to become or continue as leaders in their field of expertise. Merjent facilitates organic growth within the company and encourages employees to bring their ideas forward to grow existing and create new service lines within and beyond the currently served sectors of energy, mining, transportation, manufacturing and construction, land development industries, and government. Merjent also invests in its company culture by supporting travel for remote employees to attend in-person team meetings and all-staff events.

The Merjent difference is real – it's based on a commitment to our values, which guides us in how we work with clients and each other. Our commitment to quality and professional integrity encompasses everything we do. We are proud of our reputation for delivering quality work and building long-term, trusting relationships with our clients and with regulatory agencies.

Responsibilities

• Serve as a Permitting Specialist or Task Lead for Power Sector projects (i.e., solar, wind, battery storage, transmission), which may vary in size and complexity.
• Work with Power Sector Project and Task Managers, internal project teams, and external clients in a manner that is consistent with Merjent's reputation for excellence and meets the company's strategic plan goals.
• Actively participate and prepare analyses of the environmental impacts of solar, wind, battery storage, and electric transmission projects, including analyses to support development of project-specific avoidance and mitigation strategies.
• Coordinate biological and cultural tasks, including field surveys, subcontractor communication, scheduling, and associated internal and external tracking and reporting.
• Encourage leadership succession through team building, positive reinforcement, training, mentoring, and professional development and growth.
• Assist with review of project-related deliverables to provide quality assurance and ensure client expectations are met.
• Research, analyze, and summarize local, state, and federal laws for fact- and project-specific permitting support.
• Collaborate with internal subject matter experts and other teammates to draft permit applications and support plans and reports, such as floodplain permits, state land and water crossings, county conditional use permits, etc.
• Draft portions of route and site permit applications along with associated environmental review documents as required by each jurisdiction.
• Support federal NEPA and state environmental review document preparation (EAW, EA, EIS) and third-party applications.
• Actively participate in the proposal process and development of Power Sector projects, including drafting scoping text, preparing budgets, and developing schedules.
• Participate in project team meetings virtually or in-person, and in client and agency meetings as a representative of Merjent's team.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with key clients.

Qualifications and Experience

• Bachelor's degree in environmental science, geography, land use planning, biology, archaeology, geology, political science, or closely related field.
• Knowledge, interest, experience, and/or advanced degrees in environmental law, land use planning, anthropology/archaeology, hydrology, biology, wetland ecology, or other technical fields is a plus.
• A minimum of 5 years of experience or familiarity with permitting processes through the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, federal land management agencies, State Historic Preservation Offices, state siting and routing authorities (Public Utilities Commission, Public Service Commission, etc.), or other federal, state, or local regulatory agencies, with preference to work completed in the identified power industries in the Great Plains and Upper Midwest.
• An interest in professional development toward project management is preferred.
• Strong oral communication and technical writing skills. Writing samples will be requested.
• Strong self-starter tendencies and excellent organizational/task management skills.
• Must be detail-oriented with excellent problem-solving skills.
• Able to adapt quickly and work well under pressure, both in large teams and one-on-one.
• Able to work independently with minimal supervision.
• Able to analyze, organize, and interpret data from multiple sources and translate that information into direct, easy to understand written deliverables.
• Proficient at the Microsoft suite of products (Word, Excel, PowerPoint); technical editing experience a plus.
• Must be willing to travel domestically as needed (0-20%), depending on the needs of the project.