Principal Consultant, Land Use Planner

Environmental Resources Management (ERM); Portland (OR); On-site; USD 101,000 - 152,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Paid time off

Parental leave

Medical

Dental

Vision

Life insurance

Disability insurance

AD&D insurance

401(k)

Other applicable benefits

Job summary

ERM seeks a Principal Consultant, Land Use Planner to lead permitting strategies and land use planning for utility-scale energy projects in Oregon and Washington. You will prepare permit applications, analyze zoning, and coordinate with agencies and stakeholders to advance clean energy infrastructure.

Ideal candidate has 6+ years in land use permitting for renewables, strong technical writing, and client management skills, with familiarity in Oregon/Washington codes.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's or Master's degree in Environmental Planning, Urban and Regional Planning, Environmental Science, Geography, Natural Resources, Public Policy, or 12 years of equivalent experience.
• 6+ years of experience supporting permitting and land use planning for renewable energy, transmission, infrastructure, or similar projects.
• Experience preparing land use permit applications and supporting local government approval processes.
• Experience conducting zoning analyses, code consistency evaluations, and preparing findings demonstrating compliance with local and state land use regulations.
• Familiarity with Oregon land use planning requirements, including Oregon Statewide Planning Goals and county development codes.
• Familiarity with Washington land use regulations, SEPA review processes, and local development permitting requirements.
• Excellent technical writing, communication, and client management skills.
• Ability to work in a fast-paced consulting environment while managing multiple projects.
• Preferred AICP certification.

Responsibilities

• Lead and support the development of permit strategies and entitlement pathways for energy projects in Oregon and Washington.
• Lead preparation of county and municipal land use permit applications, including Conditional Use Permits and Goal Exceptions.
• Coordinate with state agencies, counties, municipalities, and districts to support permitting and regulatory compliance.
• Conduct detailed zoning and land use due diligence assessments for project sites.
• Interpret local development codes and state requirements to identify risks and opportunities.
• Prepare code consistency analyses showing project conformance with applicable codes.
• Evaluate local permitting pathways and jurisdiction-specific code requirements for renewables.
• Develop findings of fact and permit narratives to support approvals.
• Support EFSC/EFSEC review processes with material preparation and coordination.
• Coordinate with interdisciplinary teams on technical studies and environmental documentation.
• Mentor junior staff in permitting, planning, and project management.
• Provide technical review and QA for permitting deliverables.
• Contribute to best practices, tools, and methodologies for renewable energy permitting.

Skills

Project management

Regulatory compliance

Client management

Technical writing

Stakeholder engagement

Education

Bachelor's or Master's degree in Environmental Planning or related field

Job description

Shape the Future of Clean Energy Development in the Pacific Northwest

ERM is seeking a Principal Consultant, Land Use Planner in Portland, Oregon or Seattle, Washington to help lead and expand our renewable energy permitting practice across the Pacific Northwest. In this highly visible role, you will guide complex permitting, environmental review, and land use planning efforts that support the development of utility‑scale renewable energy and infrastructure projects, helping clients advance the clean energy transition while navigating regulatory requirements and stakeholder expectations.

Why This Role Matters?

As renewable energy development accelerates throughout the Pacific Northwest, successful project delivery depends on thoughtful permitting strategies, regulatory expertise, and strong collaboration with agencies and stakeholders. In this role, you will serve as a trusted advisor to clients, leading land use planning and permitting efforts that enable critical clean energy infrastructure projects to move forward efficiently and responsibly.

What Your Impact Is:

You will help clients successfully develop renewable energy and infrastructure projects by leading permitting strategies, preparing regulatory applications, evaluating land use requirements, and coordinating multidisciplinary teams. Your expertise will help identify permitting risks, develop practical solutions, and support sustainable project approvals throughout Oregon and Washington.

