Principal Consultant, Renewable Energy/Power

ERM • Novi, MI

158d • $115,500 - $148,700 • Hybrid

About The Position

ERM is seeking a Principal Consultant, Renewable Energy/Power overseeing Impact Assessment, Planning and Permitting for renewable energy facilities throughout the Midwest. This role will manage environmental studies and permitting for various power facilities and other major capital development projects, including solar development, battery energy storage system development, technology infrastructure and energy transmission projects. The ideal candidate will have multiple years of project management experience in the power and/or technology sector along with technical expertise leading environmental, local, state, and federal level permitting for large-scale capital projects. As part of ERM's planning team you will be leading consulting on a range of environmental, social, and health impact assessment projects to build a sustainable business both regionally and nationally, while networking with ERM's global technical teams to share best practices across the industry. This position will focus primarily on environmental impact assessment and federal, state, and local permitting to facilitate the development, construction, and operation of commercial-scale energy facilities and support the low carbon economy transition in the U.S. Our portfolio of projects is often fast-paced, multi-faceted, and geographically diverse. The position will require a candidate to work independently and to lead teams of subject matter experts, so the successful candidate must have the ability to manage varying priorities and multiple tasks while forging a cohesive delivery team to meet concurrent deadlines on multiple projects. This is an excellent opportunity for an environmental professional looking to advance their career with a global environmental leader and be part of ERM's continuing growth in the power sector.

Requirements

• Bachelor's or master's degree in environmental studies, environmental management, wetland science, planning, geography, or related natural resources science field of study; or 8+ year's equivalent experience.
• 8+ years of project management, licensing and permitting experience, including strong project experience in power.
• Experience with federal, state, and local permitting, in particular with the preparation of local permit applications and documents related to the development of renewable energy projects.
• Experience assisting clients in obtaining multi-media permits and approvals for new or expanded facilities.
• Experience overseeing and coordinating desktop and online studies or research on natural resource or resource planning topics.
• Demonstrated ability to research and prepare concise and accurate technical documents.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills and organization/analytical skills.
• Ability to multi-task, maintain flexibility, travel, and work independently with minimal supervision.
• Demonstrated ability to mentor and develop team members.

Responsibilities

• Manage and perform complex local permitting and compliance efforts associated with renewable energy and tech sector development projects.
• Manage and lead the preparation of permitting documents for energy/industrial facility development, expansion, maintenance, or decommissioning, with a focus on local permitting.
• Oversee project delivery activities, such as report writing and review, data collection, data and literature review, and developing recommendations for clients.
• Manage preparation of discipline-specific reports (e.g., biological, cultural, noise, decommissioning plans, landscape plans, and stakeholder engagement plans), engineering plan sets (up through 30% designs), permitting documents, and state-level environmental reviews consistent with applicable federal, state, and local regulatory requirements.
• Serve in roles ranging from project manager, task manager, technical expert, and QA/QC of deliverables.
• Contribute technical, subject matter or project management expertise on permitting strategies, due diligence reviews, environmental critical issues assessments, impact assessment deliverables, and overall quality control review.
• Prepare technical proposals and participate in business development with existing clients and identified leads.
• Manage and work within quality/budget/schedule expectations and scope-specific assignments.
• Interface with clients by leading calls, attending meetings, and providing critical insights to optimize project implementation.
• Collaborate with other ERM practitioners to execute impact assessment and capital project permitting.
• Expand ERM's profile and market share through your existing client relationships.

Benefits

• Paid time off
• Medical/dental/vision insurance
• 401(k)

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior
• Industry: Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services
• Education Level: Master's degree
• Number of Employees: 5,001-10,000 employees