Project Manager - Natural & Cultural Resources

Burns & McDonnell; Phoenix (AZ); On-site; USD 90,000 - 140,000; Full time

Job summary

Burns & McDonnell in Phoenix, AZ, seeks a seasoned project manager to lead natural and cultural resources assignments from proposal through closeout. You will own scope, schedule, budget, staffing, and client commitments while coordinating fieldwork and regulatory approvals.

This role focuses on integrating ecological surveys, habitat studies, wetlands, and archaeology with Section 106 compliance. You will mentor staff, coordinate with agencies and clients, and drive on-time, on-budget delivery

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in biology, ecology, environmental science, archaeology, historic preservation, or a closely related field.
• Minimum 7 years of natural resources or cultural resources consulting or compliance experience.
• Experience managing project scope, budget, schedule, and deliverables.
• Experience on electric utility, renewable energy, mining, transportation, or infrastructure projects in Arizona/SW region preferred.
• Strong written and verbal communication, and leadership abilities.

Responsibilities

• Manage multiple natural or cultural resources projects from proposal to closeout with clear ownership of scope, schedule, budget, staffing, and client commitments.
• Develop practical technical approaches in biological surveys, habitat studies, wetlands, or archaeological survey and Section 106 coordination.
• Prepare and manage proposals, scopes, labor estimates, schedules, and client presentations; monitor staffing and forecast opportunities.
• Lead and mentor specialists and early career staff, clarifying responsibilities and providing feedback.
• Coordinate with clients, agencies, and stakeholders, including Tribal parties, to plan fieldwork and approvals; track commitments.
• Build relationships with clients and identify opportunities for additional work in collaboration with Southwest Environmental Services leadership.
• Monitor hours, subconsultant costs, expenses, and project financial performance; identify variances and implement corrective actions.
• Collaborate with discipline leads to align technical approach, field staffing, and deliverables with budget and schedule.
• Travel within the Southwest for client meetings and field coordination.

Skills

Project management

Leadership

Budgeting

Client communication

Scheduling

Stakeholder management

Education

Bachelor's degree in biology/ecology/environmental science/ archaeology/ historic preservation

Job description

Project management responsibilities include the following:

• Manage multiple natural or cultural resources projects from proposal and kickoff through fieldwork, agency review, and closeout, with clear ownership of scope, schedule, budget, staffing, and client commitments.
• Develop practical technical approaches in the candidate's area of expertise, such as biological surveys, habitat studies, wetlands, or archaeological survey and Section 106 coordination. Integrate both disciplines on projects that require them, working with qualified technical leads.
• Prepare and manage proposals, scopes, labor estimates, schedules, and client presentations; maintain visibility into opportunities to support staffing and work forecasts.
• Lead and mentor specialists and early career staff, clarifying responsibilities and providing timely feedback.
• Coordinate qualified biologists, PIs, field directors, and project teams to plan fieldwork, obtain required authorizations, review technical data, and complete defensible deliverables.
• Coordinate with clients, agencies, and other stakeholders, including Tribal parties through the designated lead when appropriate; track decisions, comments, and commitments through completion.
• Build relationships with existing clients and identify opportunities for additional natural and cultural resources work in collaboration with Southwest Environmental Services leadership.
• Monitor hours, subconsultant costs, expenses, and project financial performance; identify variance early and implement agreed corrective actions.
• Work with qualified discipline leads to align technical approach, field staffing, authorization conditions, quality reviews, and deliverable milestones with the project budget and schedule.
• Help clients understand natural and cultural resources risks and decision points during siting, design, construction, and compliance planning.
• Apply knowledge of relevant requirements such as the Endangered Species Act, Clean Water Act, National Historic Preservation Act Section 106, or applicable state requirements, according to the candidate's expertise; coordinate specialized determinations with qualified technical leads.
• Share lessons learned, improve project delivery tools and standard operating procedures, and support professional presentations where relevant.
• Travel within the Southwest as needed for client meetings, field coordination, and project commitments.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

• Bachelor's degree in biology, ecology, environmental science, environmental planning, archaeology, anthropology, historic preservation, or a closely related field from an accredited program.
• Minimum 7 years of relevant natural resources or cultural resources consulting or compliance experience, including experience managing or coordinating project scope, budget, schedule, and deliverables.
• Experience with electric utility, renewable energy, mining, transportation, or other infrastructure projects in Arizona and the Southwest is preferred.
• Experience coordinating with agencies and clients on biological resources, wetlands and waterways, or cultural resources compliance, as applicable to the candidate's technical background.
• Demonstrated expertise in at least one area: biological surveys and habitat assessment; wetlands, waters, and related permitting; or archaeological investigations and historic preservation. Experience integrating natural and cultural resources services is a plus.
• Strong written and verbal communication, sound judgment, and ability to work with qualified technical leads, field teams, and multidisciplinary project teams.
• Ability to manage concurrent assignments, forecast resources, and communicate changes in scope, schedule, or budget promptly.