Team Leader – NEPA Compliance Section (Environmental Manager I)

Maryland-Department-of-Transportatio; Baltimore (MD); On-site; USD 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Benefits package

Job summary

The State Highway Administration (SHA) in Baltimore is seeking a Team Leader in the NEPA Compliance Section to oversee environmental analysis for major SHA projects. The role directs staff, consultants, and internal teams to ensure NEPA/MEPA compliance across planning, design, and construction phases.

Ideal candidates bring a strong background in environmental science, policy analysis, and senior-level project oversight, with proven leadership, communication, and contract management skills.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in natural sciences, earth science, environmental science or related fields.
• Seven years of environmental analysis or seven years in environmental management with compliance program experience.
• One year of team leadership or supervising consultants/contractors.
• Three and a half years of NEPA/MEPA compliance related experience.

Responsibilities

• Lead and mentor environmental analysts in NEPA/MEPA evaluations.
• Coordinate with ADC and multi-disciplinary teams on project scope and approvals.
• Oversee consultant contracts and ensure regulatory compliance.
• Prepare technical analysis reports and environmental documentation.
• Direct training and performance management of staff and contractors.

Skills

NEPA/MEPA compliance

Team leadership

Stakeholder coordination

Technical report writing

Environmental policy analysis

Education

Bachelor's degree in natural sciences or related field

Tools

MS Word

MS Excel

MS PowerPoint

Adobe products

GIS

Job description

(Open Recruitment)

State Highway Administration

Team Leader – NEPA Compliance Section (Environmental Manager I)

Grade 19 (8437) SP# 26-50-09

The State Highway Administration's (SHA) Office of Planning and Preliminary Engineering (Baltimore City) is currently recruiting for a Team Leader – NEPA Compliance Section (Environmental Manager I) position. This position is open to anyone who meets the minimum and selective qualifications listed below. All eligible candidates must meet the minimum and selective qualifications by the closing date. This is a position specific recruitment. The resulting list of eligible candidates will be used to fill this vacancy or function only. You will need to reapply for any future recruitment conducted for this job classification.

Nature of Work

As a team leader in a senior-level professional classification, this position supports the Assistant Division Chief (ADC) in training, supervising, mentoring/coaching, managing, and directing in-house and consultant environmental analysts daily in the identification, agency coordination, technical evaluation, and documentation of environmental impacts associated with all SHA projects (major capital improvement projects and minor system preservation projects in planning, design, or construction, including traffic and safety, bridge remedial, areawide/statewide projects, and local/county government projects receiving federal aid or grants, as well as maintenance activities). This position also supports the ADC in managing consultant contracts and interpreting and overseeing the application of state and national laws and regulations to SHA projects. This position serves as an environmental manager (EM) for major, complex, and politically sensitive planning and design projects, including projects that span state boundaries. Major work products for this unit include technical analysis reports and other environmental/engineering documents which support project decision‑making. The team leader position requires the use of independent decision making to navigate towards resolution of project issues with diverse groups of individuals and organizations with competing values and interests. Compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act/Maryland Environmental Policy Act (NEPA/MEPA), and other federal/state/local regulations is essential to ensure that Maryland Department of Transportation State Highway Administration (SHA) projects/actions remain eligible for federal/state funding. In addition, this position serves as a senior reviewer providing oversight of one or more environmental technical areas such as natural environmental analyses, noise, community effects, hazardous materials, sustainable growth and planning, indirect and cumulative effects, air quality, and Section 4(f) analysis. This includes the interpretation and application of state and federal laws and guidelines and supervising, training, and directing consultant staff about these environmental technical areas.

MDOT offers a generous and competitive benefits package. You can learn about our amazing benefits here MDOT Benefits Guide.

The State Highway Administration (SHA) has been named a Training magazine Training Awards winner for the seventh consecutive year.

Minimum Qualifications

Education: Possession of a bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university in natural sciences, earth science, physical science, environmental science, chemistry, physics, biology, agronomy, forestry, horticulture or related sciences, geography, environmental planning, civil engineering, sociology, economics, planning, anthropology, architectural history, or related fields such as ecology, landscape architecture, or environmental engineering.

