Environmental Permitting Manager

Sunstone Environmental Solutions, LLC; Reno (NV); On-site; USD 120,000 - 160,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health insurance

401(k) with company match

Flexible paid time off

Job summary

Sunstone Environmental Solutions, LLC in Reno, NV, is seeking an Environmental Permitting Manager to lead mine permitting and environmental projects across the Western U.S. You will manage scope, schedule, budget, deliverables, and client communications, while developing permitting strategies and coordinating with agencies.

The role emphasizes practical solutions, strong client relationships, and ownership of decisions within your area, without traditional sales goals.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in environmental science, natural resource management, geology, engineering, or a related field.
• 10+ years of experience in environmental consulting, mine permitting, or a related regulatory role.
• Hands-on experience with mine permitting and environmental review, including NEPA and state mine permitting in Nevada or a similar western state.

Responsibilities

• Manage multiple permitting and environmental projects, including scope, schedule, budget, deliverables, and client expectations.
• Develop and maintain project schedules, budgets, work plans, status updates, and client progress reports.
• Lead multidisciplinary teams and coordinate with agencies to advance permitting and NEPA processes.

Skills

Strong client-facing communication

Project management

Attention to detail

Education

Bachelor’s degree in environmental science, natural resource management, geology, engineering, or a related field

Job description

Sunstone is a growing environmental consulting firm based in Reno, Nevada. We work on meaningful mineral exploration and mining projects across the Western U.S. with a collaborative, experienced team that genuinely enjoys what we do. We trust our people to get the work done, and we want them to have a life outside of it. If you’re looking for a place where you can take real ownership and be part of building something lasting, we’d like to hear from you.

About the Role

We are hiring a Environmental Permitting Manager to lead mine permitting and environmental projects across the Western U.S. You will manage assigned projects, including scope, schedule, budget, technical coordination, permitting strategy, deliverables, and day-to-day client communication.

We are looking for someone who understands mine permitting and environmental review well enough to move projects forward, anticipate permitting and technical issues, and develop practical solutions. You will be expected to exercise sound judgment, take ownership of decisions within your area of responsibility, and recognize when an issue requires specialized technical expertise or broader strategic input.

Just as important, we want someone who can build trusted client relationships. You should be approachable, responsive, and comfortable explaining complex permitting and environmental issues in practical terms that help clients make informed decisions.

This role is focused on delivering high-quality projects and developing strong client relationships. It does not carry traditional business development or sales goals.

What You’ll Do

Project Management

• Manage multiple permitting and environmental projects, with responsibility for scope, schedule, budget, deliverables, and client expectations.
• Develop and maintain project schedules, budgets, work plans, status updates, and client progress reports.
• Coordinate project teams, priorities, deliverables, decisions, and action items to keep projects moving forward.
• Identify scope, schedule, budget, technical, and regulatory issues early and develop practical solutions.
• Communicate project status, upcoming decisions, risks, and resource needs clearly to clients, project teams, and senior staff.
• Recognize when project issues require additional technical expertise or broader strategic input and bring in the appropriate resources.

Permitting and NEPA

• Develop permitting strategies, permit matrices, and schedules for mineral exploration, mine development, operations, expansion, reclamation, and closure projects.
• Evaluate proposed projects and project changes to identify applicable federal, state, and local permitting and environmental review requirements.
• Prepare and manage BLM and U.S. Forest Service submittals, including Notices and Plans of Operations, and support associated NEPA processes.
• Prepare and manage state and local permitting and environmental approvals in Nevada and other western states (such as Arizona, Idaho, and New Mexico), including mine permitting and reclamation, water, air, waste, and other requirements applicable to the project.
• Identify permitting dependencies, information gaps, regulatory issues, and schedule risks and develop recommended paths forward.
• Coordinate with agencies throughout permitting and environmental review, including tracking comments, developing responses, and resolving outstanding issues.
• Understand how mine planning, operations, engineering and design decisions, disturbance, infrastructure, water use, and environmental resources can affect permitting requirements, technical studies, project schedules, and compliance obligations.

