Environmental Permitting Specialist

About the role

Merjent, Inc. (Merjent) seeks Environmental Permitting Specialists to support permitting and environmental compliance for natural resource development projects. The role involves supporting solar, wind, electric transmission, and other low-carbon energy generation and transmission projects in the Northern Great Plains and Upper Midwest. Positions are full-time benefits-eligible and can be based anywhere in the United States. The anticipated annual salary range is $94,800 to $127,800 annually.

Responsibilities

• Serve as a Permitting Specialist or Task Lead for Power Sector projects (i.e., solar, wind, battery storage, transmission).
• Work with Power Sector Project and Task Managers, internal project teams, and external clients to meet Merjent's reputation for excellence and strategic plan goals.
• Coordinate biological and cultural tasks, including field surveys, subcontractor communication, scheduling, and associated internal and external tracking and reporting.
• Research, analyze, and summarize local, state, and federal laws for fact- and project-specific permitting support.
• 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.
• Assist with review of project-related deliverables to ensure client expectations are met.
• 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.
• 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.
• Minimum of 5 years of experience or familiarity with permitting processes through 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.
• Strong oral communication and technical writing skills.
• Strong self-starter tendencies and excellent organizational/task management skills.
• 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.
• Able to adapt quickly and work well under pressure, both in large teams and one-on-one.
• Able to work independently with minimal supervision.