Senior Aviation Planner

Vanasse Hangen Brustlin Inc.; Boston (MA); On-site; USD 110,000 - 160,000; Full time

Job summary

Vanasse Hangen Brustlin Inc. (VHB) is seeking a Senior Aviation Environmental Planner to support projects across New England, ideally based in Watertown or Boston, MA.

You will lead complex airport planning studies, manage multidisciplinary teams, and guide environmental filings, including MEPA/NEPA, with a focus on sustainability and climate resilience. You will collaborate with the Environmental team, engage with FAA and Massport, and contribute to business development through proposals and

Qualifications

• 8+ years of aviation planning and environmental projects experience
• 5+ years in project management leadership
• Experience with FAA, Massport, and other regulatory agencies preferred
• Supervisory and mentoring experience preferred
• Based in Watertown or Boston, MA

Responsibilities

• Lead complex airport and aviation planning studies
• Research, analyze, and prepare MEPA and NEPA filings
• Develop airport master plans and ALPs
• Oversee airport electrification, sustainability, resilience, and climate change efforts
• Review environmental conditions (noise, air quality, stormwater, remediation)
• Support maritime operations and planning initiatives
• Contribute to business development through proposals and client presentations
• Mentor and supervise team members
• Quality control of deliverables

Skills

FAA regulations

Environmental impact assessments

Noise analysis

Air quality

Stormwater management

Remediation

Airport electrification

Sustainability & resilience

AAM/eVTOL

Maritime planning

Leadership & mentoring

Communication skills

AICP cert

PMP

Education

Bachelor's degree

Master's degree preferred

Job description

Overview

VHB is seeking a Senior Aviation Environmental Planner with proven experience in airport projects to join our Environmental team.

ABOUT THE POSITION

We are looking for a dynamic, collaborative, and innovative Senior Aviation Environmental Planner to support projects across the New England region. This role will ideally be based in our Watertown or Boston, MA office.

If you are an experienced project manager with technical expertise to lead teams and provide strategic guidance, this is an exciting opportunity to take your career in Aviation and Environmental Planning to the next level. Work on challenging, high-impact projects that will expand your professional growth while making a tangible impact in the aviation industry.

Responsibilities

• Project management for complex airport and aviation planning studies
• Research, analysis, and creation of airport environmental and planning documents including:
  • MEPA and NEPA environmental filings
  • Airport master planning and airport layout plans (ALPs)
  • Airport electrification
  • Sustainability, resiliency, and climate change
  • Technical review of analysis of environmental conditions (noise, air quality, stormwater, remediation, etc.)
  • Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) and eVTOL
• Support maritime operations and planning initiatives
• Assist the Corporate Transportation Market Leader and Regional Managers with business development efforts, including proposal writing, client presentations, and identifying strategic opportunities
• Maintain and grow current client relationships
• Perform project reviews and quality control audits for deliverables
• Supervise and mentor team members

Skills & Knowledge

• Ability to manage scope, schedule, and budget across multiple complex airport contracts
• Ability to coordinate multidisciplinary teams and integrate VHB service lines to deliver comprehensive solutions
• Deep familiarity with FAA regulations, advisory circulars, and grant compliance
• Technical proficiency in environmental impact assessments, including noise, air quality, stormwater, and remediation
• Knowledge of airport electrification, sustainability, climate resilience, and Advanced Air Mobility (AAM)/eVTOL
• Familiarity with maritime operations planning and waterfront facility integration a plus
• Effective communication skills with the ability to engage diverse audiences and collaborate across VHB's New England offices
• Active participation in aviation industry organizations as a thought leader
• Aviation-related certifications (AICP, ENV SP, PMP) strongly preferred

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Planning, Environmental Sciences, Engineering, or related field from an accredited college or university; Master's degree preferred
• 8+ years of progressive experience in aviation planning and environmental projects, with at least five years in project management leadership roles
• Experience working with FAA, Massport, and other federal/state/local regulatory agencies preferred
• Supervisory and mentoring experience preferred

The base salary range for this position is $110,000 to $160,000 for Massachusetts. This offer is determined based on a number of job-related factors including internal comparators, skills, education, training, credentials, experience, scope and complexity of role responsibilities and geographic location.

Benefits

VHB offers a holistic benefits package which can be found here.

Company Culture

Building what's next, together.

Our people make the difference. We foster a technology-empowered, people-driven, futureready culture where agility, innovation, and collaboration shape how we work every day.

When you join VHB, you'll find:

• Meaningful work on complex projects with real community impact
• A collaborative, inclusive culture that values curiosity and shared success
• Support to grow your skills and lead through change
• Learning and development supported by evolving tools and technologies, including AI
• Best-in-class benefits and a flexible, hybrid work environment

We’re growing across the East Coast and are consistently recognized as a great place to work. Ready to shape what's next? Learn more about what sets our employee experience apart and connect with us.

VHB is a proud Equal Opportunity Employer. Since our founding, we have intentionally fostered a culture of inclusion and belonging, supported by deep-rooted core values, one of which is diversity. Qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, protected veteran status, or other characteristics protected by law.