Managing Consultant – Senior Biologist Permit Manager – Senior Level

As part of the continued growth and innovation of our Impact Assessment & Planning service offering, ERM has an opportunity for an experienced Senior Biologist / Planner to join our thriving global consulting firm as a Senior Regulatory Permitting Support Specialist in northern California. This position will primarily provide desk-based biological and permitting expertise for large-scale utility projects in northern California (the location for this position is negotiable, but ideally northern California). We seek an individual to join the ERM’s planning, biological and environmental compliance team for an ongoing contract with a large California utility to support their Vegetation Management operations and maintenance activities.

The ideal candidate will have experience conducting environmental impact and permitting efforts for clients with California utility companies, with strong technical writing, organization, teamwork communication, and critical thinking skills. Experience with one or more of the following is strongly preferred: regulatory permitting and familiarity with environmental regulations and policies such as the California Coastal Act, Local Coastal Plans, and waters of the U.S. and waters of the State (of California).

ERM’S IMPACT ASSESSMENT & PLANNING SERVICE: 

ERM’s Impact Assessment & Planning (IAP) team focuses on supporting development of projects in the power, technology, oil and gas, mining, chemical, transport, and infrastructure sectors. Our goal is always the same: assisting our clients in achieving project success, from planning through construction and operation, while minimizing sustainability risks and maximizing project speed and adaptability. 

ERM’s IAP service offering has been ERM’s highest growth area globally, growing over 20% per year for the past 5 years.  You will become part of a vibrant technical community with more than 1,000 IAP professionals globally, representing the full range of technical disciplines, with sector experience across the board.  What ERM’s team is best known for is supporting some of the most challenging development projects in the world.  It is this reputation that attracts and retains the highly skilled consultants who comprise ERM’s Impact Assessment & Planning team. 

RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Support preparation of Coastal Development Permit packages for various jurisdictions within the California Coastal Zone. This includes technical writing, data and regulatory research and review, collection and integration of input from ERM’s subject matter experts, delegating work to GIS and development of recommendations for clients.

• Support preparation of U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), Regional Water Quality Control Board (RWQCB), and California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) permit packages.

• Mentor early career biologists and regulatory permitting specialists and provide technical QA/QC assistance on deliverables.

• Adhere to scope/budget/schedule expectations and ensure quality standards on project deliverables and timely delivery of reports.

• Collaborate with project managers and clients to ensure compliance with environmental regulations and regulatory permitting requirements.

• Build strong collaborative relationships with ERM employees.

• Provide technical guidance to junior staff supporting this work.

• Other assigned duties as required, such as project coordination, deputy project management.

REQUIREMENTS:

• Bachelor’s Degree in biological sciences, ecological sciences, environmental studies, or related field; or equivalent experience.

• 4+ years of environmental consulting experience with regulatory permitting and impact assessments, including experience with the electric/gas transmission, power sector and generation markets in California.

• Knowledge of vegetation management.

• Knowledgeable and experienced in California Coastal Commission and Local Coastal Plan Coastal Zone Development Permitting.

• Expertise with federal and state regulations including California Coastal Act, Section 404 and Section 401 of the Clean Water Act, and Section 1602 of the California Fish and Game Code.

• Technical writing and analysis skills; strong attention to detail and organizational skills.

• Ability to prioritize and meet deadlines in a demanding work environment.

• Positive outlook, self-starter, who has a collaborative work ethic.

• Strong commitment to safety, including following established health and safety protocols.

PREFERRED:

• Master’s degree in biological sciences, ecological sciences, environmental studies, or related field.

For the Managing Consultant, Senior Biologist position, we anticipate the annual base pay of $87,316 – $106,972 USD.  An employee’s pay position within this range will be based on several factors including, but not limited to, relevant education, qualifications, certifications, experience, skills, geographic location, performance, shift, travel requirements, sales or revenue-based metrics, and business or organizational needs.  We also may have instances where employee’s fall outside of the range based on the factors noted above. This job may be eligible for bonus pay (casual and fixed term/flex force employees are NOT bonus eligible).

We offer comprehensive package of benefits including paid time off, medical/dental/vision insurance, 401(k), and any other benefits to eligible employees. (Casual employees and regular employees scheduled under 20 hours a week are not benefits eligible).

You can apply for this role through https://www.erm.com/careers/apply/ or through the internal careers portal if you are a current employee.

Note: No amount of pay is considered to be wages or compensation until such amount is earned, vested, and determinable. The amount and availability of any bonus, commission, or any other form of compensation that are allocable to a particular employee remains in the Company's sole discretion unless and until paid and may be modified at the Company’s sole discretion, consistent with the law.

Who We Are:

As the largest global pure play sustainability consultancy, we partner with the world’s leading organizations, creating innovative solutions to sustainability challenges and unlocking commercial opportunities that meet the needs of today while preserving opportunity for future generations.

At ERM we know that creating a diverse, equitable and inclusive work environment is an essential part of making our company a great place to build a career. We also see our diversity as a strength that helps us create better solutions for our clients. Our diverse team of world-class experts supports clients across the breadth of their organizations to operationalize sustainability, underpinned by our deep technical expertise in addressing their environmental, health, safety, risk and social issues. We call this capability our “boots to boardroom” approach for its comprehensive service model that allows ERM to develop strategic and technical solutions that advance objectives on the ground or at the executive level.

Please submit your resume and brief cover letter. 

ERM does not accept recruiting agency resumes. Please do not forward resumes to our jobs alias, ERM employees or any other company location. ERM is not responsible for any fees related to unsolicited resumes.

ERM is proud to be an Equal Employment Opportunity employer. We do not discriminate based upon race, religion, color, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, status as a protected veteran, status as an individual with a disability, or other applicable legally protected characteristics. 

Thank you for your interest in ERM!

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