Senior Planning Ecologist

Company Overview Athena Engineering and Environmental, LLC (Athena), headquartered just outside of exciting Nashville, TN, is a dynamic woman-owned small business consulting firm that delivers geotechnical, environmental, ecological, water resources, surveying, and value engineering services. We partner with clients nationwide in the government (federal, state, and local), transportation, energy, industrial, water, and commercial sectors to tackle their most critical infrastructure challenges. Position Overview We are seeking a Senior Ecologist to lead ecological assessments, regulatory permitting support, and natural resource evaluations across a diverse portfolio of infrastructure, energy, transportation, and private development projects.

This role requires strong technical expertise, regulatory knowledge, and the ability to mentor junior staff while managing client relationships and project budgets.

Key Responsibilities Technical Leadership Provide technical oversight for wetland delineations, stream assessments, habitat evaluations, and threatened & endangered species surveys; serving as task lead as appropriate

Prepare ecological technical reports, permitting documentation, and agency coordination materials

Provide senior review and QA/QC of ecological deliverables

Support NEPA documentation, including Environmental Assessments

Regulatory & Agency Coordination Coordinate with agencies such as the U.Fish and Wildlife Service, and applicable state environmental agencies

Primarily support Clean Water Act permitting (Sections 401/404) with additional support for Section 10 authorizations, as applicable

Assist clients with compliance strategy and mitigation planning

Project & Client Management Manage ecological task budgets and schedules

Serve as a clientfacing technical lead

Mentor junior ecologists and field staff

Qualifications Required Bachelor’s degree in Ecology, Environmental Science, Biology, or related field (Master’s preferred)

Minimum of 8 years of relevant environmental consulting experience

Strong understanding of the Clean Water Act and related permitting processes (e.g., Experience preparing technical reports and regulatory documentation

Bonus Tennessee Qualified Hydrologic Professional (QHP) certification

Professional stream restoration credential or demonstrated experience with restoration projects

Familiarity with regional/state regulatory frameworks

Dental insurance

Flexible schedule

Health insurance

Health savings account

Life insurance

Retirement plan

Bonus opportunities