Principal Biologist/Regulatory Specialist (Principal Level)

As part of the continued growth and innovation of our Capital Project Delivery service offering, ERM has an opportunity for an experienced biologist/regulatory specialist to join our thriving global consulting firm as a Principal Biologist/Regulatory Specialist in Northern California (Walnut Creek or Sacramento offices).

The ideal candidate will have experience conducting and leading environmental permitting efforts with California utility companies along with technical expertise leading natural resource permitting, CEQA/NEPA, and large-scale capital projects in California. We seek an individual to help us drive the continued growth of ERM’s business through selling and delivering world-class services, and further advancing our reputation for supporting development of some of the world’s most complex projects.  

This Principal Biologist/Regulatory Specialist role offers significant career growth opportunities. After the first year, and upon successful demonstration of leadership capabilities and completion of performance targets, you may become eligible for ERMs path to partnership – a leadership development program designed to support promotion to Partner. The role also offers potential growth opportunities in Account Management and people leadership.

ERM’S CAPITAL PROJECT DELIVERY SERVICE:

ERM’s Capital Project Delivery (CPD) team focuses on supporting development of projects in the power, technology, telecommunications, mining, chemical, transport, and infrastructure sectors. Our goal is always the same: assisting our clients in achieving project success, from planning through construction and operation, while meeting expectations for assessment and management of impacts on environmental, social, health, and cultural resources.  By helping clients bring these issues into the project planning process early, we seek to help our clients meet environmental/social performance objectives, enable savings in capital and operating costs, and avoid significant approval and other delays.

ERM’s CPD service offering has been ERM’s highest growth area globally, growing over 20% per year for the past 5 years.  You will become part of a vibrant technical community with more than 1,000 CPD professionals globally, representing the full range of technical disciplines, with sector experience across the board.  What ERM’s team is perhaps best known for is supporting some of the most challenging development projects in the world.  It is this reputation that attracts and retains the highly skilled consultants who comprise ERM’s Capital Project Delivery team.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Serve as Project Biologist/Regulatory Specialist for environmental impact assessment under CEQA- and NEPA-related activities and natural resource permitting in support of ERM clients’ capital projects (i.e., data centers, power generation, electrical transmission, renewable energy projects). 
  • Contribute to preparing technical studies and impact assessment documents, including Environmental Impact Reports (EIRs) and Biological Constraints Reports, serving in roles ranging from program manager to lead technical expert to QA/QC. 
  • Lead programs to develop permit strategies, specify best management practices; prepare permit applications and negotiate conditions with applicable state and federal agencies.
  • Direct permitting and compliance associated with telecom, energy infrastructure and other linear development projects with an emphasis on U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, California Coastal Commission, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, California Fish and Wildlife Service, and Regional Water Quality Control Board permits and consultations.

• Serve as a dynamic contributor to a select group of existing account teams, diversifying ERMs services with these clients and shaping the strategy for client engagement on these accounts. Collaborate with Account Directors/Managers on client account development, sales, and delivery of the full spectrum of ERM’s consulting services to deliver strategic value to our clients in the electric/gas transmission and generation siting/development markets. Provide business value, selling strategically within client organizations, raising the profile of ERM’s capabilities within key client organizations, to identify and shape clients’ needs for ERM services.
• Participate in the growth and development of a high-performance team, overseeing project work of staff consultants, and serving as a mentor to staff consultants.  Identify emerging talent and work with them to reach their full potential; ensure rising stars are nurtured, developed and given new areas of responsibility.
• Work in a collaborative, cross-functional team environment to build ERM’s global business, as well as to lead client and practice teams.  Drive innovation within the Impact Assessment and Planning service offering to