Senior Natural & Cultural Resources Project Lead

Burns & McDonnell; Salt Lake City (UT); On-site; USD 115,000 - 200,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

ESOP

401(k) retirement program

Insurance

Disability coverage

Time off & Wellness programs

Job summary

Burns & McDonnell is seeking a Natural and Cultural Resources Project Manager to lead environmental work across infrastructure, energy, mining, and related sectors in the Southwest. Ideal candidates bring biology, natural resources, or cultural resources expertise and will manage scope, budget, schedule, and client communications.

You will supervise specialists, plan fieldwork, coordinate with agencies and Tribal partners, and mentor staff while driving defensible deliverables and timely

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in biology, ecology, environmental science, environmental planning, archaeology, anthropology, historic preservation, or a closely related field.
• 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.

Responsibilities

• 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.

Skills

Communication skills

Project management

Stakeholder coordination

Education

Bachelor’s degree in biology, ecology, environmental science, environmental planning, archaeology, anthropology, historic preservation

Job description

Burns & McDonnell is seeking a Natural and Cultural Resources Project Manager to lead environmental work across infrastructure, energy, mining, and related sectors in the Southwest. Ideal candidates bring biology, natural resources, or cultural resources expertise and will manage scope, budget, schedule, and client communications.

You will supervise specialists, plan fieldwork, coordinate with agencies and Tribal partners, and mentor staff while driving defensible deliverables and timely