Senior Air Permitting Specialist

Sargent & Lundy•Chicago, IL

17h•Hybrid

About The Position

This position is based on a hybrid work schedule and will require in-office work 3 days per week. Project teams in our Energy & Industrial Group (EIG) support industry-leading projects in power generation, plant design, environmental compliance, mid/downstream oil & gas, and multi-disciplined industrial projects. We are leading efforts to decarbonize the industry through advanced technologies including renewable energy, carbon capture, hydrogen, and energy storage. Our teams provide engineering and environmental services for new facilities, expansions, modifications, and operational changes at complex industrial sites. As a member of Sargent & Lundy’s Environmental and Permitting team, you will apply your 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. You will work 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 will offer you the opportunity to expand your technical and project-management capabilities while working with multi-disciplined project teams to: Interpret and implement federal, state, and local air quality requirements, including State Implementation Plans, New Source Review (NSR), Prevention of Significant Deterioration (PSD), nonattainment NSR, Title V, and applicable source-specific requirements. Evaluate new projects and modifications for air permitting applicability, including emissions increases, significant emissions increases, major-source and major-modification determinations, contemporaneous netting, potential to-emit, and related permitting thresholds. Work with project engineers and equipment vendors to identify emission units, control technologies, operating scenarios, monitoring requirements, and design criteria needed to support permit applications and compliance demonstrations. Develop air permit strategies, permit matrices, schedules, and applications for major and minor sources, including construction permits, operating permits, permit amendments, exemptions, and agency notifications. Prepare and review technical support documents, emissions calculations, emissions inventories, control-technology evaluations, BACT and LAER analyses, air dispersion modeling protocols and results, AERMOD inputs, and regulatory applicability memoranda. Interface 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. You will have the opportunity to develop your air permitting career through peer learning, knowledge sharing with engineers and environmental professionals, and participation in Sargent & Lundy’s System of Processes and associated “Communities of Practice.”

Requirements

A BS in Environmental Engineering, Environmental Science, Chemical Engineering, or a related field; MS preferred.
Four 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.
Demonstrated experience preparing, supporting, or reviewing air permit applications and technical analyses for new facilities, expansions, modifications, or operational changes, including:
New Source Review (NSR) applicability analyses for new construction and modifications, including emissions calculations, potential-to-emit, project emissions accounting, and major-source determinations.
Prevention of Significant Deterioration (PSD) permitting, including BACT analyses, air quality impact analyses, increment and NAAQS evaluations, and associated technical support documents.
Nonattainment NSR, minor-source permitting, synthetic minor strategies, permit amendments, and construction or operating permit conditions.
Title V operating permit applications, revisions, renewals, compliance certifications, deviation reporting, and permit-condition evaluations.
Preparation and review of emissions calculations, emissions 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 interact effectively with project team members, clients, and regulatory agencies while managing multiple priorities and deadlines.
Ability to work on multiple projects at the same time and coordinate inputs between internal engineering teams, clients, and regulatory agencies.
Ability to provide technical guidance and mentoring to associate staff members.
Experience with Microsoft applications, including proficiency in Excel and Word; experience developing auditable emissions calculation tools is preferred.
We do not sponsor employees for work authorization in the U.S. for this position.

Nice To Haves

MS preferred.
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.
Experience with AI, automation, programming, or similar technologies is valued where relevant but is not required unless specifically identified elsewhere in the job description.

Responsibilities

Interpret and implement federal, state, and local air quality requirements, including State Implementation Plans, New Source Review (NSR), Prevention of Significant Deterioration (PSD), nonattainment NSR, Title V, and applicable source-specific requirements.
Evaluate new projects and modifications for air permitting applicability, including emissions increases, significant emissions increases, major-source and major-modification determinations, contemporaneous netting, potential to-emit, and related permitting thresholds.
Work with project engineers and equipment vendors to identify emission units, control technologies, operating scenarios, monitoring requirements, and design criteria needed to support permit applications and compliance demonstrations.
Develop air permit strategies, permit matrices, schedules, and applications for major and minor sources, including construction permits, operating permits, permit amendments, exemptions, and agency notifications.
Prepare and review technical support documents, emissions calculations, emissions inventories, control-technology evaluations, BACT and LAER analyses, air dispersion modeling protocols and results, AERMOD inputs, and regulatory applicability memoranda.
Interface 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.
Develop your air permitting career through peer learning, knowledge sharing with engineers and environmental professionals, and participation in Sargent & Lundy’s System of Processes and associated “Communities of Practice.”