Regulatory Specialist - Permitting and Compliance

HRsmart; Baton Rouge (LA); On-site; USD 65,000 - 95,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

401(k) plan

Medical Insurance

Vision Insurance

Dental Insurance

Life Insurance

Disability Insurance

Job summary

DDG is seeking a Regulatory Specialist in Baton Rouge to manage permitting and compliance for City projects. You will coordinate with agencies, assemble permit packages, and track approvals from submittal to closeout.

The role requires knowledge of NFIP, CRS, floodplain management, and environmental regulations, plus strong organizational and communication skills to work with engineers, contractors, and the public.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree required or equivalent experience in Civil Engineering, Environmental Science, Planning, Geography, or Public Administration.
• 3+ years in permitting, regulatory compliance, floodplain management, or similar work.
• Certified Floodplain Manager (CFM) preferred.

Responsibilities

• Identify required local, state, and federal permits for City projects.
• Prepare and submit permit applications with plans, calculations, maps.
• Track permits through submission, approval, renewal and closeout.
• Coordinate with agencies (USACE, LDEQ, EPA, FEMA, etc.) and respond to comments.
• Maintain audit-ready permit records and documentation.

Skills

Permitting processes

NFIP & CRS

Reading drawings/maps

Regulatory coordination

Excellent communication

Multitasking

Microsoft Office

GIS tools (Esri ArcGIS)

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering or related field

Tools

Microsoft Office

Permitting software

GIS (Esri ArcGIS)

Job description

Regulatory Specialist - Permitting and Compliance - (67)

Full-time

Regulatory Specialist – Permitting & Compliance

Reports to: Program Lead
FLSA Classification: Exempt
Travel: 10%

Purpose

The Regulatory Specialist supports the City engineering department by managing permitting and regulatory compliance for City projects and development activity. The position helps the engineering team identify the local, state, and federal permits a project needs, prepares and assembles permit applications, coordinates with permitting agencies, and tracks permits from submittal through approval and closeout. The role also supports the City's floodplain management, stormwater, and environmental compliance programs, works regularly with the public, contractors, design professionals, and regulatory agencies, and maintains accurate, audit-ready records. Success in this role requires strong organization, attention to detail, working knowledge of regulatory requirements, and the ability to manage multiple permits and deadlines at once.

Activities + Responsibilities

• Assist the engineering team in identifying the local, state, and federal permits and approvals required for City projects, including right-of-way, drainage, utility, floodplain, stormwater, wetland, and environmental permits.
• Prepare, assemble, and submit permit applications and supporting documentation, coordinating with engineers to gather plans, calculations, maps, and other required materials.
• Track permits from submittal through approval, renewal, and closeout, and keep the engineering team informed of upcoming deadlines, agency comments, and conditions of approval.
• Coordinate with permitting and regulatory agencies such as USACE, LDEQ, EPA, LDOTD, FEMA, GOHSEP, and East Baton Rouge Parish to answer questions, respond to comments, and resolve issues.
• Monitor permit conditions and compliance commitments on active projects and help ensure they are carried through design and construction.
• Support intake, review routing, and administration of permits issued by the City, coordinating with plan reviewers, inspectors, and other departments to keep processes consistent.
• Support administration of the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP), including flood-zone determinations, elevation certificate review, floodplain permits, repetitive-loss tracking, and Letters of Map Change.
• Assist with Community Rating System (CRS) documentation, reporting, and recertification to help the City maintain or improve its rating.
• Support compliance with stormwater and environmental requirements, including the City's municipal separate storm sewer system (MS4) permit.
• Prepare and submit the MS4 annual report and other required submittals to LDEQ.
• Maintain MS4 program records and documentation for LDEQ audits and inspections.
• Support implementation of the City's Stormwater Master Plan.
• Maintain organized, audit-ready permit files, correspondence, plans, inspection reports, and regulatory submissions in permitting, GIS, and other recordkeeping systems.
• Prepare required reports and submittals for FEMA, GOHSEP, LDEQ, EPA, East Baton Rouge Parish, and other regulatory or partner agencies, and support audits and public-records requests.
• Serve as a point of contact for residents, contractors, and design professionals with questions about permitting and stormwater requirements, and participate in public outreach, community education, and internal training related to permitting, stormwater, and flood risk.
• Prepare correspondence, maintain records, and provide general administrative support to the engineering department.
• Perform other duties appropriate to the role and as assigned by the Program Lead or Engineering Director.

Required Skills/Abilities

• Working knowledge of local, state, and federal permitting processes, including right-of-way, drainage, floodplain, stormwater, and environmental permits.
• Working knowledge of NFIP, CRS, FEMA floodplain mapping, EPA stormwater regulations, and MS4 compliance.
• Ability to read and interpret engineering plans, drawings, maps, elevation certificates, and technical reports well enough to assemble complete permit applications.
• Strong organization and tracking skills, with the ability to manage multiple permits, deadlines, and conditions at once.
• High attention to detail and accuracy in applications, records, and regulatory submittals.
• Excellent written, verbal, and customer-service communication skills, with the ability to explain technical requirements to varied audiences.
• Ability to work effectively with engineers, City staff, regulatory agencies, contractors, and the public.
• Ability to multitask effectively despite frequent interruptions.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office, permitting software, and GIS tools such as Esri ArcGIS.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering, Environmental Science, Planning, Geography, Public Administration, or a related field is preferred; a high school diploma or GED is required.
• At least three years of relevant experience in permitting, regulatory compliance, floodplain management, environmental compliance, municipal administration, or substantially similar work.
• Certified Floodplain Manager (CFM) credential preferred.
• Experience working with USACE, LDEQ, LDOTD, FEMA, EPA, or related regulatory agencies preferred.

Physical Requirements

• Prolonged periods sitting at a desk and working on a computer.
• Must be able to lift up to 15 pounds at times.
• Must be able to travel to various project sites.
• Must be able to access and navigate job sites and construction areas.

EEO Statement

DDG is an equal opportunity employer that is committed to diversity and inclusion in the workplace. We prohibit discrimination and harassment of any kind based on race, color, sex, religion, sexual orientation, national origin, disability, genetic information, pregnancy, or any other protected characteristic as outlined by federal, state, or local laws. DDG makes hiring decisions based solely on qualifications, merit and business needs at the time.

Other Duties

Please note this job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities, and activities may change at any time with or without notice.

DDG offers a comprehensive benefit package which includes:

• 401(k) retirement plan with a generous company match
• Medical Insurance Plan
• Voluntary Vision Insurance
• Voluntary Dental Insurance
• Life Insurance
• Short-term & Long-term Disability Insurance

About DDG

DDG is a comprehensive design firm and is exceptionally experienced in managing all aspects of a development project. In addition to our design services, we also provide clients with conceptual site planning and master planning, site investigation reports, assisting with property acquisitions, representation at public hearings, permitting, entitlements, and construction administration. In the 29 years since our founding, our unwavering commitment to client service excellence has allowed us to grow into a multidisciplinary regional firm with over 250 full-time employees and 10 offices across South Louisiana, Alabama, and Texas – Thibodaux (headquarters), Covington, Baton Rouge, St. George, New Orleans, Lafayette, Mobile, Fairhope, and Houston.