Lead Specialist, Environmental

AES Indiana; Indianapolis (IN); On-site; USD 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

AES is seeking a Lead Environmental Specialist to provide leadership and overall management of environmental compliance for the Harding Street and Georgetown generating stations. This role ensures all site environmental obligations are met, including air, water, and waste regulatory requirements, in collaboration with Operations, Environmental Affairs, and plant leadership.

The ideal candidate will have a Bachelor’s degree in engineering or environmental science, at least six years of experience

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Environmental Science, Environmental Management.
• Minimum of six years of professional environmental compliance experience.
• Strong working knowledge of Indiana environmental regulations and applicable federal, state, and local requirements.
• Experience with Title V air permitting, NPDES, hazardous waste, and multi-media compliance.
• Excellent data analysis and reporting capabilities with strong communication skills.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office applications.

Responsibilities

• Ensure compliance with environmental regulations and permit conditions at AES Harding Street and AES Georgetown.
• Collect, verify, and analyze environmental data for reports, permits, inspections, and documentation.
• Maintain the AES Environmental Management System and track site objectives, audits, and corrective actions.
• Provide training and guidance on environmental requirements to Operations, Maintenance, and leadership.
• Identify permit deviations and regulatory concerns and communicate with stakeholders.
• Support permitting efforts and coordinate with Environmental Affairs on rulemaking and permits.

Skills

Environmental compliance

Regulatory knowledge

Data analysis

Communication skills

Project leadership

Education

Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Environmental Science, Environmental Management

Tools

Microsoft Word

Microsoft Excel

Microsoft PowerPoint

Job description

Are you ready to be part of a company that's not just talking about the future, but actively shaping it? Join The AES Corporation, the largest US-based global power company with a team of 8,300 employees across 12 countries.

AES has been ranked #1 by BloombergNEF in renewable energy sales to corporations in the US and Americas for five consecutive years, providing electricity for millions of people worldwide.

We are proud to foster a strong workplace culture, earning prominent positions in Great Place to Work™ rankings across the markets where we operate. AES was also named one of the World’s Most Ethical Companies for the 13th consecutive year in 2026, highlighting our dedication to integrity, transparency, and responsible business practices.

Our spirit of innovation continues to earn industry recognition. AES is the only seven-time winner of the Edison Electric Institute’s Edison Awards in the twenty-first century, a distinction honoring global leadership in advancing the electric power industry.

If you're ready to be part of a company that's not just adapting to change, but driving it, AES is the place for you. We're not just building a more sustainable future, we're powering it.

Position Summary

The Lead Environmental Specialist will provide leadership and overall management of environmental compliance activities for AES Harding Street and AES Georgetown generating stations. This role is responsible for ensuring that all site environmental obligations are completed accurately, fully, and on time, including compliance with applicable air, water, waste, and other environmental regulatory requirements. The position will work under the supervision of the Manager, Environmental, and in close collaboration with site Operations & Maintenance teams, plant leadership, Environmental Affairs, and other internal stakeholders. The Lead Environmental Specialist will serve as a key environmental compliance resource for the sites, providing guidance, training, data management, permitting support, regulatory tracking, compliance reporting, audit support, and leadership for AES environmental programs and objectives.