Technical Coordination

• Lead and coordinate multidisciplinary teams that may include biologists, cultural resource specialists, hydrogeologists, engineers, air quality specialists, reclamation specialists, and other staff and subcontractors.
• Understand how technical disciplines fit into the overall permitting process and identify dependencies among project design, baseline studies, technical analyses, environmental review, and permit applications.
• Review technical reports, permit applications, and environmental documents for completeness, accuracy, consistency, and suitability before they are provided to clients or agencies.
• Identify gaps, inconsistencies, unsupported conclusions, and issues requiring additional evaluation or technical expertise.
• Scope, coordinate, and manage subcontractors and outside technical specialists as needed.

Client and Agency Communication

• Serve as a primary day-to-day point of contact for clients on assigned projects and develop trusted, long-term working relationships.
• Lead client, agency, and project team meetings and ensure decisions, responsibilities, and action items are clearly communicated and followed through.
• Explain complex permitting, regulatory, and technical issues in clear, practical language.
• Help clients understand permitting requirements, available options, potential risks, and recommended next steps.
• Communicate candidly and professionally when project issues arise and work with the project team to develop practical solutions.
• Represent Sunstone professionally and credibly in client meetings, agency coordination, site visits, and other project interactions.

Field Work

• Visit project sites in Nevada and other western states as needed to support project planning, field programs, client coordination, and agency site visits.
• Develop a working understanding of site conditions, proposed facilities, and project activities necessary to effectively manage permitting and environmental work.

Qualifications

Required

• Bachelor’s degree in environmental science, natural resource management, geology, engineering, or a related field, or an equivalent combination of education and relevant professional experience.
• 10+ years of experience in environmental consulting, mine permitting, or a related regulatory role.
• Hands-on experience with mine permitting and environmental review, with substantial experience in federal permitting and NEPA, state mine permitting and reclamation in Nevada or a similar western state (such as Arizona, Idaho, Oregon or New Mexico), or a combination of these areas.
• Demonstrated ability to manage environmental or permitting projects, including scope, schedule, budget, deliverables, and multidisciplinary project teams.
• Strong technical writing and editing skills, including the ability to critically review technical work for completeness, accuracy, consistency, and permitting implications.
• Sound judgment and the ability to identify problems, evaluate options, develop recommended solutions, and recognize when additional technical or strategic input is needed.
• Strong client-facing communication skills and the ability to explain complex technical and regulatory issues clearly and practically.
• Dependable, organized, and self-directed, with the ability to manage multiple projects, priorities, and deadlines.
• Approachable and professional, with the ability to build trusted working relationships with clients, agencies, technical specialists, and project teams.
• Based in the Reno (Preferred)/Northern Nevada area.
• Willing to travel to remote project sites and possess a valid driver’s license.

Preferred

• Experience managing mine permitting and environmental projects in the western U.S., from exploration and development through operations, reclamation, and closure.
• Experience working with BLM, the U.S. Forest Service, and western state regulatory agencies (such as those in Nevada, Arizona, Idaho, Oregon and New Mexico). Direct experience with the Nevada Division of Environmental Protection, Bureau of Mining Regulation and Reclamation (NDEP-BMRR) is highly desirable.
• Working knowledge of environmental disciplines commonly associated with mine permitting, including water resources, biological resources, cultural resources, air quality, waste management, and reclamation.
• Experience integrating multidisciplinary technical studies and environmental information into permitting and NEPA processes.
• Experience working directly with mine operators, engineering teams, and other project disciplines to integrate project design and operational requirements into permitting strategies.

What Makes This Role Different

• Work with experienced people. You will work directly with an experienced permitting team on complex mining projects, with access to senior-level support and technical expertise when you need it.
• See the whole process. Our projects bring together mine planning and operations, engineering, NEPA, federal and state permitting, water, air, biology, cultural resources, reclamation, and other disciplines. You will see how these pieces fit together from early project planning and design through permitting, construction, operations, and closure.
• Take real ownership. You will manage meaningful projects, work directly with clients and agencies, and have the autonomy to make decisions and move your projects forward.
• Build trusted relationships. You will develop trusted client relationships by understanding their projects, communicating clearly, and helping them work through permitting and environmental challenges.
• Grow with us. As Sunstone grows, there is room to take on increasingly complex projects, client relationships, and leadership responsibilities.
• Straightforward culture. We are flexible, self-driven, and no-nonsense. We trust capable people to take ownership of their work and respect their time outside of it.

Compensation and Benefits

Salary: Competitive salary based on experience.

Health: Company-paid medical, dental, and vision coverage.

Retirement: 401(k) plan with a four percent company match.

Time off: Flexible paid time off, planned around project commitments and deliverables.