The Environmental Permitting Lead serves as a technical lead and project manager for environmental permitting and compliance activities supporting electric transmission, distribution, substation, and utility infrastructure projects. Candidate will lead proposal preparation, permitting strategy development, agency coordination, environmental review processes, and regulatory compliance efforts necessary to advance projects from planning through construction.

Candidate will work closely with project managers, engineers, environmental specialists, clients, and regulatory agencies to identify permitting requirements, mitigate environmental risks, and ensure projects maintain schedule and budget objectives. The Environmental Permitting Lead will also provide technical guidance and mentorship to environmental staff while supporting business development and client engagement activities.

Job Duties:

• Support proposal development, fee estimates, scope development, and project pursuit activities related to environmental permitting services.
• Interpret project contracts and scope requirements to ensure environmental deliverables align with client expectations and project obligations.
• Lead and oversee environmental permitting efforts across multiple concurrent power delivery projects, maintaining technical ownership of permitting strategies, agency coordination, and regulatory compliance activities.
• Develop and execute permitting plans for transmission lines, substations, distribution systems, renewable energy facilities, and associated infrastructure improvements.
• Serve as the primary permitting lead for clients, project teams, and regulatory agencies throughout project development and execution.
• Interpret federal, state, and local environmental regulations and translate requirements into project-specific permitting strategies.
• Coordinate environmental studies, field investigations, and technical reports necessary to support permit applications and environmental reviews.
• Lead preparation and review of permit applications, environmental assessments, environmental constraints analyses, and regulatory documentation.
• Coordinate with multidisciplinary teams including environmental scientists, engineers, cultural resource specialists, surveyors, and planners to ensure project requirements are fully integrated into the permitting process.
• Identify permitting risks, schedule constraints, and regulatory challenges and develop mitigation strategies to support successful project execution.
• Lead client meetings, agency consultations, and stakeholder discussions regarding permitting requirements, project impacts, and regulatory approvals.
• Identify scope gaps, permitting risks, and potential schedule impacts and coordinate resolution across project stakeholders.
• Monitor project performance from a permitting and compliance perspective, including schedules, budgets, quality objectives, and agency commitments.
• Lead project coordination meetings and provide regular permitting status updates to project teams and clients.
• Oversee QA/QC processes for environmental permitting deliverables to ensure consistency, accuracy, and regulatory compliance.
• Provide mentorship, technical guidance, and training to environmental staff regarding permitting regulations, processes, and industry best practices.
• Support construction and post-permit compliance activities including permit condition tracking, agency reporting, and environmental inspections.
• Monitor regulatory trends and emerging environmental requirements that may impact utility and power delivery projects.
• Identify and implement improvements to permitting tools, workflows, templates, and processes to improve project execution and consistency.

Skills and Qualifications:

• Bachelor's Degree in Environmental Science, Environmental Planning, Natural Resources, Biology, Ecology, Environmental Engineering, or a related field.
• 8+ years of environmental permitting experience supporting utility and energy projects in the Northeast United States.
• Demonstrated experience leading environmental permitting efforts for transmission, distribution, substation, renewable energy, or other power delivery projects.
• Strong knowledge of applicable federal, state, and local environmental regulations and permitting frameworks.
• Experience coordinating with regulatory agencies including U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, state environmental agencies, and local jurisdictions.
• Proven ability to manage multiple projects and competing priorities while maintaining schedule and budget performance.
• Strong understanding of environmental review processes including NEPA, Clean Water Act, Endangered Species Act, and associated permitting requirements.
• Demonstrated ability to lead multidisciplinary project teams and coordinate technical resources across multiple projects.
• Strong communication and leadership skills with experience leading agency meetings, client discussions, and project coordination efforts.
• Ability to identify project risks, resolve complex permitting issues, and provide practical solutions with minimal oversight.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office and environmental permitting documentation workflows.

For Preferred Consideration (Not Required):

• Professional certification such as AICP, CEP, PWS, or related environmental credential.
• Experience supporting large utility capital programs and multi-state transmission projects.
• Direct experience managing NEPA documentation efforts and federal permitting processes.
• Familiarity with utility-specific environmental compliance requirements and agency coordination practices.
• Experience supporting proposal development, client account management, and business development initiatives.\Experience leading environmental teams and mentoring junior permitting professionals.
• Working knowledge of GIS applications and environmental constraints analysis.

About Westwood Professional Services, Inc. (Westwood)

At Westwood, our purpose is to create a better world for people through our work. We transform the energy grid, design resilient infrastructure, and develop communities that will flourish today and for future generations. With over 50 years of experience and a legacy of innovation, we stand at the forefront of our industry, dedicated to understanding the unique needs of the markets we serve.

Our approach revolves around people. We are committed to building a culture that attracts, retains, and develops high performers. Our team values relationships, innovation, dedication, initiative, and growth. We believe fostering a collaborative “One Team” mentality yields superior outcomes in everything we do.

We customize our technical capabilities and geographic reach to meet our clients where they are and help them realize their vision. We are partners in our clients’ success, driving to provide solutions that make a lasting difference. Safety, sustainability, and operational excellence are not just facets of our work; they are intrinsic to our identity, guiding every decision we make.

We are deeply invested in the communities we serve. Through our projects and giving-back initiatives, we enrich the lives of those we serve, engage others within our industry, and create a lasting impact on communities around the world. To us, success transcends the completion of projects; it is reflected in the lives we have positively impacted by our work.

Join us in creating a better world.

In 2025, Westwood was recognized as #77 on the ENR Top 500 Design Firms. Additionally, Westwood was ranked #5 for ENR's Top Design Firm for Solar, #6 for Battery Storage, and #3 for Wind (2025). The firm consistently ranks on the industry's top 25 lists and receives recognition for its involvement in award-winning projects nationwide.

Westwood provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local laws. We believe that diverse backgrounds strengthen our business. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation, and training.