Permitting Program Manager

Quaise Energy•Denver, CO

About The Position

Quaise Energy is seeking a senior individual contributor to plan, secure, and maintain the environmental studies, permits, and authorizations needed to develop, construct, and operate its geothermal projects. The role owns the integrated federal, state, and local permitting program in partnership with Origination, Development, Construction, and Operations teams, and serves as a primary point of contact for regulators, land managers, and environmental consultants. The position will help advance Project Obsidian, Quaise’s first commercial superhot geothermal power plant in Central Oregon, and establish a repeatable permitting framework for commercial deployment. The role has no formal people-management responsibilities but directs external environmental and permitting consultants. It also supports a positive corporate culture, a safe and creative work environment, external collaboration, and other efforts to improve Quaise. The position oversees permitting for exploration, drilling, wellfield, power plant, interconnection, and linear facility scopes, from early screening through construction and operations. It develops permitting strategies, leads federal geothermal authorization processes, manages state and local approvals, supports NEPA and related consultations, commissions environmental and cultural resource studies, and maintains permit compliance systems, schedules, budgets, and records. The role works across internal functions and with agencies, Tribes, community stakeholders, and consultants, and contributes to public engagement. The role requires a bachelor’s degree in a relevant field and at least 10 years of experience in environmental and ecological permitting and compliance for energy or infrastructure projects. Travel may be required up to 25%.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in environmental science, biology, natural resources, public policy, engineering, or a related field.
At least 10 years of experience with environmental and ecological permitting and compliance for energy or infrastructure projects.
Strong working knowledge of NEPA, ESA, NHPA, CWA, and related federal and state environmental, ecological, and cultural resource regulations.
Working knowledge of federal geothermal leasing and permitting, or comparable oil and gas, mining, or other federal-land energy frameworks.
Proven ability to manage complex, multi-agency permitting timelines and multidisciplinary consultant teams.
Ability to interpret engineering drawings, site plans, and technical studies and translate project designs into clear, defensible regulatory submissions.
High attention to detail and accuracy.
Ability to work in a fast-paced startup or high-growth environment with evolving priorities.
Ability to work independently, exercise sound judgment, navigate ambiguity, and know when to engage stakeholders.
Excellent verbal and written communication skills, including technical writing for regulatory and public audiences.
Ability to build trusted working relationships with regulators, Tribes, community stakeholders, and internal teams.
Working knowledge of Microsoft Office, SharePoint, and Teams.
Prolonged periods of sitting at a desk and working on a computer; ability to stand, sit, walk, stoop, kneel, crouch or crawl, and use hands to feel, reach, grasp, handle, or operate objects, tools, or controls.
Ability to lift, push, pull, transfer, or move items up to 20 pounds at times.
Ability to travel between worksites and to job sites and other locations; travel up to 25%.

Nice To Haves

Experience permitting geothermal, oil and gas, mining, solar, wind, or transmission projects; NEPA permitting experience is strongly valued.
Experience permitting on federal lands in the western U.S., including managing interagency consultations under Section 7 and Section 106 in support of NEPA.
Advanced degree or certification in environmental science, natural resource management, environmental law or policy, civil engineering, or infrastructure planning.
GIS or data management skills related to environmental resource investigation and tracking.
Experience maintaining schedules and deliverables using Smartsheet, Microsoft Project, or similar tools.

Responsibilities

Own the integrated permitting program for geothermal project scopes, from early-stage screening through construction and operations.
Develop project-specific permitting strategies with regulator counsel, identifying authorizations, critical-path approvals, and risks aligned with development and construction schedules.
Lead preparation, submission, and agency review of federal geothermal authorizations under the Geothermal Steam Act and 43 CFR 3200.
Manage state and local permitting, including geothermal well permits, energy facility siting, water rights and water quality, air quality, and land use approvals.
Coordinate surface use authorizations with land managers and environmental review supporting interconnection and gen-tie facilities with transmission providers.
Support permitting due diligence for new sites and lease acquisitions, including fatal-flaw screening and environmental diligence standards.
Support NEPA compliance with lead and cooperating agencies, including preparation and review of Categorical Exclusions, Determinations of NEPA Adequacy, Environmental Assessments, and Environmental Impact Statements.
Manage interagency consultations, including ESA Section 7, NHPA Section 106, and Clean Water Act Section 404/401, and support agency-led government-to-government Tribal consultation.
Scope, commission, and review environmental and cultural resource studies, and plan surveys around species-specific protocol windows.
Monitor regulatory changes and advise on environmental risks and mitigation strategies.
Build and maintain a permit conditions and commitments register, and ensure requirements are tracked, communicated, and fulfilled.
Maintain audit-ready permitting records, agency correspondence, and compliance documentation.
Maintain integrated permitting schedules, budgets, and deliverables trackers, and report status, risks, and forecasts to project leadership.
Scope, procure, and manage environmental and permitting consultants, controlling cost and schedule and reviewing quality of deliverables.
Serve as a primary agency contact and build durable, transparent working relationships with regulators.
Coordinate with internal teams to integrate permit requirements into design, procurement, and construction planning.
Contribute to public engagement and community outreach related to environmental concerns, including scoping meetings, comment periods, and hearings.
Promote a positive corporate culture and safe, creative work environment, and support external collaborations and other improvement activities.