Senior Air Permitting Specialist

Sargent & Lundy•Remote,

1d•$100,019 - $152,807•Remote

About The Position

This remote/virtual position may be based anywhere in the United States. As a member of Sargent & Lundy’s Environmental and Permitting team, the Senior Air Permitting Specialist applies knowledge of the Clean Air Act and related federal, state, and local air regulations to develop practical permitting strategies for electric power and industrial projects. The role works with project managers, engineers, clients, and regulatory agencies to define, evaluate, and implement air permitting requirements throughout project development, design, construction, and operation. The position supports projects in power generation, plant design, environmental compliance, midstream and downstream oil and gas, and multidisciplinary industrial work, including projects involving renewable energy, carbon capture, hydrogen, and energy storage. It offers opportunities to expand technical and project-management capabilities and participate in peer learning, knowledge sharing, and Sargent & Lundy’s System of Processes and Communities of Practice.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Environmental Engineering, Environmental Science, Chemical Engineering, or a related field; an MS is preferred.
Seven or more years of experience in air permitting, environmental compliance, or environmental consulting for electric power, manufacturing, oil and gas, chemical, utility, or other complex industrial facilities.
Strong working knowledge of the Clean Air Act and air-quality regulations applicable to major sources, including NSR, PSD, nonattainment NSR, Title V, New Source Performance Standards, and National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants.
Experience preparing, supporting, or reviewing air-permit applications and technical analyses for new facilities, expansions, modifications, or operational changes.
Experience with NSR applicability analyses, emissions calculations, potential-to-emit, project emissions accounting, and major-source determinations.
Experience with PSD permitting, including BACT analyses, air-quality impact analyses, increment and NAAQS evaluations, and technical support documents.
Experience with nonattainment NSR, minor-source permitting, synthetic-minor strategies, permit amendments, and construction or operating permit conditions.
Experience with Title V applications, revisions, renewals, compliance certifications, deviation reporting, and permit-condition evaluations.
Experience preparing and reviewing emissions calculations, inventories, source-specific emission factors, control efficiencies, and supporting spreadsheets.
Experience preparing or reviewing air-dispersion modeling inputs and results, including AERMOD, meteorological data, receptors, building downwash, and modeling protocols.
Experience coordinating technical inputs from process, mechanical, electrical, and civil engineering disciplines and translating design information into permitting requirements.
Experience communicating with permitting agencies and supporting responses to agency comments, requests for information, and draft permit conditions.
Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to prepare clear technical memoranda and present permitting recommendations to clients and project teams.
Ability to work effectively with project team members, clients, and regulatory agencies while managing multiple priorities and deadlines.
Ability to work on multiple projects simultaneously and coordinate inputs among internal engineering teams, clients, and regulatory agencies.
Ability to provide technical guidance and mentoring to associate staff.
Experience with Microsoft applications, including proficiency in Excel and Word.
Sargent & Lundy does not sponsor employees for U.S. work authorization for this position.

Nice To Haves

Master’s degree in a related field.
Experience developing auditable emissions calculation tools.
Experience with greenhouse gas permitting, PSD applicability for greenhouse gas emissions, climate-related permitting requirements, or carbon capture and storage projects.
Proficiency in ArcGIS or other mapping tools for evaluating facility locations, sensitive receptors, monitoring sites, and environmental constraints.
Experience with AERMOD, emissions modeling tools, or other air-quality software; familiarity with state-specific permitting programs and electronic permitting systems is a plus.
Interest in learning and effectively using emerging technologies where relevant; experience with AI, automation, programming, or similar technologies is valued where relevant but is not required.

Responsibilities

Interpret and implement federal, state, and local air quality requirements, including State Implementation Plans, NSR, PSD, nonattainment NSR, Title V, and source-specific requirements.
Evaluate new projects and modifications for air-permitting applicability, emissions increases, major-source and major-modification determinations, contemporaneous netting, potential to emit, and related thresholds.
Work with project engineers and equipment vendors to identify emission units, control technologies, operating scenarios, monitoring requirements, and design criteria for permit applications and compliance demonstrations.
Develop air-permit strategies, matrices, schedules, and applications for major and minor sources, including construction and operating permits, amendments, exemptions, and agency notifications.
Prepare and review technical support documents, emissions calculations and inventories, control-technology evaluations, BACT and LAER analyses, air-dispersion modeling protocols and results, AERMOD inputs, and regulatory applicability memoranda.
Coordinate with federal, state, and local permitting agencies, respond to technical comments, participate in agency meetings, and support negotiations regarding permit conditions, compliance obligations, and review schedules.
Coordinate technical inputs from engineering disciplines and translate design information into permitting requirements.
Manage multiple projects, deadlines, and inputs from internal engineering teams, clients, and regulatory agencies.
Provide technical guidance and mentoring to associate staff members.