Intermediate Permitting Specialist - Environmental Scientist

Worley; Chicago (IL); Hybrid; USD 85,000 - 114,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Paid time off

Holiday pay

Medical insurance

Dental insurance

Vision insurance

Life insurance

401K plan

Job summary

Worley is seeking an Intermediate Permitting Specialist to join its Environmental & Sustainability (E&S) team in a hybrid, full-time role near a U.S. Worley office.

The role involves planning, preparing and delivering environmental permitting solutions for energy and infrastructure projects across the United States. You will work with senior practitioners to identify permitting requirements, prepare applications, and engage with regulators and clients to develop practical regulatory strategies

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Environmental Science, Engineering, Biology or related discipline.
• 3–7 years of relevant experience, preferably in environmental consulting or regulation.
• Experience with US environmental permitting (NEPA, CEQA) and federal/state requirements.
• Strong technical writing, reporting and documentation skills.

Responsibilities

• Support environmental permitting, regulatory and advisory services for energy and infrastructure projects.
• Identify permitting requirements and develop strategies aligned with project objectives and schedules.
• Prepare compliant permit applications, supporting studies and regulatory documentation.
• Support NEPA/CEQA reviews and other regulatory frameworks.
• Develop and maintain permit matrices, schedules and compliance databases.

Skills

Environmental permitting

Regulatory consulting

Technical writing

Stakeholder engagement

Project collaboration

Client-facing

Regulatory strategy

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Environmental Science/Engineering

Job description

Intermediate Permitting Specialist

Play an integral role in Worley Consulting’s Environmental & Sustainability (E&S) team, helping energy sector clients navigate environmental permitting and regulatory requirements while supporting the responsible development and delivery of complex projects across the United States.

You will work alongside experienced environmental practitioners, engineers and project professionals on projects spanning upstream, midstream and downstream energy, as well as emerging markets such as hydrogen, carbon capture, renewable power and biofuels. This is an opportunity to strengthen your technical expertise, gain meaningful client and regulatory exposure, and build your consulting career within a collaborative global organization.

Purpose of the role

As an Intermediate Permitting Specialist, you will support the planning, preparation and delivery of environmental permitting and regulatory solutions for energy and infrastructure projects.

You will help identify permitting requirements, prepare applications and technical documentation, maintain permit schedules and compliance requirements, and support engagement with clients, regulatory agencies and other stakeholders. Working with senior consultants and technical specialists, you will develop practical regulatory strategies that align environmental requirements with project objectives, schedules and delivery priorities.

The role offers a strong development pathway for an environmental professional who wants to deepen their permitting expertise, expand their client-facing capabilities and contribute to Worley Consulting’s continued growth in established and emerging energy markets.

Location(s)

This is a full-time, hybrid position based near a Worley U.S. office.

Desired locations: Houston TX, Long Beach or Monrovia CA, Chicago IL, Charleston WV, or Reading PA.

You will be collaborating with colleagues, clients and project teams across multiple locations. Travel to client meetings, regulatory engagements and project or field locations will be required based on project needs.

You Will Be Responsible For

• Support environmental permitting, regulatory and advisory services for energy and infrastructure projects.
• Identify federal, state and local permitting requirements and help develop strategies aligned with project objectives and schedules.
• Prepare compliant permit applications, supporting technical studies, regulatory documentation and approval packages.
• Support environmental permitting and reviews under NEPA, CEQA and other applicable federal, state and local frameworks.
• Develop and maintain permit matrices, tracking tools, schedules and compliance databases to track regulatory milestones, permit conditions and mitigation commitments.
• Prepare and review accurate, high-quality technical correspondence, environmental reports, work plans, project documentation, cost estimates and schedules.
• Collaborate with senior environmental professionals, engineers and project teams to integrate permitting into multidisciplinary project planning and execution.
• Engage with regulators, clients and project stakeholders, developing communication and consulting skills to support successful project outcomes.
• Support project management by coordinating assigned tasks and tracking scope, schedule, budget and progress.
• Support proposals, scope development, cost estimates and opportunity identification.
• Support quality assurance and alignment with Worley’s E&S systems, technical standards and HSE expectations.
• Participate in client meetings and field programs, traveling as needed for effective project delivery.

