Managing Consultant, Scientist

Environmental Resources Management (ERM); Nashville (TN); On-site; USD 120,000 - 160,000; Full time

Job summary

ERM is seeking a Managing Consultant, Scientist (Environmental Permitting) to lead environmental permitting and regulatory strategies for major energy and technology infrastructure across the United States.

You will serve as a trusted advisor to clients, mentor teams, and collaborate with ERM's global experts to deliver high‑quality permitting solutions for renewable energy, natural gas, data centers, and related projects.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's or Master's degree in environmental studies, environmental management, wetland science, planning, geography, or related field.
• 4+ years (8 years preferred) of project management, licensing, and permitting experience, especially in natural gas or renewable energy.
• Experience preparing NEPA-type documents for federal/state agencies and providing Capital Project Delivery support.
• Experience with permitting across federal, state, and local levels for energy projects.

Responsibilities

• Lead multi-media permitting and regulatory strategies for energy projects across the United States.
• Oversee NEPA projects and related activities in support of client development projects.
• Contribute to permitting strategies, due diligence, and environmental impact assessments.
• Prepare and review permitting documents and ensure quality control.

Skills

Project management

Permitting

NEPA documents

Regulatory strategy

Stakeholder engagement

Education

Bachelor's or Master's in environmental studies

Tools

GIS

Job description

Lead Complex Energy Projects. Shape Sustainable Development. Drive Lasting Impact.

As an Managing Consultant, Scientist (Environmental Permitting) based in Charleston, West Virginia or Indianapolis, Indiana, you will play a pivotal leadership role in helping clients navigate the environmental, regulatory, and permitting challenges associated with major energy and infrastructure developments across the United States. This is an opportunity to combine technical expertise, strategic consulting, client relationship management, and business development to support the growth of renewable energy, natural gas, data center, and other critical infrastructure projects. You will collaborate with ERM's global network of experts, lead multidisciplinary teams, and help clients advance projects that contribute to the transition toward a lower-carbon economy.

Why This Role Matters?

The future of energy and infrastructure depends on responsible environmental stewardship, effective regulatory strategy, and successful stakeholder engagement. In this role, you will help shape high-profile capital projects from planning through operation, ensuring environmental considerations are integrated into critical development decisions. Your leadership will directly support sustainable project delivery while expanding ERM's environmental permitting and impact assessment capabilities across key U.S. markets.

What Your Impact Is:

Lead environmental permitting and regulatory strategies for major energy and technology infrastructure projects across the United States. Serve as a trusted advisor to clients navigating federal, state, and local permitting requirements. Support the development of renewable energy, natural gas, data center, and other critical infrastructure projects that contribute to economic growth and the low-carbon transition. Drive project execution, client satisfaction, and business growth while mentoring and developing team members. Collaborate with ERM's global technical community to deliver innovative, high-quality solutions and share industry best practices. Contribute to the continued expansion of ERM's impact assessment, permitting, and capital project delivery services.

What You'll Bring

• Required Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in environmental studies, environmental management, wetland science, planning, geography, or a related natural resources science field of study, or equivalent experience.
• 4+ years (8 years preferred) of project management, licensing, and permitting experience, including strong project experience in natural gas or renewable energy.
• Experience preparing NEPA-type documents for federal and/or state agencies and providing strategic-level Capital Project Delivery support.
• Experience with federal, state, and local permitting, particularly with the preparation of applications and documents related to the development of energy projects.
• Experience assisting clients in obtaining permits and approvals for new or expanded facilities.
• Experience overseeing and coordinating desktop and online studies or research on natural resource or resource planning topics, GIS, and map interpretation (NWI, USGS, aerial photography).
• Demonstrated ability to research and prepare concise and accurate technical documents, including presentation of findings to clients, stakeholders, and/or regulatory agencies.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, organizational abilities, and analytical skills, with experience recording and writing detailed technical data and reports.
• Ability to multi-task, maintain flexibility, travel, and work independently with minimal supervision.
• Demonstrated ability to mentor and develop team members; excellent people skills; responsive, collaborative, versatile, effective in a fast-paced environment, and service-oriented.

Driver's License Required

This position requires a valid driver's license and/or the ability to operate a company vehicle due to the nature of job duties, which include frequent travel to various client locations across a large geographical area. Strong commitment to safety. This position is not eligible for immigration sponsorship.

Preferred Regulatory experience within West Virginia, Indiana, Ohio, Tennessee, and Kentucky, including local permitting challenges, land use considerations, and state permitting requirements. Experience supporting energy infrastructure projects such as data centers, natural gas facilities, solar projects, and wind energy developments. Expertise in permitting strategies involving regulations such as the Clean Water Act and Endangered Species Act.

Key Responsibilities:

• Manage and perform multi-media permitting and compliance associated with technology and energy infrastructure projects, such as data centers, natural gas, and renewable energy (solar and wind), with an emphasis on local, state, and federal permitting and regulatory compliance.
• Manage and provide technical assistance on National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) projects and related activities in support of ERM clients’ development projects, including solar, natural gas, and renewable energy projects.
• Contribute technical, subject matter, and project management expertise on permitting strategies, including Clean Water Act and Endangered Species Act considerations, due diligence reviews, environmental critical issues assessments, impact assessment deliverables, and overall quality control reviews.
• Manage and lead the preparation of permitting documents.
• Oversee project delivery activities such as report writing, data collection, data and literature review, and the development of recommendations for clients.
• Prepare technical proposals and participate in business development activities with existing clients and identified leads while helping expand ERM's growing renewable energy projects and team.
• Manage and work within quality, budget, schedule, and scope expectations.
• Collaborate with other ERM practitioners to execute impact assessments and capital project permitting efforts, including baseline studies, environmental impact assessments, routing studies, land planning, and facility siting and permitting.
• Build and maintain strong client relationships while supporting the sustainable growth of ERM's environmental consulting business.

Who We Are

As the largest global pure play sustainability consultancy, we partner with the world’s leading organizations, creating innovative solutions to sustainability challenges and unlocking commercial opportunities that meet the needs of today while preserving opportunity for future generations. At ERM we know that creating a diverse, equitable and inclusive work environment is an essential part of making our company a great place to build a career. We also see our diversity as a strength that helps us create better solutions for our clients. Our diverse team of world-class experts supports clients across the breadth of their organizations to operationalize sustainability, underpinned by our deep technical expertise in addressing their environmental, health, safety, risk and social issues. We call this capability our “boots to boardroom” approach for its comprehensive service model that allows ERM to develop strategic and technical solutions that advance objectives on the ground or at the executive level.

We do not discriminate based upon race, religion, color, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, status as a protected veteran, status as an individual with a disability, or other applicable legally protected characteristics.