Environmental Consultant/Environmental Planner

Job Description

We are seeking a detail-oriented, self-motivated Environmental Consultant with 2 to 3 years of direct experience navigating transportation infrastructure and environmental compliance in the Commonwealth of Virginia. In this role, you will lead and support environmental clearance workflows for Locally Administered Projects (LAPs) developed under the oversight of the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT).

You will serve as an essential technical bridge between local public agencies (cities, counties, and towns), engineering design teams, and state and federal regulatory bodies. Your primary objective will be ensuring that transportation enhancements, multi-use trails, roadway widenings, intersection improvements, and bridge rehabilitations successfully achieve environmental clearance under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), state environmental review directives, and applicable natural and cultural resource regulations.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities of a successful candidate include but are not limited to:

• NEPA Review: Conduct NEPA review and author NEPA documents – primarily Programmatic Categorical Exclusions (PCEs), Categorical Exclusions (CE), and Environmental Assessments (EA) – in accordance with VDOT LAP Manual Chapter 15 guidelines, the VDOT NEPA Manual, and FHWA policies.
• Agency Coordination & Consultation: Coordinate with local agency project managers, VDOT Project Coordinators, and VDOT Environmental Reviewers to ensure successful NEPA review and delivery. Coordinate with various stakeholders and reviewing agencies, including the State Historic Preservation Office (Virginia Department of Historic Resources - VDHR), Virginia Department of Environmental Quality (VDEQ), Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR), Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources (DWR), and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS).
• Technical Studies & Site Assessments: Coordinate hazardous materials reviews, threatened and endangered (T&E) species habitat evaluations, desktop cultural resource screenings, and Section 4(f)/6(f) evaluations.
• Permitting & Resource Delineation Support: Assist in preparing and securing Clean Water Act Section 404/401 permits from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) and the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality (VDEQ). Collaborate with wetland delineators and civil design teams to quantify and minimize impacts to aquatic resources.
• Design Interfacing & Environmental Commitments: Review roadway and structural plan sets (Right-of-Way and Final Construction phases) to verify that environmental commitments, avoidance areas, and permit sketches are accurately integrated into engineering contract documents.

Skill/Requirements of a successful candidate include but are not limited to:

• Professional Experience: 2–3 years of professional environmental consulting, regulatory agency, or local government experience directly focused on transportation infrastructure projects in the Commonwealth of Virginia.
• Educational Background: Bachelor's degree in Environmental Science, Environmental Policy, Urban/Regional Planning, Biology, Natural Resources, Civil/Environmental Engineering, or a closely related discipline.
• VDOT LAP Process Knowledge: Working knowledge of the VDOT Locally Administered Projects (LAP) Manual, the VDOT NEPA Manual, and standard VDOT project development phases.
• Regulatory Acumen: Firm understanding of NEPA review and compliance, Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act, Section 7 of the Endangered Species Act, Section 4(f) of the Department of Transportation Act, and Section 6(f) of the Land & Water Conservation Fund Act.
• Technical Communication: Superior technical writing, research, and interpersonal communication skills; proven ability to clearly articulate regulatory constraints and deliverable milestones to municipal clients and project engineers.
• Field Readiness & Licensure: Valid Driver's License and willingness to travel periodically across Virginia project sites for field inspections and public meetings.

Compensation: Our best estimate of the salary range for this position is $70,000-$82,000. This position is eligible for straight-time overtime. There may be flexibility on salary for experienced candidates. Offers are based on a range of job-related factors such as internal equity, experience, skills, education, credentials role complexity. Information on our comprehensive benefits package be found here.

Qualifications

Additional Information

The requirements listed are representative of the knowledge, skills and/or abilities required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

We are looking for high energy, creative, flexible, patient, self-starters who are willing to work at a dynamic pace. Candidates must share a commitment to our company’s Vision, Mission and Shared Values.

Timmons Group is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, national origin, disability, or protected Veteran status.

Timmons Group is a full-service engineering and technology firm recognized nationally as a “Best Firm to Work For” by CE News. With 22 offices throughout the Mid-Atlantic, Southeast, and South Central United States, we provide civil engineering, environmental, economic development, GIS/geospatial technology, landscape architecture, and surveying services to a diverse client base. As one of Engineering News Record’s (ENR) Top 500 Design Firms for over 30 years, we are dedicated to being an employer of choice and providing our people with the best resources, technology, and culture to help them thrive in an engaging career development setting. For more information, visit www.timmons.com.

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