Scientist, Permitting

FirstEnergy•Akron, OH

About The Position

FirstEnergy Service Co., a subsidiary of FirstEnergy Corp., is hiring a Scientist, Permitting to work in the Environmental Department in support of the company’s five operating states: Ohio, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Maryland, and New Jersey. The selected candidate will conduct or manage environmental and engineering-related work associated with construction of electric transmission and distribution lines and electrical substations. Work includes obtaining environmental permits, monitoring permit compliance, developing and negotiating mitigation strategies, consulting on threatened and endangered species, developing or reviewing erosion and sedimentation control plans, stormwater management, avoidance and minimization measures, impact assessments, and coordination with regulatory and governmental agencies. The position involves fieldwork and occasional overnight travel. The role supports programs that meet environmental regulatory obligations cost-effectively and manage environmental risks. It also supports permit submissions, regulatory reporting, project delivery, technical document preparation, stakeholder relationships, and guidance on regulatory requirements. Storm duty may be required. Candidates should have a bachelor’s degree in a relevant scientific, environmental, or engineering field. The posting lists zero years of experience as the minimum and notes that the selected candidate may be offered a position within the same job family at a level determined by experience and interview results. FirstEnergy offers competitive pay and incentive compensation, a company-sponsored pension plan, a 401(k) savings plan with employer matching, medical, prescription drug, dental, vision, and life insurance options, and skills-development training with tuition reimbursement. The company emphasizes safety and workforce diversity. It is unable to sponsor or transfer H-1B visas at this time.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Biology, Ecology, Botany, Wildlife/Zoology, Environmental or Physical Sciences/Studies, Engineering, or a related field from an accredited college or university.
Minimum of zero years of experience; the posting identifies fields including applicable federal and state regulations concerning earth disturbance, wetlands and watercourses, threatened and endangered species, historic resources, environmental compliance monitoring, and general engineering principles.
Strong verbal and written communication skills and experience with third-party customers or stakeholders.
Strong project management and budgeting/cost-control experience.
Ability to use logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems.
Ability to consider the relative costs and benefits of potential actions when selecting an appropriate resolution.

Nice To Haves

Experience with environmental issues and permitting in the energy sector, particularly energy delivery.
Permitting and regulatory experience in relevant fields in Ohio, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Maryland, and/or New Jersey.
Experience managing field investigations involving wetlands, watercourses, and threatened or endangered species.
Training or field experience associated with linear projects.
Wetland delineator and/or endangered species certification.
Geographic Information Systems (GIS) experience.

Responsibilities

Support development and implementation of programs that ensure environmental regulatory obligations for electric transmission-line and substation construction are met cost-effectively and environmental risks are managed.
Support preparation of permit packages, regulatory reports, and submittals.
Assess project needs and procure services from outside consultants as needed to ensure project delivery.
Review and comment on reports, studies, and recommendations prepared by outside consultants.
Assist with preparation of technical documents, including environmental impact reports, and communicate results to industry, government, or public audiences.
Develop and maintain effective working relationships with individuals, groups, agencies, and the public to encourage cooperative management strategies.
Assess impacts of environmental laws and regulations on energy delivery facilities and operations, prepare comments on proposed activities, and provide guidance and training on implementing regulatory requirements.
Communicate and present information to varied audiences in a timely manner.
Perform storm duty as required.
Conduct or manage environmental and engineering work related to construction of electric transmission and distribution lines and electrical substations, including permitting, compliance monitoring, mitigation, species consultation, erosion and sedimentation control, stormwater management, impact assessments, and agency coordination.