Job Information
WSP USA NEPA Lead/Environmental Planner in Houston, Texas
This Opportunity
WSP USA is seeking an experienced consultant to lead and manage our NEPA service offerings as part of our Environmental Assessment and Permitting Service Line in Texas. Preferred location is Houston, but other office locations may include Austin, Dallas, or San Antonio. The Texas office has approximately 240 professionals, is a dynamic work environment. Within the Texas office, the Environmental Assessment and Permitting team is comprised of more than 12 staff with diverse backgrounds including biologists, wetland scientists, permitting specialists, and environmental engineers with an emphasis on consulting within the energy, oil and gas, industrial and government sectors. The successful candidate will be a proven industry leader in the NEPA and/or natural resources fields and possess a balanced portfolio of industry knowledge and skills to lead service offerings in this discipline.
Your Impact
Provide oversight with data collection efforts for identifying and compiling observational, spatial, and environmental data concerning a variety of matrices for projects, investigations, and surveys.
Ensure the appropriate use of topographic maps, aerial photographs, GPS data, and other visualization tools to determine exact locations of project areas, associated physical and wildlife sensitivities, and to uncover primary, secondary, and tertiary environmental impacts.
Prepare, complete, and/or review environmental survey reports, data entry, impact assessment, and permitting activities for assigned projects (e.g. Endangered Species Act, Clean Water Act permitting, CEQA, NEPA, etc.).
Ensure technical reports and presentations explain research, findings, and recommendations to plan, address, prevent, control, or restore larger-scale environmental challenges and complex problems.
Perform professional environmental planning work and conduct investigations, inspections, and environmental studies and surveys to gain further information on a particular environmental problem or issue, verify site characteristics, and/or to plan for future environmental needs, site impact, habitat types, and associated physical and wildlife sensitivities.
Conduct and provide guidance on environmental site assessments (Phase I and II).
Prepare data and visualizations such as tables, charts, reports, models, cross-sections, and other illustrations for the interpretation or presentation of more complex and larger scale data, findings, or analyses.
Prepare comprehensive technical reports and presentations that explain research, findings, and recommendations to address, prevent, control, or restore more complex or larger-scale environmental problems.
Oversee and monitor cross-functional teams in executing project work, environmental planning, permitting strategy, environmental impact assessments, and regulatory strategy, including project budgets, tracking hours and expenses, and task completion.
Participate in the application process for environmental permits to address issues or concerns – undertaking any resulting corrective strategies to minimize impacts to the health of the environment and the population.
Provide high level oversite for desk-based research and site work, including measurements, data interpretation, demographics, patterns and trends, and computer modeling.
Coordinate with clients, resource agencies, and environmental and technical staff, providing a high level of strategic advice, consultancy, and subject matter expertise.
Develop a client base for providing high level environmental planning services including identifying additional business development opportunities and engaging in proposal writing and submission.
Mentor staff to support their growth and professional development.
Collaborate with professionals from a variety of disciplines to provide future ready solutions for clients.
Remain current in latest environmental planning subject matter, practices, regulations, and techniques.
Exercise responsible and ethical decision-making regarding company funds, resources and conduct, and adhere to WSP’s Code of Conduct and related policies and procedures.
Perform additional responsibilities as required by business needs.
Who You Are
Required Qualifications
Bachelor’s Degree in Environmental Planning, Urban Planning, Geography, Environmental Science, or a related field (or equivalent experience.)
10+ years of experience working in the environmental planning field, completing environmental surveys, fieldwork, habitat and construction support, impact assessments, and permitting.
Highly proficient expertise with environmental planning skills for a specific ecosystem(s), habitat(s), and/or applicable regulatory zone.
Extensive knowledge of relevant environmental laws, permitting requirements, notification and compliance practices, and applicable Regional/State/Federal regulatory framework.
Demonstrated technical competence leading environmental permitting of assigned projects within business sector (e.g. commercial, infrastructure, transportation, energy, etc.)
Well-defined experience in conducting Phase I and Phase II Environmental Site Assessments in accordance with ASTM guidelines and industry standards.
Advanced expertise with consulting practices, conducting NEPA / CEQA / other analysis and preparation of associated documentation.
Ability to work independently and provide guidance and leadership to mid-level to senior level team or project members, with strict adherence to QA/QC.
Experienced with providing critical review for documents and preparing technical deliverables and plans with a high degree of complexity.
Strong self-leadership and interpersonal communication skills with the ability to effectively, persuasively, and tactfully interact with employees at all levels of the organization.
Experience with discipline-specific software (i.e., ArcGIS, Adobe Illustrator, Adobe Creative Suite, Sketch-Up).
Proficiency with technical and business writing, office automation and communication software, technology, and tools.
Extensive critical thinking and problem-solving skills required to reach conclusions from testing results, data collation, and identify the most effective solutions to accomplish objectives of assigned projects.
Proven track record of upholding workplace safety and ability to abide by WSP’s health, safety and drug/alcohol and harassment policies.
Must be flexible to a variety of schedules to meet business needs and able to prioritize responsibilities and quickly adapt to change in a pressure work environment.
Occasional travel may be required depending on project-specific requirements.
Preferred Qualifications:
Master’s Degree is preferred.
Essential professional licensure/certification.
About WSP
WSP USA is the U.S. operating company of WSP, one of the world's leading engineering and professional services firms. Dedicated to serving local communities, we are engineers, planners, technical experts, strategic advisors and construction management professionals. WSP USA designs lasting solutions in the buildings, transportation, energy, water and environment markets. With more than 15,000 employees in over 300 offices across the U.S., we partner with our clients to help communities prosper.
www.wsp.com
WSP provides a flexible and agile workplace model while meeting client needs. Employees are also afforded a comprehensive suite of benefits including medical, dental, vision, disability, life, and retirement savings focused on providing health and financial stability throughout the employee’s career.
At WSP, we want to give our employees the challenges they seek to grow their careers and knowledge base. Your daily contributions to your team will be essential in meeting client objectives, goals and challenges. Are you ready to get started?
WSP USA (and all of its U.S. companies) is an Equal Opportunity Employer Race/Age/Color/Religion/Sex/Sexual Orientation/Gender Identity/National Origin/Disability or Protected Veteran Status.
The selected candidate must be authorized to work in the United States.
NOTICE TO THIRD PARTY AGENCIES:
WSP does not accept unsolicited resumes from recruiters, employment agencies, or other staffing services. Unsolicited resumes include any resume or hiring document sent to WSP in the absence of a signed Service Agreement where WSP has expressly requested recruitment/staffing services specific to the position at hand. Any unsolicited resumes, including those submitted to hiring managers or other business leaders, will become the property of WSP and WSP will have the right to hire that candidate without reservation – no fee or other compensation will be owed or paid to the recruiter, employment agency, or other staffing service.