Associate Project Manager - Utility Permitting

SWCA Environmental Consultants•Southborough, MA

13h•Remote

About The Position

SWCA Environmental Consultants is seeking an Associate Project Manager – Utility Permitting to support environmental permitting efforts for utility infrastructure projects throughout Massachusetts and the Northeast. Projects may include electric transmission and distribution, substations, renewable energy interconnections, and other utility-related infrastructure requiring local, state, and federal permitting approvals. This position is ideal for a developing project manager with permitting experience who is ready to take increased responsibility for project coordination, client support, schedules, and deliverables while working under the guidance of senior project managers and technical leads. This role will report to one of our MA office locations (Amherst or Southborough), but candidates can be distributed, preferably anywhere within the New England area. This is a regular (with benefits), salaried/exempt, full-time position. Application deadline: Our team will begin reviewing applications immediately, and interviews will be scheduled with qualified candidates on a rolling basis. The application process will remain open until we have received a robust pool of qualified candidates. Once we have identified suitable individuals, we may close the application process without prior notice. We appreciate the time and effort invested by all applicants and will carefully consider each submission.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Environmental Science, Natural Resource Management, Planning, Biology, Ecology, or a related field.
Three (3) years of natural resources consulting experience on a variety of project types and sizes, with an emphasis on federal, state, and local permitting in New England, and agency interactions at all levels.
Experience supporting utility, linear infrastructure, or energy-related permitting efforts
One year of experience managing projects, including developing and implementing budgets, schedules, and scopes of work.
Working knowledge of applicable environmental regulations (e.g., MEPA, MESA, Wetlands Protection Act, Clean Water Act, NEPA)
Demonstrated experience with federal agencies such as USFWS, EPA, USACE, and FERC.
Experience coordinating project tasks, schedules, and deliverables
Strong written and verbal communication skills
Proficiency with common project management and documentation tools (e.g., Microsoft Office, SharePoint, project tracking systems)

Nice To Haves

Master’s degree in biology, botany, wildlife management, or a closely related field.
Five (5) years of natural resources consulting experience on a variety of project types, sizes, and regions that include: energy facility siting and constraints studies, federal, state, and local permitting, NEPA compliance, and agency interactions at all levels.
Experience assisting with energy facility siting and constraints studies
Experience with NEPA compliance
Direct experience with Massachusetts utility permitting and local/state regulatory processes
Experience supporting projects involving electric transmission, distribution, renewable energy, or substations
Demonstrated established relationships with state regulators and key utility clients in the northeast.
Demonstrated success managing large mutli-year utility projects through permitting, construction, and closeout.
Experience in New Hampshire, Connecticut, Rhode Island, and/or Maine. New York experience is a plus.
Interest in continued growth toward full Project Manager responsibilities

Responsibilities

Support the planning, coordination, and execution of utility permitting projects, primarily in Massachusetts and surrounding New England states
Coordinate environmental permitting tasks and schedules under the direction of a Project Manager or Senior Project Manager
Assist with preparation and review of permitting applications, technical reports, and supporting documentation
Manage projects that include NEPA compliance, biological resource assessments and constraints analyses, state and federal Endangered Species Act consultations, Clean Water Act Section 404 and Section 401 permitting, state-level siting permits, and state wetlands permits.
Track project scopes, schedules, milestones, and budgets for small to medium projects and defined tasks within larger projects
Coordinate with internal technical specialists (natural resources, cultural resources, GIS, environmental planning) to support permit deliverables
Support agency coordination with local, state, and federal regulatory agencies (e.g., MassDEP, local Conservation Commissions, USACE, NHESP)
Communicate project status, risks, and needs to project leadership and internal team members
Perform QA/QC reviews of project deliverables at the task level
Assist with subcontractor coordination, invoicing review, and project documentation management
Promote and adhere to SWCA’s quality standards, and project management best practices
Takes responsibility for team safety, developing safety plans (when applicable), and anticipating potential safety hazards.