Senior Air Quality and Climate Change Consultant

Stantec•Denver, CO

2d•Onsite

About The Position

Solve the problems others avoid. At Stantec, our Air Quality and Climate Change team is brought in when the path forward is unclear—when regulations conflict, precedent is weak, or the consequences of getting it wrong are high. Our work is less about producing standard deliverables and more about helping clients think clearly, manage risk, and make defensible decisions in complex regulatory environments. We are seeking a senior level consultant and trusted advisor who is motivated by ambiguity, judgment, and influence—someone who wants to shape outcomes, not just complete scopes of work. This role is oriented toward problem solving, judgment, and influence, not checklist delivery. You will work with sophisticated public- and private sector clients who rely on experienced consultants to interpret uncertainty, weigh tradeoffs, and recommend practical paths forward related to air quality, climate change, permitting, and regulatory risk. You will develop trust to help define the right questions before solutions are selected. This position is well suited for an experienced seller doer professional who: Enjoys tackling ill-defined or high-risk regulatory challenges Is comfortable exercising independent professional judgment Wants to influence both project direction and practice growth Sees business development as solution building, not sales Can balance technical rigor with business, schedule, and stakeholder realities

Requirements

As a Senior Seller-doer, you will identify and develop new opportunities, prepare compelling technical proposals, and assume an active leadership role in cultivating new business with both new and existing clients.
Ability to exercise independent judgement to resolve complex problems, analyze issues, interpret information, and select methods and solutions.
Ability to quickly learn and apply new concepts.
Work effectively and collaboratively with project teams, employees, management, contractors, and consultants in a professional setting.
High level knowledge of air quality models, including CalEEMod, EMFAC, OFFROAD, CALINE4, AERMOD, CAL3QHCR, ISCST3, AERSCREEN and SCREEN3.
High level knowledge of local, state, and federal air quality rules and regulations including district regulatory programs, the federal Clean Air Act, and greenhouse gas regulations.
Direct experience with the rules, programs and permitting landscape of air districts in your local geography.
High level knowledge of air quality impact analyses, health risk assessment methodologies, and greenhouse gas analyses.
Ability to work in a fast-paced consulting environment and handle multiple assignments simultaneously, adhering to project budgets and schedules is essential.
Strong MS Office computer skills; advanced understanding of Excel, PowerPoint, and Access.
VBA experience is a plus.
Position requires strict adherence to health and safety procedures, good organization skills, strong written and verbal communication skills, and a passion for high quality of work.
Must have a good driving record and valid Driver's License.
Prior to employment with Stantec the candidate may be required to successfully pass a physical and drug/alcohol screening, if applicable.
10+ years of consulting experience in air quality, climate change, or related environmental disciplines.
Deep understanding of federal, state, and local air quality regulatory frameworks and how they interact in practice.
Experience applying air quality models (e.g., AERMOD, AERSCREEN, CALINE4, EMFAC, OFFROAD, CAL3QHCR, ISCST3) as part of decision making, not just compliance.
A track record of navigating complex regulatory environments and advising clients on risk, strategy, and outcomes.
Local experience and relationships.
Strong communication skills and comfort leading conversations with clients, agencies, and internal teams.
Bachelor’s degree in engineering, environmental science, or a related field (advanced degree or professional registration preferred).

Nice To Haves

advanced degree or professional registration preferred

Responsibilities

Frame and lead resolution of high consequence air quality and climate challenges, where the right answer is not obvious and professional judgment is essential.
Interpret and apply regulatory language where rules are evolving, overlapping, or unclear, helping clients navigate risk and uncertainty.
Integrate technical analyses (modeling, HRA, GHG) into clear, defensible recommendations, not just reports.
Serve as a senior technical voice in client and agency discussions where outcomes depend on credibility, reasoning, and judgment.
Act as a trusted advisor, helping clients understand implications, options, and tradeoffs rather than simply presenting results.
Support clients through permitting, compliance, and climate related decisions that affect schedules, capital investment, public scrutiny, and long term operations.
Elevate conversations from “what do we have to do?” to “what’s the most defensible and practical way forward?”
Help clients understand risk, uncertainty, and options, rather than simply presenting results
Identify and pursue opportunities where Stantec’s insight and experience create real value.
Develop approaches and proposals that are tailored, thoughtful, and strategy driven, not template based.
Collaborate across Stantec practices to bring integrated solutions to complex air quality and climate challenges.
Identify and pursue opportunities where Stantec can help clients solve meaningful air quality and climate problems.
Develop technical approaches and proposals that are thoughtful, tailored, and insight driven, not formulaic.
Collaborate with other Stantec practices to deliver integrated, multi disciplinary solutions.
Guide and mentor staff by teaching how to reason through complex problems, prioritize risks, and make defensible decisions.
Provide technical oversight focused on quality, clarity, and reasoning, not just completion.
Foster a culture that values critical thinking, accountability, and professional growth.