Experience: Seven (7) years of experience in environmental analysis to include the development of plans, specifications, estimates and design, OR seven (7) years' experience in environmental management to include the development, implementation, and monitoring of environmental compliance plans for air quality, storm water management, wastewater treatment, hazardous waste management, pollution prevention, solid waste management or multi-media operations. One (1) year of the experience must have involved functioning as a team leader or overseeing the work of consultants or contractors in an environmental area.

Selectively Qualification: Three and a half (3 1/2) years of experience in the principles, practices, procedures, and methodology related to NEPA compliance and all associated state/federal laws and regulations, including environmental resource evaluation and impact avoidance, minimization, and mitigation.

Preferred Qualification

The ideal candidate should possess the following:

• Ability to use a personal computer and Microsoft (MS) Office 365 software package in a Windows 11 environment including working knowledge of MS Word, MS Excel, MS PowerPoint, and Adobe products.
• Excellent verbal/written communication skills.
• Knowledge of the principles, practices, procedures and methodology related to NEPA/MEPA compliance and all associated state/federal laws and regulations including environmental resource evaluation and impact avoidance/minimization/ mitigation.
• Knowledge of standard research methodology, including statistical data collection, organization, analysis and presentation.
• Knowledge of principles, practices and methods in environmental science.
• Knowledge of management, preservation, and enhancement of resources, especially natural, socio economic/community, and cultural.
• Skill in negotiating in an adverse setting with state, federal, local, private, and public agencies in the resolution of conflict.
• Ability to motivate people, deal with multiple assignments and implement new innovative tools to continuously improve existing workflow in the office.
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with others.
• Ability to interpret maps, plans, and specifications.
• Knowledge of consultant contract management procedures.

Notes

1. Possession of a master’s degree in one of the disciplines required may be substituted for one year of the required non-supervisory experience.

2. Possession of a doctorate's degree in one of the disciplines required may be substituted for two years of the required non-supervisory experience.

3. U.S. Armed Forces military service experience as defined under the minimum qualifications may be substituted for the required experience on a year-for-year basis.

Candidate must possess a motor vehicle operator's license valid in state of Maryland.

Special Requirements

• Ability to interpret and apply state and federal regulatory policies, procedures, and guidelines.
• Ability to direct others in the application of state and federal regulatory policies, procedures and guidelines.
• Ability to plan, direct, organize, coordinate, assign and evaluate the work of multi-disciplinary teams, and to organize and manage multiple tasks.
• Ability to effectively supervise subordinate staff and maintain communication with supervisors.
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relations with others.
• Ability to prepare clear, concise and comprehensive reports.
• Ability to interpret maps, plans and specifications and be familiar with engineering principles.
• Ability to coordinate work with contractors and technical personnel.
• Ability to effectively communicate with agencies, the public and other SHA customers, both orally and in written form. The ability to clearly and concisely convey information both verbally and in written form is essential to the performance of this position.
• Ability to walk moderate distances in difficult terrain in varying climatic conditions.

If you have any questions, please contact the Office of Administration at the number(s) listed below:

410-545-5554

The selected candidate may be subject to background and reference checks. A conviction is not an automatic disqualification from employment. Bilingual applicants are encouraged to apply.

The state of Maryland offers excellent health and leave benefits, 401k benefits, pension plan, a free transit program, and advanced education and training opportunities.

Please Note: The State Highway Administration is not sponsoring new employees in application of the H-1B Visa or providing an extension of an existing H-1B Visa at this time due to budgetary constraints. All applicants must be legally authorized to work in the United States under the Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986. Federal regulations prohibit H-1B Visa candidates from paying sponsorship fees, all sponsorship fees must be assumed by the potential employer.

Appropriate auxiliary aids and services for qualified individuals with disabilities will be provided upon request. Please call at 410-545-5554.

Applicants who have education obtained outside of the U.S. will be required to provide proof of the equivalent U.S. education as determined by a foreign credential evaluation service, such as the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services (http://www.naces.org) or World Education Services: International Credential Evaluation (https://www.wes.org/).

The incumbent in this position will not be a member of a covered bargaining unit.

WE ARE AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER. SHA does not discriminate based on age, ancestry, color, creed, gender identity or expression, genetic information, marital status, mental or physical disability, national origin, race, religious affiliation, belief or opinion, sex, or sexual orientation.

Issue Date: 10/30/2026