Environmental Planner - Environmental Science

This Opportunity

WSP is seeking a Senior Consultant, Environmental Planner (NEPA Specialist), to join its Environmental and Social Impact Assessment Team, based in the Creve Coeur, Missouri, office. Remote work will be considered for candidates located within WSP’s Plains District (Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, Iowa, South Dakota, North Dakota, Minnesota, Oklahoma, and Arkansas). The successful candidate will provide technical environmental planning assistance and leadership to assess the environmental impacts of commercial, industrial, energy, transmission, development, infrastructure, construction, pipeline, and transportation projects across the country.

In this role, you will serve as a client-facing technical and regulatory specialist supporting interdisciplinary environmental reviews under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). Responsibilities will include public involvement; field, desktop, and geospatial data collection, processing, and analysis; and preparation of scientific and technical reports. This position will appeal to individuals who are familiar with the NEPA process, have excellent scientific and technical writing skills and a strong work ethic, and are interested in career growth within a professional team of environmental planners, scientists, and biologists.
 

Your Impact

• Serve as task lead or deputy project manager for NEPA projects, including environmental impact statements (EISs), environmental assessments (EAs), and categorical exclusions (CEs).
• Lead preparation of NEPA EAs and EISs, other impact assessments, environmental survey reports, and documentation supporting Endangered Species Act compliance, Clean Water Act permitting, and nuclear licensing.
• Apply impact assessment methodologies and scientific research and writing skills to environmental reviews.
• Support project managers, coordinate multidisciplinary teams, and manage project schedules and budgets.
• Lead or assist with field and desktop collection, identification, and compilation of observational, spatial, operational, and environmental data from multiple sources for projects, research, and surveys.
• Lead or assist with public outreach and stakeholder involvement related to planning and environmental studies.
• Prepare scopes of work, fee proposals, and technical responses to requests for proposals (RFPs).
• Apply quality control standards and procedures to verify the accuracy and precision of environmental data and analyses.
• Utilize the latest technologies and techniques in performing studies and analysis of habitats, sites, and potential impacts to the health of the environment and the population.
• Participate in client meetings and public information meetings; organize public comment databases; review and respond to public comments.
• Complete required training and meet schedules for assigned tasks.
• Exercise responsible and ethical decision-making regarding company funds, resources and conduct, and adhere to WSP’s Code of Conduct and related policies and procedures.
• Perform additional responsibilities as required by business needs.

Who You Are

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree or higher in environmental or urban planning, environmental science, biological science, natural resources, environmental engineering, geology, water resources, or a related field.  
• 5+ years of experience working in the environmental planning field, completing environmental surveys and impact assessments. 
• Expertise and experience with relevant environmental laws, permitting requirements, notification and compliance practices, and applicable regional, state, and federal regulatory frameworks.
• Strong oral, interpersonal, and written communication skills. Applicants must be prepared to provide a recent professional writing sample, such as an EA, identifying the portions they authored or co-authored.
• Strong analytical skills and familiarity with research techniques, local and regional ecology and habitats, and applicable regional, state, and federal regulatory frameworks.
• Experience leading and reviewing environmental planning technical reports, environmental impact evaluations, and environmental permit applications and licensing, including field surveys and reporting, and resource and impact evaluations (e.g. commercial, renewable energy, infrastructure, etc.)
• Experience coordinating with clients, regulatory permitting and resource agencies, and environmental technical staff required.
• Ability to work independently, manage competing priorities, and maintain attention to detail in a dynamic work environment.
• Demonstrate initiative and ability to take ownership of assignments, anticipate project needs, and independently drive tasks through completion. 
• Ability to see beyond an individual technical assignment and understand how scope, schedule, budget, quality, client needs, and multidisciplinary inputs come together to support successful project delivery.
• Demonstrated familiarity with office automation and communication software, technology, and document formatting and management (i.e., Microsoft, Adobe Professional, Google Earth).
• Ability to work independently and provide guidance and leadership to junior team or project members, with strict adherence to quality assurance and quality control (QA/QC) procedures, to meet business objectives.
• Proven track record of upholding workplace safety and ability to abide by WSP’s health, safety and drug/alcohol and harassment policies.
• Ability to work schedules conducive to project-specific requirements that may extend beyond the typical workweek.
• Occasional overnight travel may be required depending on project-specific requirements.
   

Preferred Qualifications 

• Master’s degree is preferred.
• Experience with and knowledge of U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) regulations and related guidance.
• Membership or active participation in local professional practice organizations.

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