Associate Project Manager - Utility Permitting

SWCA Environmental Consultants is seeking an Associate Project Manager – Utility Permitting to support environmental permitting efforts for utility infrastructure projects throughout Massachusetts and the Northeast. The role involves project coordination, client support, and managing permitting tasks under the guidance of senior project managers.

Responsibilities:

• Support the planning, coordination, and execution of utility permitting projects, primarily in Massachusetts and surrounding New England states
• Coordinate environmental permitting tasks and schedules under the direction of a Project Manager or Senior Project Manager
• Assist with preparation and review of permitting applications, technical reports, and supporting documentation
• Manage projects that include NEPA compliance, biological resource assessments and constraints analyses, state and federal Endangered Species Act consultations, Clean Water Act Section 404 and Section 401 permitting, state-level siting permits, and state wetlands permits
• Track project scopes, schedules, milestones, and budgets for small to medium projects and defined tasks within larger projects
• Coordinate with internal technical specialists (natural resources, cultural resources, GIS, environmental planning) to support permit deliverables
• Support agency coordination with local, state, and federal regulatory agencies (e.g., MassDEP, local Conservation Commissions, USACE, NHESP)
• Communicate project status, risks, and needs to project leadership and internal team members
• Perform QA/QC reviews of project deliverables at the task level
• Assist with subcontractor coordination, invoicing review, and project documentation management
• Promote and adhere to SWCA’s quality standards, and project management best practices
• Takes responsibility for team safety, developing safety plans (when applicable), and anticipating potential safety hazards

Requirements:

• Bachelor's degree in Environmental Science, Natural Resource Management, Planning, Biology, Ecology, or a related field
• Three (3) years of natural resources consulting experience on a variety of project types and sizes, with an emphasis on federal, state, and local permitting in New England, and agency interactions at all levels
• Experience supporting utility, linear infrastructure, or energy-related permitting efforts
• One year of experience managing projects, including developing and implementing budgets, schedules, and scopes of work
• Working knowledge of applicable environmental regulations (e.g., MEPA, MESA, Wetlands Protection Act, Clean Water Act, NEPA)
• Demonstrated experience with federal agencies such as USFWS, EPA, USACE, and FERC
• Experience coordinating project tasks, schedules, and deliverables
• Strong written and verbal communication skills
• Proficiency with common project management and documentation tools (e.g., Microsoft Office, SharePoint, project tracking systems)
• Master's degree in biology, botany, wildlife management, or a closely related field
• Five (5) years of natural resources consulting experience on a variety of project types, sizes, and regions that include: energy facility siting and constraints studies, federal, state, and local permitting, NEPA compliance, and agency interactions at all levels
• Experience assisting with energy facility siting and constraints studies
• Experience with NEPA compliance
• Direct experience with Massachusetts utility permitting and local/state regulatory processes
• Experience supporting projects involving electric transmission, distribution, renewable energy, or substations
• Demonstrated established relationships with state regulators and key utility clients in the northeast
• Demonstrated success managing large multi-year utility projects through permitting, construction, and closeout
• Experience in New Hampshire, Connecticut, Rhode Island, and/or Maine. New York experience is a plus
• Interest in continued growth toward full Project Manager responsibilities