Lead Environmental Planner

Location – Oakland – San Francisco – San Jose, California

Opportunity Description

Serve as a key member of WSP’s Regional Environmental Planning and Permitting Program, with a focus on project delivery, client communications, and project staff management. Role entails management and preparation of documentation compliant with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) for a variety of project scopes and clients.  Specific tasks would include preparing and adhering to scopes, schedules, budgets, completing or overseeing all components of environmental documentation, and managing and mentoring early-career level staff. Role includes collaboration with Environmental Planning and Permitting leadership and technical staff throughout the Western US, including the Intermountain West, Pacific Northwest, and throughout California. Proven experience with Federal agencies is a requirement; experience with the Department of Defense and Department of Homeland Security (notably Federal Emergency Management Agency) is preferred.

Your Impact

• Ability to successfully manage all aspects of medium-to-large sized projects, encompassing development of proposals, including development of scope of work/technical approach, budget, and schedule.
• Ability to liaise with client, agencies, and consultant team members. 
• Mentorship of early career professionals. 
• The ability to work effectively and independently in a NEPA/CEQA project manager role. 
• Solid understanding of NEPA/CEQA requirements and processes. 
• Attention and commitment to timely completion of high-quality work.

Who You Are

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s Degree in Environmental Planning, Urban Planning, Geography, Environmental Science, Engineering, or a related field (or equivalent experience.)
• 7 to 10 years of experience working in the environmental planning field, completing environmental surveys, fieldwork, habitat and construction support, impact assessments, and permitting.
• Demonstrated experience with NEPA and related federal acts, including Endangered Species Act, National Historic Preservation Act, Coastal Zone Management Act, etc.
• Working knowledge and experience with relevant environmental laws, permitting requirements, notification and compliance practices, and applicable regional/state/federal regulatory framework.
• Familiarity with local, state, and federal permitting agencies.
• Demonstrated experience contributing to technical reports, preparing environmental impact evaluations, siting reports, and environmental permit applications, including field surveys and reporting, and resource and impact evaluations.
• Experience with marketing, proposals, and business development.
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills and ability to express ideas effectively and professionally to a technical and non-technical audience.
• Highly capable self-leadership with attention to detail, capability for multi-tasking, and prioritization of responsibilities in a dynamic work environment.
• Ability to work independently and provide guidance and leadership to early career team or project members, with strict adherence to QA/QC.
• Developed critical thinking and problem-solving skills required to reach conclusions from testing results, data collation, and identify the most effective solutions to accomplish objectives of assigned projects.
• Ability to work schedules conducive to project-specific requirements that may extend beyond the typical workweek.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Master’s Degree is preferred.
• Essential professional licensure/certification. 

WSP Benefits: 
WSP provides a comprehensive suite of benefits focused on providing health and financial stability throughout the employee’s career. These benefits include coverage related to medical, dental, vision, disability, and life; retirement savings; paid sick leave; paid vacation (or other personal time); paid parental leave; and paid time off for purposes of bereavement, voting, and/or attendance at naturalization proceedings.

Compensation
Expected Salary:  $99,700- $160,000

WSP USA is providing the compensation range that the company in good faith believes it might pay and offer for this position, based on the successful applicant’s education, experience, knowledge, skills, abilities in addition to internal equity and specific geographic location. WSP USA reserves the right to ultimately pay more or less than the posted range and offer additional benefits and other compensation, depending on circumstances not related to an applicant’s sex or other status protected by local, state, and/or federal law.