Senior Land Use & Permitting Lead, Clean Energy

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

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.