Project Manager – Permitting, Data Centers

IREN•Kiowa, OK

1d•Onsite

About The Position

IREN is a vertically integrated AI Cloud provider, delivering large-scale data centers and GPU clusters for AI training and inference. IREN’s platform is underpinned by its expansive portfolio of grid-connected land and power in renewable-rich regions across North America, Europe and APAC. Reporting to the Project Director, the Project Manager – Permitting (Air & Water) owns the environmental permitting workstream for a data center campus. The role secures the air and water permits and approvals required to construct, commission and operate each building, keeps those permits current as the design and campus evolve, and ensures permit conditions are built into the project and handed over to Operations in a form they can comply with from day one. With 100% renewable energy, we build, own and operate our data centers and take pride in being at the forefront of sustainable solutions for the ever-evolving applications of high-performance compute. We believe that human progress is invaluable, but it should be done in the right way – responsibly, sustainably and having a positive impact on the communities we operate in.

Requirements

5 to 8 years in environmental permitting, environmental compliance or environmental project management on industrial, energy, mission-critical or data center projects, with hands-on responsibility for air and water permits.
Degree in environmental engineering, environmental science, civil or chemical engineering, or a related field, or equivalent demonstrable experience.
Demonstrated experience securing air permits for stationary combustion sources (emergency generators or similar) and stormwater, wastewater or water supply approvals, including direct interaction with state and federal agencies.
Ability to read and interpret site, civil, mechanical and electrical drawings and specifications.
Executive presence and reporting: demonstrated ability to document and communicate permitting risks, schedule and budget clearly and consistently, in written reports and in person, to project leadership.
Experience in a fast-paced growth environment; flexible approach to work hours and site-based work.
Strong working knowledge of Microsoft Suite (Project, Excel, Word, Outlook).
OSHA 30, or willingness to obtain within the first 90 days.
A clear criminal record check is required.
Must provide own steel-toed work boots; all other PPE is supplied.
Must be able to reliably commute to the project site daily or have plans to relocate before starting work.
A valid driver’s license; regular travel to regulatory agency offices and other IREN sites is required.
IREN operates across multiple countries and time zones; a flexible approach to work hours is required.

Nice To Haves

Air quality: minor and major New Source Review, Title V, permit-by-rule and standard permit pathways; NSPS and NESHAP engine standards; emissions inventories, dispersion modeling and stack testing.
Stormwater and wastewater: NPDES or state-delegated construction and industrial stormwater programs, SWPPP development and inspection, wastewater discharge and pretreatment permitting, cooling tower blowdown management.
Water supply and water rights: utility service agreements, groundwater conservation district permitting, water-rights filings and water reuse approvals.
Wetlands and site environmental: waters-of-the-U.S. delineation, Section 404/401 permitting, floodplain development permits, threatened and endangered species and cultural resource reviews.
Data center or mission-critical project exposure.
Experience permitting in multiple states, including Texas, and familiarity with the TCEQ and other state agencies in IREN’s operating regions.
Professional registration or certification such as PE, Certified Environmental Professional (CEP), CPESC/CPSWQ or equivalent; PM certification (CAPM, PMP or equivalent) highly regarded but not required.
Experience with project controls and document management tools such as Primavera P6, Procore or similar; SAP familiarity beneficial.
Experience with environmental due diligence, Phase I and II ESAs and site selection support.

