Environmental Director

Nscale • Houston, TX

4d

About The Position

Nscale is seeking an Environmental Director to lead environmental permitting for site selection and power development across its Power & Energy assets, starting with the Monarch campus in West Virginia. The role owns land-use and water permits that gate development and construction, leads the environmental studies team and supporting consultants, and serves as Nscale’s senior environmental representative to federal and state agencies. The position reports to the SVP, Development.

The Director leads environmental screening and constraints analysis for candidate sites, routes, and expansions, and advises on site selection and layout to avoid or minimize environmental impacts. The role sets permitting strategy and schedules, manages Clean Water Act Section 404 and 401 permits, NPDES and construction stormwater permits and SWPPPs, related state approvals, and consultations for protected species and cultural resources. Air permitting is owned by Nscale’s Permitting team, with which the Director coordinates.

The Director manages agency relationships and consultant programs, negotiates permit conditions, and supports site, construction, and operations teams with compliance for permits obtained, including monitoring, reporting, inspections, modifications, and renewals. The position also leads and develops the environmental team, sets priorities and budgets across sites, and advises leadership on environmental risk, regulatory developments, and agency positions affecting site selection and schedules. Regular travel to sites is expected, with substantial time in West Virginia during Monarch construction.

Requirements

• 15+ years of environmental permitting experience for energy, industrial, or large infrastructure projects.
• Direct responsibility for Clean Water Act Section 404 and 401 permitting, NPDES and construction stormwater permitting, and associated species and cultural resource consultations.
• Demonstrated working relationships with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and state environmental agencies responsible for water and land-use permitting.
• Managed environmental teams and consultant programs with multi-million-dollar budgets.
• Deep knowledge of the Clean Water Act Sections 401, 402, and 404; Corps regulatory programs, including nationwide and individual permits, jurisdictional determinations, and mitigation; state water and stormwater programs; the Endangered Species Act; and National Historic Preservation Act Section 106.
• Working knowledge of wetland and stream delineation, species surveys, and cultural resource surveys sufficient to scope and review consultant work.
• Understanding of pipeline, power plant, and large-site construction practices and how environmental controls fit into them.
• Credible with regulators, direct with consultants, and clear with executives; demonstrates sound judgment, practical program-building, and the ability to keep issues from escalating.
• Willingness to travel regularly to sites and spend substantial time in West Virginia during Monarch construction.

Nice To Haves

• Working relationships with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and State Historic Preservation Offices.
• Experience screening and permitting multiple sites or a portfolio, including site selection support.
• Experience in West Virginia, Ohio, or Pennsylvania, or with the Corps districts and state agencies serving those regions; experience in other regions where Nscale may build is also a plus.
• Bachelor’s or master’s degree in environmental science, environmental engineering, biology, or a related field.
• Professional Wetland Scientist, PE, or similar credentials.
• Experience with NEPA reviews and federal permitting for linear projects.
• Experience with brownfield or industrial-redevelopment sites.
• Experience supporting state legislative or regulatory policy initiatives.
• Experience with environmental aspects of data center development, including water, cooling, and noise.

Responsibilities

• Lead environmental screening and constraints analysis for candidate sites, routes, and expansions, covering wetlands and streams, floodplains, protected species habitat, cultural resources, and legacy site conditions.
• Advise on site selection and layout to avoid or minimize environmental impacts.
• Set permitting strategies and schedules and integrate them with development, design, and construction milestones.
• Own preparation and submission of Clean Water Act Section 404 permits, Section 401 water quality certifications, NPDES and construction stormwater permits and SWPPPs, and related state land-use and water approvals.
• Lead Endangered Species Act and National Historic Preservation Act Section 106 consultations, including survey scoping, seasonal restrictions, and mitigation.
• Develop mitigation strategies, including avoidance, minimization, mitigation banking, and permittee-responsible mitigation, and negotiate permit conditions.
• Own relationships with U.S. Army Corps of Engineers districts, state environmental agencies, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and State Historic Preservation Offices.
• Represent Nscale in pre-application meetings, site visits, public notice and comment processes, and hearings.
• Select and manage environmental consultants and laboratories for delineations, surveys, studies, and permit applications; oversee scope, schedule, and quality.
• Coordinate with the Permitting team on air permitting and with Legal on permit terms and regulatory risk.
• Support site, construction, and operations teams with compliance for permits obtained, including condition tracking, monitoring, reporting, inspections, modifications, and renewals.
• Support responses to agency inspections, notices, and enforcement matters involving the permits; lead root cause analysis and corrective action with site teams.
• Lead and develop the environmental team, including compliance and studies; set priorities, budgets, and reporting across sites.
• Advise leadership on environmental risk, regulatory developments, and agency positions affecting site selection and schedule.
• Travel regularly to sites, with substantial time in West Virginia during Monarch construction.

Benefits

• Highly competitive package including base salary and equity, with reviews every 12 months.
• Dynamic progression plan tailored to employees’ ambitions, with opportunities to grow by trying new things, leading, challenging the status quo, and owning impact.
• Potential eligibility for bonus, equity, and/or commission programs.
• Nscale may offer medical, dental, and vision coverage, flexible paid time off, parental leave, and retirement plan participation.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Director
• Education Level: No Education Listed