Environmental Scientist

About the Role

The Environmental Scientist (Principal) provides technical environmental and regulatory expertise to support Energy Northwest’s Environmental & Regulatory Program and the Extended Power Uprate (EPU) initiative. This position performs environmental impact evaluations, regulatory compliance analyses, permitting support, and field/operational reviews to ensure Energy Northwest activities meet all federal, state, and local environmental requirements.

The role develops and maintains regulatory approvals schedules—including SEPA/NEPA, water rights, air permitting, NPDES, and other non-nuclear environmental obligations—and ensures these schedules are fully integrated and aligned with EPU project planning and execution timelines.

Develops, implements, and administers environmental programs to ensure the safety of Energy Northwest facilities and protect human health and the environment. Provides leadership and coordination in developing company policies, programs, and procedures for assigned environmental programs to ensure compliance with federal, state, and local environmental regulations. Works closely with all company organizations and levels of management to monitor, communicate, and report environmental information and performance, and to help resolve environmental problems and issues.

Responsibilities

• Assigned owner for one or more environmental programs.
• Interface with state and federal regulatory agencies, including routine written and oral communications, audits, inspections, and assessments.
• Provide technical advice and proactive counsel to management on complex environmental regulatory issues, interpretation of industry guidance, and regulatory requirements.
• Prepare and present verbal and written management updates, new permit applications, amendments, and participate in industry regulatory initiatives.
• Provide unconventional or advanced problem-solving techniques as needed.
• Coordinate with other Energy Northwest organizations to ensure environmental monitoring requirements (e.g., NPDES, REMP, Groundwater) are met and reported.
• Develop plans for programs, projects, audits, testing, and inspections; lead audits and inspections using engineering judgment.
• Respond to inspection reports and requests for interpretation of industry and Energy Northwest issues.
• Participate in industry working groups and discipline-related activities.
• Perform regulatory analysis by monitoring changes in environmental regulations and implement necessary changes.
• Monitor plant events (condition reports) for compliance with regulatory requirements and assist in determining reportability.
• Provide technical guidance and mentorship to other engineers; review technical products of others.
• Integrate design, regulatory, operating, maintenance, and administrative requirements into tasks while maintaining schedule and budget.
• Ensure effective coordination with other departments and disciplines; work with minimal supervision.
• Participate on the Emergency Response Organization (ERO) when designated.
• Support the biennial refueling outage.

Requirements

Requires a Bachelor’s degree in Environmental Science, Engineering, Chemistry, Biological Science, or a related technical field from an accredited college or university and eight years of experience in an environmental-related field.

Pay

Pay Range: $126,362.00 - $189,542.00 Annual
Midpoint: $157,952.00
Typically, selected candidates are hired between the minimum and midpoint of the range, based on applicable experience and qualifications, market rate, internal equity, and budgetary allowances.

This role may be eligible to participate in our annual incentive plan. Incentives are earned based on employee performance against defined metrics and company goals.

Benefits

Energy Northwest provides a comprehensive benefits package. Washington State has no state income tax, and the Tri-Cities offers a cost-of-living lower than the national average.

• Retirement benefits through three programs: Washington State Public Employees' Retirement System pension plan (PERS), a 401(k) savings plan with employer match, and a 457(b) savings plan.
• Multiple options for medical, dental, vision, disability, and life insurance coverage.
• Voluntary benefits including flexible spending accounts (FSAs), tuition reimbursement, student loan repayment, childcare subsidies, health reimbursement arrangement (HRA VEBA), health savings account (HSA), supplemental life insurances, and credit monitoring/identity theft insurance.
• Starting personal time accrual rate of 160 hours per year, with accruals increasing at various service intervals.
• Nine paid holidays per calendar year.