Lead or Senior Project Manager

About The Opportunity

SWCA Environmental Consultants is actively seeking a Lead or Senior Project Manager with strong interpersonal skills and experience in project management and permitting to join our energy team. Projects will be located throughout the Midwest, specifically in: Wisconsin, Illinois, Iowa, Missouri, Michigan, Indiana, and Ohio. This individual will work with a dynamic and company-wide team to successfully drive projects throughout all phases, from early planning and permitting through construction.

The ideal candidate will have experience in environmental consulting and project management, with a strong preference for expertise in the energy sector, including renewables, oil & gas, and transmission. SWCA is looking for the right candidate to take on existing and future projects and help build our presence throughout the region. The position will report to our Lombard (Chicago), IL office, with the option for hybrid or remote work available for candidates located within the Midwest region.

This Position Can Be Hired At The Following Levels

• Lead Project Manager - Typically with at least 8 years of relevant experience and expertise.
• Senior Project Manager - Typically with at least 10 years of relevant experience and expertise.

Candidates with experience beyond the specified qualifications are strongly encouraged to apply.

The successful candidate will have technical expertise and experience in the following categories: energy facility siting and constraints studies, permitting Clean Water Act permitting, Endangered Species Act Compliance, and/or agency interactions at all levels. Required skills include the ability to manage large, complex projects and meet milestones within schedule and budget expectations as well as competency in providing quality assurance, quality control (QA/QC) oversight. The candidate will be experienced in managing multidisciplinary staff to complete project permitting requirements.

Application deadline: Our team will begin reviewing applications immediately, and interviews will be scheduled with qualified candidates on a rolling basis. The application process will remain open until we have received a robust pool of qualified candidates. Once we have identified suitable individuals, we may close the application process without prior notice. We appreciate the time and effort invested by all applicants and will carefully consider each submission.

SWCA Environmental Consultants is a growing employee-owned firm, providing a full-spectrum of environmental services. Our Vision is to make SWCA the best workplace and industry leader in sustainability, bringing sound science and creative solutions to global environmental challenges while maintaining a dedication to employee-ownership.

What You Will Accomplish

• Oversee multi-year and multi-disciplinary renewable and other energy projects
• Develop proposals including scope and budget creation
• Lead, oversee, and execute the management of permitting efforts for energy projects of all sizes and levels of complexity
• Lead client communications regarding project status
• Identify and capture emerging sales opportunities.
• Coordinate and communicate with regulatory agencies
• Represent clients and SWCA at agency meetings and hearings
• Manage the financial performance of individual projects
• Work closely with project teams to navigate permitting challenges and meet client needs
• Take initiative and resolve issues to assure client needs are met effectively
• Lead and advise on all aspects of project implementation, including the development of permitting strategies, provide QA/QC of work processes and deliverables, and lead teams completing technical studies that support permitting efforts
• Manage projects that include biological resource assessments and constraints analyses, state and federal Endangered Species Act consultations, Clean Water Act Section 404 and Section 401 permitting, state- and local-level siting permits, and cultural resources studies
• Drive compliance of safety policies and reporting requirements to ensure overall team safety.
• Opportunity to supervise, mentor, and provide project technical support to junior staff
• Work closely with SWCA’s resource scientists, environmental planners, managers, and directors in both natural and cultural resources groups throughout the company to promote SWCA’s business interests in adherence to its mission, vision, and values

Experience And Qualifications For Success

• Bachelor’s degree in a natural or cultural resources discipline.
• A minimum of eight (8) years of environmental consulting experience on a variety of project types, sizes, regions, and agencies.
• Demonstrated experience with energy facility siting and constraints studies, permitting, and/or NEPA compliance.
• Demonstrated experience with state & federal agencies, US Fish and Wildlife Service, state wildlife agencies, US Army Corps of Engineers, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) and/or the State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO).
• Prior primary report authorship and finalization for clients and agencies in an environmental consulting context for a variety of project types and sizes, regions, and agencies.

Preferred

• Experience assisting or managing environmental projects with renewable energy clients, including developing and implementing budgets, schedules, and scopes of work.
• Demonstrated experience working with regional energy regulatory agencies (OPSB, EGLE, etc.).

With offices across the United States, SWCA is one of the largest environmental compliance firms and ranks among Engineering News-Record’s Top 200 Environmental Firms. We offer a supportive, team-oriented work environment and competitive wages and benefits, including an 100% employee stock ownership plan (retirement).

If you would like to contact SWCA regarding the accessibility of our website or need assistance completing the online application process due to a disability, please email accommodations@swca.com or call 480-581-5378. This contact information is for disability accommodation requests only. All other inquiries will not receive a response.

SWCA is committed to salary equity and salary transparency for all its employees. In alignment with this commitment, SWCA posts good faith pay ranges in all its advertised job postings to promote pay equity and transparency.

An employee in this Chicago, IL - based position can expect a rate of $87,141.60- $114,660.00/year at the Lead Project Manager level and $99,754.20 - $133,005.60/year at the Senior Project Manager level. Actual pay within this range may depend on experience, qualifications, geographic location, client requirements where applicable, and other factors permitted by law. Regular-status employees are also eligible for performance bonuses. Candidates are also encouraged to consider SWCA’s Total Rewards package, which includes a competitive Benefits package, forward-thinking workplace flexibility, outstanding corporate culture, award-winning career development, and more

SWCA is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer and encourages women, minorities, individuals with disabilities, and veterans to apply. At SWCA Environmental Consultants, we celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive work environment. We strongly encourage candidates from all backgrounds, including those with diverse experiences and veterans, to apply. We believe that a diverse and inclusive workforce enhances creativity, innovation, and overall organizational success.

SWCA continues to invest deeply in career development programs, delivering our award-winning Career Landscape support resources to accelerate the growth of our staff. We recognize the valuable skills and experiences our internal team members bring to SWCA’s continued success. Qualified internal candidates are encouraged to apply and will be seriously considered for this position. We believe in promoting from within, where possible, providing our existing employees with compelling opportunities to advance their careers.