NEPA Planner (Fremont-Winema National Forest)

GREAT BASIN INSTITUTE • Lakeview, OR

7d • $63,163 - $82,108 • Remote

About The Position

The Great Basin Institute (GBI), in partnership with the U.S. Forest Service on the Fremont-Winema National Forest (Fre-Win), is seeking a NEPA Planner to support the Forest’s environmental planning and project analysis needs. The planner will work directly with Fre-Win staff to assist in the development and review of NEPA documents for a variety of resource and land management projects. Responsibilities include contributing to project development, preparing sections of environmental analyses, coordinating with resource specialists, public engagement, and assisting with the organization and tracking of project documentation. The ideal candidate will have past experience doing NEPA with the U.S. Forest Service and possess a working knowledge of federal environmental law and public land management policy, along with familiarity of best management practices, enabling them to effectively support NEPA processes and collaborative project work. This position is remote/flexible with a requirement to engage in-person at a Ranger District or Supervisor’s office located on the Forest (as needed), but no more than 12 times per year with advanced notification prior to travel. Reporting and in-person engagements with the Fre-Win will be coordinated by the Forest Service POC (not GBI) for this position.

Requirements

• Previous experience doing NEPA with the U.S. Forest Service (2 years minimum)
• Experience successfully managing and preparing environmental documents and associated technical studies
• Strong written and oral communication skills, including the editing, oversight, and preparation of technical reports
• Ability to work on several projects or issues simultaneously
• Ability to work collaboratively with a team in a fast-paced and creative environment
• Ability to work independently with a strong work ethic
• Excellent oral, writing, communication, presentation, strategic thinking, and “people” skills

Nice To Haves

• Experience with and an understanding of the environmental regulatory framework for the Cascades and Great Basin regions, including applicable state and federal laws
• Experience in forestry, fire and fuels, or other related projects for forest health and post-fire recovery
• Experience with Geographic Information Systems (ArcGIS Pro)
• Experience in environmental consulting
• Master’s Degree in Environmental Sciences, Cultural Resources, Urban Planning, Geology, Biological Sciences, or related field (plus)

Responsibilities

• Apply understanding of federal, state, and local regulatory requirements to determine the permitting strategy for projects
• Lead or support interdisciplinary teams to complete Categorical Exclusions, Environmental Assessments, Environmental Impact Statements, and other permitting or consultation documents
• Analyze environmental impacts from project activities and develop written descriptions of impacts for environmental documents
• Review and interpret highly technical reports on a variety of subjects (air quality, cultural resources, biology, geology, hazardous materials, historic resources, hydrology, etc.) and summarize in non-technical language understandable to a layperson
• Coordinate public engagement including meetings, travel logistics, project newsletters, notices, public announcements, and related activities
• Contribute to partnership development activities, including partner relations and proposal development for new project work
• Contribute to GBI’s broader NEPA Program capacity and participate in strategic development opportunities

Benefits

• In addition to a competitive base salary, this full-time, onsite position includes company paid comprehensive medical, dental (with option to upgrade in coverage), and vision insurance, as well as $25,000 Life/AD&D policy.
• Voluntary short-term and long-term disability policies are available, and voluntary Life/AD&D policies for family members.
• Mental health support resources are employer provided, as is 401(k) retirement savings with up to 4% GBI match, competitive PTO accrual, paid holidays (12 per year), and family leave.
• Total compensation package is $72,369.08 - $92,071.88 per year, DOE.
• This exciting role contributes to GBI’s significant positive impacts within the fields of environmental research, education, and conservation.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level
• Number of Employees: 101-250 employees