What You'll Bring:

• Required Bachelor's or Master's degree in Environmental Planning, Urban and Regional Planning, Environmental Science, Geography, Natural Resources, Public Policy, or a related field, or 12 years of equivalent experience.
• 6+ years of experience supporting permitting and land use planning efforts for renewable energy, transmission, infrastructure, or similar development projects.
• Demonstrated experience preparing land use permit applications and supporting local government approval processes.
• Experience conducting zoning analyses, code consistency evaluations, and preparing findings demonstrating compliance with local and state land use regulations.
• Familiarity with Oregon land use planning requirements, including Oregon Statewide Planning Goals and county development codes.
• Familiarity with Washington land use regulations, SEPA review processes, and local development permitting requirements.
• Excellent technical writing, communication, and client management skills.
• Ability to work effectively in a fast‑paced consulting environment while managing multiple concurrent projects.
• Preferred AICP certification.

Preferred

• Experience working directly with Oregon and Washington counties, States (EFSC, EFSEC), planning commissions, or local hearing bodies.
• Experience obtaining Oregon and Washington wetland and waters permits, including permitting under State Removal‑Fill programs, Section 404 of the Clean Water Act, and related state and federal regulatory frameworks.
• Experience developing wetland, waters, and habitat mitigation strategies and coordinating with state and federal resource agencies to support renewable energy, transmission, and infrastructure projects.
• Knowledge of Oregon Department of State Lands (DSL), Washington Department of Ecology, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and state and federal habitat mitigation requirements preferred.

Key Responsibilities:

• Lead and support the development of permit strategies and entitlement pathways for environmental permitting and land use planning efforts associated with utility‑scale solar, battery energy storage systems (BESS), wind energy, transmission, and other energy infrastructure projects throughout Oregon and Washington.
• Lead preparation of county and municipal land use permit applications, including Conditional Use Permits and Goal Exception applications.
• Coordinate with state agencies, counties, municipalities, and special districts to support permitting and regulatory compliance requirements.
• Conduct detailed zoning and land use due diligence assessments for project sites.
• Interpret local development codes, comprehensive plans, and applicable state land use requirements to identify permitting risks and opportunities.
• Prepare code consistency analyses demonstrating project conformance with applicable code.
• Evaluate local permitting pathways and jurisdiction‑specific code requirements for renewable energy developments.
• Develop findings of fact and permit application narratives supporting project approvals.
• Support projects undergoing review through the Oregon Energy Facility Siting Council (EFSC) and Washington Energy Facility Site Evaluation Council (EFSEC) process, including preparation of application materials, Requests for Amendment, compliance reporting, and coordination with Oregon Department of Energy staff.
• Coordinate with interdisciplinary project teams including biologists, wetland scientists, archaeologists, visual resources specialists, and other technical experts regarding technical studies and review environmental documentation prepared in support of permit applications.
• Mentor junior and mid‑level staff in environmental permitting, land use planning, and project management.
• Provide technical review and quality assurance for permitting deliverables.
• Contribute to development of best practices, tools, and methodologies for renewable energy permitting projects.

For the Principal Consultant, Land Use Planner position, the anticipated annual base pay is $100,600–$152,100 (USD). Actual pay will depend on factors such as education, experience, skills, location, performance, and business needs. In some cases, pay may fall outside this range. This role may be eligible for bonus pay subject to the sole discretion of ERM and its policies and procedures (casual and fixed term/flex force employees are not bonus eligible).

Benefits

• Paid time off (vacation, sick, and floating holidays)
• Parental leave
• Medical
• Dental
• Vision
• Life
• Disability
• AD&D insurance
• 401(k)
• Other applicable benefits to eligible employees

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 recruit exceptional professionals with a personal and professional passion for sustainability and nurture them to even greater success as specialists. We prepare our consultants to bring integrated, innovative and sustainable solutions to our clients and provide opportunities for ongoing development across a variety of subject areas related to technical, business, and personal growth. At ERM, effort pays off and becomes career defining work that leaves a positive imprint on our planet.

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.