Environmental Scientist

Westwood Professional Services Inc•Middleton, WI

16m

About The Position

Westwood Professional Services, Inc. is seeking a Wetland Scientist to join our team in our Madison, Wisconsin office. The qualified individual will provide research and investigative services for technical environmental report preparation to support the planning, design, and permit approvals for wind and solar energy projects as well as residential and commercial land development projects. Westwood has a highly experienced and dynamic team of individuals dedicated to providing high-level professional services to our clients.

Requirements

Degree in environmental science, environmental policy, public policy, urban planning , biology, or related natural sciences field with 1-3 years of environmental assessment and/or permitting experience.
Technical proficiency in report writing, and a solid understanding of state and federal energy facility construction regulations.
Ability to assess environmental conditions and provide recommendations based on site conditions, regulatory guidelines, industry standards, and permit regulations.
Familiar with Geographic Information Systems including ArcPro, ArcMap, ArcGIS Online, Global Mapper, Google Earth, or other GIS programs.
Generalist, adaptable and willing to conduct research and discover environmental conditions.

Nice To Haves

Experience with property transfer due diligence including Phase I Environmental Site Assessments.
Field wetland delineation experience with knowledge of US Army Corps of Engineers wetland delineation manual and regional supplements for multiple regions of the US.
Rare species identification and birding experience.
Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plan (SWPPP) design, report preparation, and inspection experience.

Responsibilities

initial desktop-level research (photo-review, soils maps, hydrology)
onsite routine field wetland delineations across Wisconsin and occasionally across the country
attendance of regulatory meetings
report preparation
vegetation and hydrology monitoring
tree and shrub inventories
Conducting critical environmental issues analyses (hydrology reviews, rare species investigations, cultural resource inquiries, mapping public lands and easements, zoning and permitting reviews, soils investigations, and environmental hazard determinations).
Permitting reviews at the federal, state, and local level for projects across the Country. Determining the applicable regulatory process for solar, wind, and battery storage project approvals and the necessary studies to satisfy applicable regulations. Assessing jurisdiction, lead and processing times, fees, and providing additional environmental study recommendations.
Desktop-based geospatial investigations for a variety of projects, use of publicly available GIS datasets and government resources.
Providing client liaison services for utilities and developers to explain environmental assessments and permitting processes for a variety of environmental circumstances.
Consultations with government officials to ensure all permit procedures are understood and communicated properly to our clients.
Assistance with permit drafting for large-scale renewable energy projects under a federal nexus or state regulatory requirement (Environmental Impact Statement, Environmental Assessments, Environmental Assessment Worksheets, Site and Route Permits, Certificates of Public Convenience and Necessity, and more) and attending regulatory meetings.
General project assistance for report preparation, peer-reviews, technical writing guidance, GIS support, and organizational assistance to meet strict deadlines.