What You’ll Bring To The Role

You will bring a foundation in environmental permitting or regulatory consulting combined with strong technical writing, analytical and collaboration skills. You will be motivated to expand your expertise and take on increasing responsibility as part of multidisciplinary project teams.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Environmental Science, Engineering, Biology or a related discipline.
• Typically 3–7 years of relevant experience, preferably in environmental consulting, engineering or regulation.
• Working knowledge of U.S. environmental permitting, including NEPA and applicable federal and state requirements.
• Familiarity with federal regulations, including the Clean Air Act, Clean Water Act and Endangered Species Act.
• Understanding of environmental compliance and permitting, including air and/or water requirements.
• Experience supporting environmental permitting and preparing accurate, organized technical and regulatory documentation.
• Demonstrated ability to track assigned project scope, schedules and budgets and identify potential variances.
• Strong technical writing, reporting and documentation skills focused on quality, accuracy and detail.
• Developing client-facing and stakeholder engagement skills; effective communication with clients, regulators and project teams.
• Strong communication and collaboration skills for effective multidisciplinary teamwork.
• Commitment to health, safety, environmental stewardship and responsible project delivery.
• Motivation to build technical and consulting skills with guidance from experienced practitioners.

Additional Preferred Experience

• Air quality permitting support experience and exposure to emissions modeling or regulatory strategy development.
• Familiarity with CEQA and California environmental permitting requirements.
• Exposure to environmental engineering, including stormwater management and Spill Prevention, Control and Countermeasure (SPCC) planning.
• Experience supporting proposals, cost estimates or project planning.
• Experience or demonstrated interest in emerging energy sectors, including hydrogen, carbon capture and management, renewable power and biofuels.

Compensation

For California applicants

• Salary Range: $85,398 - $113,821; based upon experience
• Benefits: eligible for PTO, 401k, medical, vision, dental, etc.

Los Angeles

We will consider for employment all qualified Applicants, including those with Criminal Histories, in a manner consistent with the requirements of applicable state and local laws, including the City of Los Angeles' Fair Chance Initiative for Hiring Ordinance.

Application of the pay band: Variation in salary is determined by factors such as the candidate’s qualifications, relevant years of experience, geographic location, internal pay equity, and prevailing market conditions for the specific role.

Benefits

Feel the energy at Worley with access to a range of benefits including paid time off, holiday pay (usually 8 per year in the US), and eligibility to participate in the medical, life, dental, and vision insurance plans, as well as 401K plan.

About Us

Worley is a global company of energy, chemicals and resources experts headquartered in Australia. We partner with our customers to deliver projects and create value across the life of their assets. We specialize in consulting, engineering, procurement and construction across the project lifecycle, with services extending through to operations and decommissioning. Leveraging extensive experience and AI-enabled delivery, we support customers in navigating complexity as they meet today’s needs and transition to more sustainable solutions. Join us and help drive innovation and sustainability in our projects.

Moving forward together

We want our people to be energized and empowered to drive sustainable impact. So, our focus is on a values-inspired culture that unlocks brilliance through belonging, connection and innovation. We’re building a diverse, inclusive and respectful workplace. Creating a space where everyone feels they belong, can be themselves, and are heard.

And we’re not just talking about it; we’re doing it. We’re reskilling our people, leveraging transferable skills, and supporting the transition of our workforce to become experts in today’s low carbon energy infrastructure and technology. Whatever your ambition, there’s a path for you here. And there’s no barrier to your potential career success. Join us to broaden your horizons, explore diverse opportunities, and be part of delivering sustainable change.