Key Responsibilities

• Ensure compliance with all applicable environmental regulations, permit conditions, corporate environmental requirements, and site-specific obligations at AES Harding Street and AES Georgetown generating stations.
• Collect, compile, verify, manage, and analyze environmental data to prepare, review, submit, and maintain accurate environmental compliance and regulatory reports, permits, inspections, and program documentation, ensuring timely completion of all agency and corporate reporting requirements.
• Ensure required inspections, tests, records, reports, submittals, and environmental compliance deliverables are completed in a timely manner.
• Manage and maintain the AES Environmental Management System for the assigned generating stations, including development and tracking of site-specific environmental objectives, environmental audit activities, and corrective action closure.
• Provide environmental compliance guidance, coaching, and training to Operations, Maintenance, leadership, contractors, and other applicable stakeholder groups to improve environmental awareness and ensure understanding of site compliance requirements.
• Review operational and environmental data to identify potential permit deviations, compliance trends, deficiencies, excursions, or regulatory concerns, and communicate issues promptly to appropriate internal and external stakeholders.
• Report, support, and provide management direction for correction, mitigation, and prevention of environmental deficiencies, excursions, regulatory violations, and audit findings.
• Support routine permitting efforts and coordinate with Environmental Affairs subject matter experts on relevant rulemaking, regulatory changes, permit issues, comment development, and impact evaluations, as requested.
• Provide change management support for new or changing environmental priorities, methodologies, policies, rules, and regulations affecting environmental compliance obligations at the assigned generating stations.
• Support environmental audits, lead or assist with internal auditing activities, and ensure findings and corrective action plans are addressed in a timely manner.
• Develop, track, and support site-specific environmental budgets, including proactive communication of budget deviations and integration of environmental requirements into business planning.
• Implement and maintain environmental compliance processes, operating procedures, data management practices, and continuous improvement initiatives that support consistent environmental program execution across facilities.
• Participate in environmental inspections, EHS walks, sustainability opportunities, environmental awareness initiatives, and environmental performance activities that support AES environmental goals and objectives.
• Work collaboratively with plant personnel to respond to environmental questions, concerns, permit requirements, regulatory issues, inspections, data requests, and compliance needs.

Required Qualifications

Education, Qualifications, and Expertise

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Environmental Science, Environmental Management, or a closely related technical or science-based field.
• Minimum of six years of professional environmental compliance experience, including experience in industrial, processing, manufacturing, utility, or power generation environments.
• Strong working knowledge of Indiana environmental regulations and applicable federal, state, and local environmental regulatory requirements.
• Experience with Clean Air Act, Title V air permitting and compliance, Clean Water Act, NPDES permitting and compliance, hazardous waste permitting and compliance, and multi-media environmental compliance requirements.
• Demonstrated ability to collect, review, verify, analyze, and report environmental operating data accurately and on time.
• Excellent verbal, written, interpersonal, and computer skills, with the ability to communicate environmental requirements clearly to technical and non-technical stakeholders.
• Strong organizational skills, attention to detail, commitment to deadlines, and ability to manage multiple priorities while producing high-quality work.
• Strong analytical, problem-solving, and decision-support skills, including the ability to identify environmental trends, permit concerns, compliance risks, and opportunities for improvement.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office applications, including Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.
• Ability to work flexible hours occasionally in response to emergencies, environmental incidents, agency needs, or plant operational requirements.
• Ability to travel occasionally to other AES facilities as business needs require.
• Valid Indiana driver’s license.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience in the electric utility, energy, or power generation industry.
• Demonstrated leadership experience and ability to function effectively with limited supervision in a team-oriented environment.
• Advanced knowledge or direct experience with Title V major source compliance, air emissions reporting, continuous emissions monitoring systems, and related EPA compliance requirements.
• Knowledge and experience with NPDES permits, stormwater compliance, wastewater discharge requirements, point discharges, water sampling, inspections, and reporting.
• Experience with spill remediation, SPCC planning, FRP spill training, DOT regulations, PCB waste disposal, asbestos supervisor training, waste sampling, oil testing procedures, environmental inspections, environmental audits, and interaction with regulators.
• Experience implementing or maintaining environmental compliance systems, environmental training matrices, environmental audit programs, corrective action tracking, environmental budget management, and environmental performance goals.

AES is an Equal Opportunity Employer who is committed to building strength and delivering long-term sustainability through diversity and inclusion. Respecting all backgrounds, differences and perspectives enables us to improve the lives of our people, customers, suppliers, contractors, and the communities in which we live and work. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity and/or expression, race, national origin, ethnicity, age, religion, marital status, physical or mental disability, pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical condition, military or veteran status, or any other characteristic protected under applicable law. E-Verify Notice: AES will provide the Social Security Administration (SSA) and if necessary, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) with information from each new employee's I-9 to confirm work authorization.