Principal Consultant, Environmental Permitting & Compliance

ERM; New Orleans (LA); On-site; USD 150,000 - 210,000; Full time

Job summary

ERM seeks an experienced Principal Consultant, Environmental Permitting & Compliance to support complex industrial, utility, pipeline, and energy infrastructure projects across Louisiana and the Gulf Coast. The role combines technical depth with practical, real-world experience in facility operations, compliance programs, and permitting activities.

Preferred location is Louisiana with driving distance to New Orleans; periodic travel throughout the Gulf Coast is required.

Qualifications

• Experience leading environmental projects and multidisciplinary teams.
• Hands-on field experience supporting compliance and permitting.
• Experience with facilities holding multiple environmental permits.

Responsibilities

• Lead project engagements and provide technical guidance across permitting and compliance.
• Manage budgets, schedules and resources for complex environmental projects.
• Advise clients on environmental permitting requirements and regulatory strategies.
• Develop and review SWPPPs, SPCC plans and other compliance programs.
• Communicate progress with clients and stakeholders and manage expectations.
• Support energy, industrial, pipeline and utility clients across the Gulf Coast.

Skills

Project management

Environmental compliance

Regulatory permitting

Client leadership

Environmental risk evaluation

Education

Bachelor’s or Master’s in Environmental Science/Engineering/Biology/Geology

Job description

ERM is seeking an experienced Principal Consultant, Environmental Permitting & Compliance to support complex industrial, utility, pipeline, and energy infrastructure projects across Louisiana and the Gulf Coast.

This role is ideal for an environmental professional who combines strong technical knowledge with practical, real-world experience supporting facility operations, environmental compliance programs, and permitting activities. Candidates may come from consulting, industry, utility, petrochemical, pipeline, manufacturing, or power generation backgrounds.

The successful candidate will manage projects, lead client engagements, and provide technical guidance across a variety of environmental compliance and permitting initiatives while supporting some of the region's most significant energy and industrial developments.

Preferred Location: Louisiana

is strongly preferred, with candidates located within driving distance of New Orleans encouraged to apply. Periodic travel throughout the Gulf Coast region will be required.

What Your Impact Will Be

• Project Leadership
• Manage environmental compliance and permitting projects for industrial, energy, utility, petrochemical, manufacturing, and pipeline clients.
• Serve as Project Manager on complex, multidisciplinary environmental projects.
• Lead project execution, client communications, technical deliverables, budgets, schedules, and resource planning.
• Environmental Compliance & Permitting
• Support clients in navigating environmental risks throughout project development, construction, and operations.
• Prepare and manage permitting and compliance programs related to air, water, waste, remediation, and stormwater regulations.
• Develop and review environmental plans and programs, including SWPPPs, SPCC Plans, environmental compliance procedures, inspections, and reporting requirements.
• Energy & Infrastructure Development
• Support permitting and environmental compliance efforts for pipelines, utility corridors, transmission infrastructure, power generation facilities, carbon capture projects, water infrastructure, and other linear development projects.
• Advise clients on environmental permitting requirements and regulatory strategies throughout project lifecycles.
• Client Leadership
• Lead client meetings and serve as a trusted technical advisor.
• Develop strong relationships with key client stakeholders.
• Deliver practical, business-focused environmental solutions that

support client objectives.

Required

What You'll Bring

• Bachelor's or Master's degree in Environmental Science, Environmental Engineering, Biology, Geology, or a related field.
• 6+ years of relevant environmental experience; 10+ years preferred.
• Demonstrated project management experience leading environmental projects and multidisciplinary teams.
• Hands‑on field experience supporting environmental compliance and permitting activities.
• Experience working with facilities that maintain multiple environmental permits and compliance obligations.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to independently lead client meetings and manage client relationships.
• Proven ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously.

Highly Desired

• Multi‑media permitting strongly preferred - practical knowledge of environmental regulations governing air, water, stormwater, waste, remediation, and spill prevention programs.
• Experience supporting construction and operational compliance programs for pipelines and other linear infrastructure projects.
• Experience supporting environmental permitting and compliance for major capital projects and facility expansions.

Ready to make a lasting impact in the energy sector? Join ERM and help shape the future of sustainable development.

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.

ERM is proud to be an Equal Employment Opportunity employer. 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.

Thank you for your interest in ERM!