Environmental Planning and Permitting Technologist

The Environmental Planning and Permitting Technologist advances the vision and strategy for Brown and Caldwell’s permitting services, with an emphasis on National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), State Environmental Policy Act (SEPA), and related environmental review and permitting requirements. This role provides technical project leadership for Categorical Exclusions, Environmental Assessments, Environmental Impact Statements, Negative Declarations, alternatives analyses, impact assessments, agency coordination, public involvement, and integration of environmental review with permitting strategy. The role also supports natural resources permitting and compliance, including wetlands and waters of the U.S. evaluations, jurisdictional delineations, habitat assessments, special-status species reviews, biological assessments, mitigation planning, and construction-phase environmental compliance.

The Environmental Planning and Permitting Technologist advances the vision and strategy for a Practice, ensuring alignment with national practice goals and contributing to market growth and development. This role is responsible for delivering high quality technical solutions and overseeing the technical rigor and documentation through the use of Practice standards for project delivery and client services teams across the company, as well as technical practices leadership. This role may also be responsible for developing and evolving technical standards for regular updates, disseminating technical knowledge throughout the organization and mentoring less experienced technical staff in alignment with Practice leadership. Work is performed independently with limited supervision.

Responsibilities

• Develop, maintain, and ensure the consistent application of technical standards, guidelines, and best practices across projects and teams.
• Engage on project delivery teams nationally to achieve project goals, ensuring the application of quality standards and best practices to maintain consistency of technical delivery and mitigate risks throughout the project lifecycle.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with clients, understanding their needs and developing tailored technical solutions.
• Support Practice leader with SMS governance and systems to drive talent development for technical practitioners.
• Assist with development of technical training and mentoring programs within the Practice.
• Flexibility to adapt and execute various additional assignments based on evolving needs.

Mentorship

• May provide mentorship, guidance, support, and knowledge-sharing to help less experienced team members develop their skills and grow within their roles.

Skills and Competencies

• Demonstrates a solid understanding of principles and practices within their technical area, with the ability to apply them effectively in various scenarios.
• Capable of conveying complex technical information to both technical and non-technical audiences, ensuring clarity and understanding.
• Exhibits strong teamwork abilities, fostering collaboration and building cohesive teams to achieve project goals.
• Ensures adherence to quality standards and best practices, maintaining consistency and mitigating risks in technical delivery.
• Able to deliver compelling technical presentations, effectively communicating ideas and solutions to diverse audiences.
• Ability to mentor talent for SMS affiliated with the Practice demonstrating a culture of talent development through the Practice.
• Presentation skills with ability to communicate to clients, as well as at conferences and industry association events.

Experience

• Typically requires minimum of 8 years in assigned technical area related experience.
• Typically certified in the SMS Framework, and progressing through the SMS competencies.

Education

• A degree in Engineering, Science, Geology, or a related field with an emphasis related to the technical role or equivalent experience is required.

Preferred Skills and Experience

• Experience leading or supporting NEPA and/or SEPA documentation for public infrastructure, water, wastewater, conveyance, resilience, power, data center, industrial, or linear development projects.
• Experience with NEPA levels of review, including Categorical Exclusions, Environmental Assessments, Findings of No Significant Impact, Environmental Impact Statements, Records of Decision, and agency-specific NEPA procedures.
• Experience integrating environmental review with Clean Water Act Sections 401, 402, and 404 permitting; Endangered Species Act consultation; National Historic Preservation Act Section 106 review; Section 4(f); floodplain and wetlands review; environmental justice; climate; air quality; noise; contaminated materials; and biological and cultural resource analyses.
• Demonstrated ability to support early engagement and proactive planning to improve project predictability, reduce schedule risk, and align environmental review with design and permitting milestones.
• Experience leading or supporting natural resources assessments and permitting, including wetlands and waters of the U.S. reviews, vegetation and wildlife surveys, habitat assessments, special-status species surveys, wetland delineations.
• Strong client advisory skills, including the ability to identify regulatory risk, explain tradeoffs, and recommend practical, defensible pathways for complex projects.
• Ability to translate client and market intelligence into actionable growth strategies, pursuit positioning, and practical technical solutions that align with Brown and Caldwell’s business priorities.
• Experience supporting Client Service Teams and growth leaders by identifying, qualifying, and advancing opportunities.
• Ability to build and strengthen trusted advisor relationships with clients by understanding client business drivers, regulatory pressures, funding considerations, and project delivery needs.

Salary Range: The anticipated starting pay range for this position is based on the employee’s primary work location and may be more or less depending upon skills, experience, and education. These ranges may be modified in the future.

Location A: $129,000 - $177,000
Location B: $142,000 - $194,000
Location C: $155,000 - $212,000

You can view which BC location applies to you here. If you have any questions, please speak with your Recruiter.

Benefits and Other Compensation: We provide a comprehensive benefits package that promotes employee health, performance, and success which includes medical, dental, vision, short and long-term disability, life insurance, an employee assistance program, paid time off and parental leave, paid holidays, 401(k) retirement savings plan with employer match, performance-based bonus eligibility, employee referral bonuses, tuition reimbursement, pet insurance and long-term care insurance. Click here to see our full list of benefits.

About Brown and Caldwell

Headquartered in Walnut Creek, California, Brown and Caldwell is a full-service environmental engineering and construction services firm with 50 offices and over 2,100 professionals across North America and the Pacific. For more than 75 years, we have created leading-edge environmental solutions for municipalities, private industry, and government agencies. We strive to be the company of choice—to our clients, who benefit from our passion for delivering exceptional quality, and to our employees, present and future, who share our commitment to client service, collaboration, and innovation. Join us, and you will find a home where you can do your best work, reach new levels of expertise, and enjoy exceptional development opportunities. For more information, visit www.brownandcaldwell.com

This position is subject to a pre-employment background check and a pre-employment drug test.

Notice to Third Party Agencies: Brown and Caldwell does not accept unsolicited resumes from recruiters or employment agencies. In the event a recruiter or agency submits a resume or candidate without a previously signed agreement and approved engagement request with Brown and Caldwell, Brown and Caldwell reserves the right to pursue and hire those candidate(s) without any financial obligation to the recruiter or agency.

Brown and Caldwell is proud to be an EEO/AAP Employer. Brown and Caldwell encourages protected veterans, individuals with disabilities, and applicants from all backgrounds to apply. Brown and Caldwell ensures nondiscrimination in all programs and activities in accordance with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act.