Principal Consultant, Land Use Planner

ERM•Portland, OR

1d•$100,600 - $152,100•Hybrid

About The Position

ERM is seeking a Principal Consultant, Land Use Planner in Portland, Oregon or Seattle, Washington to help lead and expand our renewable energy permitting practice across the Pacific Northwest. In this highly visible role, you will guide complex permitting, environmental review, and land use planning efforts that support the development of utility-scale renewable energy and infrastructure projects, helping clients advance the clean energy transition while navigating regulatory requirements and stakeholder expectations. As renewable energy development accelerates throughout the Pacific Northwest, successful project delivery depends on thoughtful permitting strategies, regulatory expertise, and strong collaboration with agencies and stakeholders. In this role, you will serve as a trusted advisor to clients, leading land use planning and permitting efforts that enable critical clean energy infrastructure projects to move forward efficiently and responsibly. You will help clients successfully develop renewable energy and infrastructure projects by leading permitting strategies, preparing regulatory applications, evaluating land use requirements, and coordinating multidisciplinary teams. Your expertise will help identify permitting risks, develop practical solutions, and support sustainable project approvals throughout Oregon and Washington.

Requirements

Bachelor's or Master's degree in Environmental Planning, Urban and Regional Planning, Environmental Science, Geography, Natural Resources, Public Policy, or a related field, or 12 years of equivalent experience.
6+ years of experience supporting permitting and land use planning efforts for renewable energy, transmission, infrastructure, or similar development projects.
Demonstrated experience preparing land use permit applications and supporting local government approval processes.
Experience conducting zoning analyses, code consistency evaluations, and preparing findings demonstrating compliance with local and state land use regulations.
Familiarity with Oregon land use planning requirements, including Oregon Statewide Planning Goals and county development codes.
Familiarity with Washington land use regulations, SEPA review processes, and local development permitting requirements.
Excellent technical writing, communication, and client management skills.
Ability to work effectively in a fast-paced consulting environment while managing multiple concurrent projects.

Nice To Haves

AICP certification.
Experience working directly with Oregon and Washington counties, States (EFSC, EFSEC), planning commissions, or local hearing bodies.
Experience obtaining Oregon and Washington wetland and waters permits, including permitting under State Removal-Fill programs, Section 404 of the Clean Water Act, and related state and federal regulatory frameworks.
Experience developing wetland, waters, and habitat mitigation strategies and coordinating with state and federal resource agencies to support renewable energy, transmission, and infrastructure projects.
Knowledge of Oregon Department of State Lands (DSL), Washington Department of Ecology, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and state and federal habitat mitigation requirements preferred.

Responsibilities

Lead and support the development of permit strategies and entitlement pathways for environmental permitting and land use planning efforts associated with utility-scale solar, battery energy storage systems (BESS), wind energy, transmission, and other energy infrastructure projects throughout Oregon and Washington.
Lead preparation of county and municipal land use permit applications, including Conditional Use Permits and Goal Exception applications.
Coordinate with state agencies, counties, municipalities, and special districts to support permitting and regulatory compliance requirements.
Conduct detailed zoning and land use due diligence assessments for project sites.
Interpret local development codes, comprehensive plans, and applicable state land use requirements to identify permitting risks and opportunities.
Prepare code consistency analyses demonstrating project conformance with applicable code.
Evaluate local permitting pathways and jurisdiction-specific code requirements for renewable energy developments.
Develop findings of fact and permit application narratives supporting project approvals.
Support projects undergoing review through the Oregon Energy Facility Siting Council (EFSC) and Washington Energy Facility Site Evaluation Council (EFSEC) process, including preparation of application materials, Requests for Amendment, compliance reporting, and coordination with Oregon Department of Energy staff.
Coordinate with interdisciplinary project teams including biologists, wetland scientists, archaeologists, visual resources specialists, and other technical experts regarding technical studies and review environmental documentation prepared in support of permit applications.
Mentor junior and mid-level staff in environmental permitting, land use planning, and project management.
Provide technical review and quality assurance for permitting deliverables.
Contribute to development of best practices, tools, and methodologies for renewable energy permitting projects.