Permit & Environmental Approvals Manager

KBR; Newark (DE); On-site; USD 150,000 - 230,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

401K with company match

Medical

Dental

Vision

Life Insurance

AD&D

Flexible spending account

Paid time off

Flexible work schedule

Job summary

KBR seeks a Permit & Environmental Approvals Manager to lead and coordinate all permitting within the PMC team for a multi-billion-dollar GMP manufacturing program. This role serves as the primary contact with regulatory agencies, local authorities, environmental organizations, and utilities to secure and maintain permits and compliance on schedule.

The successful candidate will work with client, engineering, construction, environmental, quality, EHS, legal, and project controls teams to

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Environmental Science, Engineering, Planning, Environmental Management, Public Policy, or related discipline.
• 10+ years of experience managing permitting and regulatory approvals for large industrial, pharmaceutical, biotech, chemical, life sciences, or advanced manufacturing projects.
• Experience supporting greenfield capital projects exceeding $500 million in total installed cost.
• Strong knowledge of environmental regulations, land development processes, utility coordination, and construction permitting requirements.
• Experience working with federal, state, and local regulatory agencies.
• Excellent project management, stakeholder engagement, negotiation, and communication skills.
• Ability to manage multiple permits and agency interfaces simultaneously within aggressive project schedules.
• Familiarity with EPC/EPCM project delivery models is preferred.

Responsibilities

• Develop and execute the project permitting strategy, identifying all permits, licenses, approvals, reviews, and regulatory requirements necessary for site development, construction, commissioning, and operational readiness.
• Lead permitting efforts with regulatory agencies, including local municipalities, state environmental departments, federal agencies, utility providers, and other authorities having jurisdiction (AHJs).
• Manage permit application preparation and submission, ensuring required technical documentation, engineering studies, environmental assessments, and supporting materials are completed accurately and on schedule.
• Establish and maintain a comprehensive permitting register, tracking permit status, approval milestones, submission timelines, permit conditions, and regulatory commitments throughout the project lifecycle.
• Coordinate closely with engineering, design, and construction teams to ensure project designs incorporate permitting requirements and regulatory constraints early in the project development process.
• Identify, assess, and mitigate permitting and regulatory risks that could impact project cost, schedule, constructability, or operational compliance.
• Facilitate meetings, presentations, and communications with regulatory agencies and stakeholders, maintaining positive working relationships and representing the project professionally.
• Monitor compliance with permit conditions and regulatory commitments, supporting audits, inspections, agency inquiries, and construction compliance activities.
• Provide permitting status and environmental approvals reporting and forecasting to project leadership, highlighting critical path approvals, emerging issues, and recommended mitigation strategies to ensure project milestones are achieved.

Skills

Project management

Stakeholder engagement

Negotiation

Communication

Regulatory coordination

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Environmental Science, Engineering, Planning, Environmental Management, Public Policy, or related discipline

Job description

Title:

Permit & Environmental Approvals Manager

KBR Sustainable Technology Solutions (STS) provides holistic and value-added solutions across the entire asset life cycle. These include world-class licensed process technologies, differentiated advisory services, deep technical domain expertise, energy transition solutions, high-end design capabilities, and smart solutions to optimize planned and operating assets.

KBR is seeking a Permit & Environmental Approvals Manager to lead and coordinate all permitting within the PMC team for a multi-billion-dollar GMP manufacturing program. This role serves as the primary point of contact between the project team, regulatory agencies, local authorities, environmental organizations, and utility providers to ensure all permits, approvals, and compliance requirements are obtained and maintained in accordance with project schedules. The Permit & Environmental Approvals Manager will work closely with the client, engineering, construction, environmental, quality, EHS, legal, and project controls teams to proactively identify permitting requirements, evaluate regulatory risks, and implement strategies that support project execution while maintaining full compliance with applicable federal, state, and local regulations.

Functional job responsibilities will include but are not limited to:

• Develop and execute the project permitting strategy, identifying all permits, licenses, approvals, reviews, and regulatory requirements necessary for site development, construction, commissioning, and operational readiness.
• Lead permitting efforts with regulatory agencies, including local municipalities, state environmental departments, federal agencies, utility providers, and other authorities having jurisdiction (AHJs).
• Manage permit application preparation and submission, ensuring required technical documentation, engineering studies, environmental assessments, and supporting materials are completed accurately and on schedule.
• Establish and maintain a comprehensive permitting register, tracking permit status, approval milestones, submission timelines, permit conditions, and regulatory commitments throughout the project lifecycle.
• Coordinate closely with engineering, design, and construction teams to ensure project designs incorporate permitting requirements and regulatory constraints early in the project development process.
• Identify, assess, and mitigate permitting and regulatory risks that could impact project cost, schedule, constructability, or operational compliance.
• Facilitate meetings, presentations, and communications with regulatory agencies and stakeholders, maintaining positive working relationships and representing the project professionally.
• Monitor compliance with permit conditions and regulatory commitments, supporting audits, inspections, agency inquiries, and construction compliance activities.
• Provide permitting status and environmental approvals reporting and forecasting to project leadership, highlighting critical path approvals, emerging issues, and recommended mitigation strategies to ensure project milestones are achieved.

Required Education, Experience, & Skills:

• Bachelor’s degree in Environmental Science, Engineering, Planning, Environmental Management, Public Policy, or related discipline.
• Minimum 10+ years of experience managing permitting and regulatory approvals for large industrial, pharmaceutical, biotech, chemical, life sciences, or advanced manufacturing projects.
• Demonstrated experience supporting greenfield capital projects exceeding $500 million in total installed cost.
• Strong knowledge of environmental regulations, land development processes, utility coordination, and construction permitting requirements.
• Experience working with federal, state, and local regulatory agencies.
• Excellent project management, stakeholder engagement, negotiation, and communication skills.
• Ability to manage multiple permits and agency interfaces simultaneously within aggressive project schedules.
• Familiarity with EPC/EPCM project delivery models is preferred.
• Professional certifications or advanced degrees are considered advantageous.

Preferred Education, Experience, & Skills:

• Experience supporting pharmaceutical, biotechnology, life sciences, or other GMP-regulated facilities.
• Prior experience in an Owner’s Representative or PMC role for major capital projects in excess of $1B TIC.
• Environmental permitting, site development approvals, wastewater permits, air permits, stormwater management permits, and utility infrastructure approvals.
• Experience supporting FDA inspections, commissioning, startup, and operational readiness activities.

Decarbonization – Energy Transition – Sustainability

KBR Benefits

KBR offers a selection of competitive lifestyle benefits which could include 401K plan with company match, medical, dental, vision, life insurance, AD&D, flexible spending account, disability, paid time off, or flexible work schedule. We support career advancement through professional training and development.

Belong, Connect and Grow at KBR

At KBR, we are passionate about our people and our Zero Harm culture. These inform all that we do and are at the heart of our commitment to, and ongoing journey toward being a People First company. That commitment is central to our team of team’s philosophy and fosters an environment where everyone can Belong, Connect and Grow. We Deliver – Together.

KBR is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, disability, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, national origin, veteran status, genetic information, union status and/or beliefs, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local law.