Environmental Compliance Senior Project Manager / Principal

Engineering Consulting Service; Chantilly (VA); On-site; USD 80,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

ECS is seeking an experienced Senior Project Manager to lead and grow the Environmental Compliance practice in Virginia and beyond. The role blends technical leadership in air permitting, SPCC, and SWPPP with business development and mentorship to build a scalable practice.

You will guide project delivery, shape service offerings, and mentor engineers and PMs as you progress toward a Principal role, while maintaining technical credibility and client relationships.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's or Master's in Environmental Engineering, Environmental Science, Geology, or a related environmental discipline.
• 7+ years of experience in environmental compliance, with direct air permitting, SPCC, and SWPPP work.
• Licenses or certifications such as PE, CHMM, CEP, CIH, CSP, or PG preferred.
• Proven experience managing client relationships and supporting business development.
• Experience mentoring or supervising junior staff.
• Strong technical foundation with the ability to lead multi-site programs.
• Interest in business development and strategic planning for the practice.
• Track record of building and leading teams with a mentoring mindset.
• Entrepreneurial outlook and ideas for growing the service offerings.
• Comfort operating across technical and client-facing levels.

Responsibilities

• Lead environmental compliance projects from scoping to delivery.
• Grow the compliance service line in revenue, client base, and offerings.
• Mentor project managers, engineers, and field staff.
• Help shape practice strategy toward a Principal role.
• Lead air permitting efforts, including Title V, NSR/PSD, and state permits.
• Prepare, implement, and audit SPCC plans.
• Direct SWPPP development, field inspections, and reporting.
• Coordinate with regulators to resolve issues and manage risk.
• Identify and pursue new compliance work with clients and prospects.
• Develop proposals, scopes, and fee estimates to win work.
• Lead and grow the compliance-focused team and ensure quality execution.
• Collaborate with leadership to set goals and track performance.

Skills

Leadership

Mentoring

Business development

Client relationship management

Strategic planning

Education

Bachelor's or Master's in Environmental Engineering/Environmental Science/Geology/Chemical Engineering

PE license

CHMM

CEP

CIH

CSP

PG license

Job description

Responsibilities

ECS is seeking an experienced Senior Project Manager, with a clear path to Principal, to lead and grow our Environmental Compliance practice centered in Virginia, but expandable across the Mid-Atlantic. This role is built for a technically strong compliance professional who is equally energized by developing new business, mentoring a team, and shaping the future direction of our service offerings.

You will bring deep, hands‑on expertise in air permitting, SPCC plans, and SWPPPs, and you will use that credibility to win new work, build client relationships, and expand what our compliance practice can offer. This is a role for someone ready to grow beyond individual project delivery into practice leadership, without losing touch with the technical work that got them here.

What You’ll Own

• Day-to-day leadership of environmental compliance projects, from scoping through delivery
• Growth of the compliance service line; revenue, client base, and breadth of offerings
• Mentorship and development of project managers, engineers, and field staff
• A seat at the table in shaping practice strategy as you move toward a Principal role

Key Responsibilities

• Lead air permitting efforts, including Title V, NSR/PSD, and state minor-source permits, from application through agency negotiation
• Prepare, implement, and audit Spill Prevention, Control, and Countermeasure (SPCC) plans
• Direct Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plan (SWPPP) development, field inspections, and reporting
• Serve as a technical resource on related programs; SPCC/FRP, RCRA, and multimedia compliance audits
• Coordinate directly with state and federal regulators to resolve compliance issues and keep clients ahead of enforcement risk
• Review technical reports, permits, and compliance documentation as appropriate
• Identify and pursue new compliance work with existing and prospective clients
• Build and maintain client relationships that lead to repeat and expanded engagements
• Develop proposals, scopes, and fee estimates that win work and protect margins
• Help identify and stand up new or adjacent service offerings for the compliance practice
• Represent ECS at industry associations, agency meetings, and client events
• Lead, mentor, and grow a team of compliance-focused project managers and staff
• Provide oversight of project execution, quality, budgets, and schedules across the practice
• Build internal training and career paths that strengthen bench depth for the practice
• Collaborate with firm leadership to set goals and track performance for the compliance practice

#LI-CS1

Qualifications

Required Qualifications:

• Bachelor's or Master's degree in Environmental Engineering, Environmental Science, Geology, Chemical Engineering, or a related environmental discipline
• 7+ years of experience in environmental compliance, with direct experience in air permitting, SPCC, and SWPPP programs
• Certified Hazardous Materials Manager (CHMM), Certified Environmental Professional (CEP), Certified Industrial Hygienist (CIH), Certified Safety Professional (CSP), Professional Engineer (PE) license, Professional Geologist (PG) license or comparable professional certification preferred
• Demonstrated experience managing client relationships and/or supporting business development
• Prior experience mentoring or supervising junior staff
• Strong technical foundation in air permitting, SPCC, and SWPPP compliance, with the judgment to lead complex, multi-site programs
• Genuine interest in business development and strategic planning in addition to technical delivery
• Track record of building and leading teams, with a mentoring mindset
• Entrepreneurial outlook, with ideas for where the practice's service offerings could grow
• Comfortable operating at both the technical, in-the-weeds level and the strategic, client-facing level

Military Qualifications

• The following US Military ranks will qualify for this position IF they also meet the education and licenses requirements from the above section titled "Required Qualifications":
• E-7

The expected pay range for this role and location is $80,000 - $120,000/year. The final agreed-upon compensation will be determined based on specific location and other individual qualifications.

About Us

ECS Group of Companies (ECS) was founded in 1988 with the goal to raise the standards of professional engineering consulting. Today, we are a leader in geotechnical, construction materials, environmental and building science + infrastructure consulting services. We are employee-owned with more than 3,200 employees in 125 offices and testing facilities coast to coast. ECS is currently ranked #60 in Engineering News-Record’s Top 500 Design Firms (April 2026), #148 in Engineering News-Record’s Top 200 Environmental Firms (October 2025) and #38 in Zweig Group’s Hot Firm List (June 2026). For additional information about ECS, www.ecslimited.com.

ECS is an Equal Opportunity Employer. To learn more, click here.