Responsibilities

Develop and maintain the campus permitting matrix and schedule, identifying every required air and water permit, approval and notification, its regulatory pathway, lead time, dependencies and the design information needed to file.
Integrate permit milestones into the master project schedule with project controls so that filing, agency review, public notice and issuance dates are visible as critical-path items.
Advise the Project Director, Senior Project Managers and engineering on permitting pathways and trade-offs early in design, including generator sizing and run-hour strategies, cooling technology selection and water sourcing options that affect permit scope, timing and risk.
Keep the permitting risk register current, with mitigation actions tracked to closure.
Manage applicability analyses and permit applications for emergency and standby generators and other combustion sources, including minor source, permit-by-rule, standard permit, New Source Review and Title V pathways as applicable.
Coordinate emissions inventories, dispersion modeling and health-effects reviews with consultants; review deliverables for accuracy before submission.
Track federal engine and turbine standards (NSPS and NESHAP) and state requirements through equipment selection, procurement specifications and submittal review so that purchased equipment matches what was permitted.
Manage initial notifications, performance and stack testing, record-keeping and reporting obligations triggered during commissioning and the first year of operation.
Secure construction stormwater coverage and manage the SWPPP, including notices of intent and termination, inspection records and corrective actions with the civil contractor through to final stabilization.
Secure industrial stormwater coverage, wastewater discharge or pretreatment permits and any cooling tower blowdown approvals needed for operations, coordinating with the local utility or publicly owned treatment works.
Manage water supply approvals, including utility service agreements, groundwater district permits and water-rights filings, and track supply commitments against campus demand projections.
Manage wetland and waters-of-the-U.S. delineations, Clean Water Act Section 404/401 authorizations and floodplain approvals, and ensure avoidance, minimization and mitigation commitments are built into the site design.
Coordinate spill prevention and fuel storage plans and registrations with HSE and the electrical trade for on-site diesel storage.
Act as the project’s primary day-to-day contact with environmental regulators, water districts and local authorities; schedule and lead pre-application and technical meetings with the support of consultants and counsel.
Respond to agency requests for additional information promptly and completely; track every request and response to closure.
Support public notice, comment and hearing processes in coordination with Legal and Community Relations, and brief leadership on community and stakeholder positions that could affect permitting outcomes.
Maintain a log of all agency correspondence, commitments and interpretations so that the project’s regulatory position is documented and defensible.
Maintain the permitting budget, consultant commitments and cost-to-complete inputs in coordination with project controls.
Prepare weekly and monthly permitting status reports to prescribed frequencies for Senior Project Manager and Project Director review, so that leadership receives one consistent, concise picture of permit status, risks and schedule.
Present permitting status, risks and recommendations in project control meetings and to the Project Director with clarity and confidence.
Prepare consultant scopes, change-order packages and invoice reviews with supporting documentation for Senior Project Manager or Project Director approval.
Translate permit conditions into a compliance matrix with clear owners across engineering, construction, commissioning and Operations, and brief contractors on the conditions that affect their work.
Review design changes, RFIs and submittits for permitting impact and raise modifications or amendments before field conditions diverge from the permitted basis.
Support environmental inspections and audits; log observations and non-conformances, track corrective actions to closure and report status to the Senior Project Managers.
Support a zero-harm culture and comply with IREN’s Risk, QA and HSE management systems.
Assemble the permit and compliance handover package for each building: issued permits, approved applications, agency correspondence, compliance matrices, monitoring and reporting calendars, and record-keeping templates.
Train Operations personnel on ongoing permit obligations, reporting deadlines and renewal timelines, and archive project records in accordance with company guidelines.
Make permitting process and administrative decisions within the role’s authority.
Escalate commercial, legal, schedule and reputational issues to the Project Director promptly and with a recommendation.
Communicate clearly in writing: permit status reports, agency correspondence and compliance matrices that others can act on without follow-up.
Work collaboratively with contractors, consultants, counsel, engineering, procurement and Operations, with a team-first, project-first mentality.
Contribute to evaluations of project performance and to lessons-learned workshops at building close-out.
Build and maintain IREN’s permitting playbook: standard permitting matrices, application templates, agency contact records and lessons learned that shorten permitting timelines on each subsequent building and campus.

Benefits

100% company paid health insurance premiums(medical, dental, and vision)for employees, 75% company paid coverage for dependents
Company-paid short-term and long-term disability insurance
Voluntary life, critical illness, and accident coverage available
Health Savings Accounts (HSA) – when combined with the High Deductible Health Plan
Employee Assistance Program and wellness resources
401(k) retirement plan with company match
Access to financial planning and legal services
Paid Time Off (PTO) and paid holidays
Internal skills training and advancement pathways
Professional development to support certifications, continuing education, or role related training
Company events and team-building activities
Relocation (as appliable and based on successful candidate circumstances)