Senior Environmental Planner-Permitting Lead

Environmental Science Associates (ESA) is a 100% employee-owned environmental consulting firm. We plan, design, permit, mitigate, and restore for projects across our communities, infrastructure systems, open spaces, and wildlands. We are 50 years strong in 21 offices across California, the Pacific Northwest, and the Southeastern United States.

We are seeking a highly motivated Senior Environmental Planner (Permitting) with intellectual curiosity and initiative to help drive the growth of our dynamic team of environmental planners in the Pacific Northwest. This is a senior-level opportunity focused on land use and environmental permitting in our NW Environmental Planning team, which provides environmental compliance and permitting expertise for municipalities, water districts, energy providers, transit agencies, educational institutions, airports and maritime ports, telecommunications providers, and private developers throughout the Puget Sound region and the Pacific Northwest. As a Senior Environmental Planner focused on permitting, you will pursue and manage local, state, and/or federal permitting projects. Your expertise in SEPA and NEPA compliance; WA State Growth Management Act comprehensive planning; and/or climate action and adaptation planning will also be used in this role.

The team is growing into new markets and applying their expertise and skill to new opportunities, so a successful candidate is a person who thrives in a growth environment, where supporting new clients and learning new skills is expected. In addition to project delivery, this position provides opportunities to contribute to the growth and evolution of the practice through business development, client relationship building, and market leadership. We value creative thinking, diversity, and multi-disciplinary and cross-disciplinary engagement and integration.

We are seeking a person who:

• Brings strong environmental and land use permitting experience, particularly in the Pacific Northwest, and can navigate local and state permitting requirements to develop practical permitting strategies and move projects forward.
• Thrives in a dynamic, client-focused environment with shifting priorities and varied project needs.
• Is motivated by contributing to the growth, strength, and long-term success of the environmental planning group.
• Collaborates effectively and takes pride in mentoring, supporting, and developing others.
• Is energized by taking on unfamiliar challenges and learning new skills.
• Identifies growth opportunities and builds strong client relationships to support the environmental planning business development goals in the region.
• Able to work onsite a few days per week when needed.

Who You Are

• You hold a bachelor’s or master’s degree with major course work in environmental, urban or transportation planning, geography, public policy, science, or a related interdisciplinary field and have a minimum of 10 years of relevant, professional experience .
• You have hands-on experience and comprehensive knowledge of land use and environmental permitting, including the ability to develop permitting strategies and navigate complex approval processes, and relevant regulatory requirements and processes in Washington state.
• You are known for preparing documents that are concise, well-written and supported, and for your ability to present information understandably and speak persuasively about complex topics to colleagues, clients, agency staff, teaming partners, other project stakeholders and the general public.
• You are known for developing permitting strategies and preparing permit applications that are complete and compliant, for local, state or federal agencies.
• You are a collaborative and supportive team member who takes the initiative to identify and contribute to broad project or team goals and provides mentoring and coaching to more junior staff to foster team success.
• You are an environmental planner who has experience with environmental compliance and permitting for projects of varying degrees of complexity and of different types, such as transportation; energy; airports; maritime ports; public infrastructure; recreation and parks; general and specific land use plans; adaptation or resiliency; and land use code analysis. Experience with GMA and comprehensive planning, including subarea plans and planned actions, is a plus.
• You have experience working on projects in Washington and Oregon . Experience in other western states a plus.

What You Will Do for ESA

• Serve as a senior permitting specialist, leading permitting strategy and providing leadership, direction, and day-to-day management of land use and environmental permits and approvals for assigned projects. Permitting services may include local land use permits (such as Shoreline and Conditional Use), development permits (such as building and clear and grade), SEPA compliance, and Clean Water Act permits. You will be responsible for project execution, permit application and approval documentation preparation, client communication, and project staff management.
• Produce technical work and written products that are clear and concise and will serve as a subject matter expert.
• Provide mentorship and support for junior staff, including reviewing their work for accuracy and clarity and providing constructive feedback and career development guidance while working on projects together.
• Be committed to treating people respectfully and equitably.
• Demonstrate a clear understanding of project management principles and practices and be responsible for the development of environmental compliance and planning documents in accordance with applicable guidelines and requirements, while delivering assignments within budget and schedule.
• Lead and support business and client development efforts including preparing proposals, identifying opportunities, developing capture strategies, and engaging with proposal/interview teams. These efforts will include having the responsibility for preparing scopes of work and budgets.

What’s Special About Our Team

At ESA, we are passionate about helping communities address the challenges of our urban communities in the 21st century. We value creative thinking, diversity, and multi-disciplinary and cross-disciplinary engagement and integration. Our practice includes environmental planners, scientists, and designers who are engaged in a variety of interesting projects including some of the highest profile and complex in the region.

In the Northwest, our dynamic group of employee-owners is working on projects for clients such as the City of Bellevue, City of Tacoma, Pierce County, King County, Sound Transit, the Port of Seattle, the University of Washington, Meta Platforms, and many other public and private sector clients. Our team thrives on being at the leading edge of environmental and climate science, planning, and policy in the Pacific Northwest.

What’s Special About ESA

Joining ESA means becoming part of a close-knit team of environmental professionals who contribute to outstanding projects, improve environmental stewardship, and advance a more sustainable and resilient future for our communities and wild places.

At ESA, we provide benefits such as medical, dental, and vision insurance (paid at 70% for you AND your family), annual allocations of company share through our ESOP, a 401(k) plan with company match, and paid vacation, sick leave, and holidays, to name a few.

We also provide specific programs whether you want to further your technical expertise, sharpen your business acumen, or help lead the next generation of employee-owners. We want to support you in reaching your career goals through tuition reimbursement, professional development bonuses, and attendance at conferences.

ESA has established multiple pay ranges tailored to the economic factors in the geographies in which ESA staff reside. For this position, the range is approximately as listed based on our anticipated hiring locations as noted in the above job details. Actual compensation is determined by several factors including but not limited to an individual’s related experience, education, skills, and the city in which the applicant lives.

CA Pay Transparency Clause

$120,000—$154,000 USD

Who We Are

We are a 100% employee-owned environmental consulting firm who values diversity and inclusion and celebrate the differences that make each of us unique. Our culture is built on mutual respect, recognizing that our variety of backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives leads to better solutions, which fosters our continued success for our employee-owners and clients.

In accordance with ESA’s duty and responsibility to provide and maintain a safe workplace that is free of known hazards and to minimize the exposure to potential hazards, any employee who works from an ESA office or conducts any other in-person ESA work-related activity is required to submit their proof of vaccination status or have received an approved exemption and accommodation in states which this applies.

Please note: We do NOT accept unsolicited resumes from agencies

If you are an applicant with a disability that requires a reasonable accommodation to complete any part of the application process or are limited in the ability—or unable to use—the online application system and need an alternative method for applying, you may contact our Human Resources Department via email: View email address on aiapply.co for assistance.

Please include the following in your message so we can promptly address your request:

• Full name
• The best method to contact you (phone number and/or email address)
• Title of Job Position Applied
• Description of your accommodation request

ESA is an Equal Opportunity Employer, committed to a diverse and inclusive work environment. (EOE M/V/F/D)