Environmental Planner - NEPA

Overview

ABOUT THE POSITION

VHB’s growing Washington, DC office is looking for an Environmental Planner to join our National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) team. This is an exciting opportunity to work within a dynamic team and across diverse disciplines, giving you exposure to a wide variety of projects in size and scope at the regional and national level. Our office is currently engaged in a number of the region’s most exciting projects as well as energy, transportation, and Federal lands projects nationwide.

 

In this role, you would participate in NEPA reviews in the Washington, DC region and nationwide. VHB is involved in some of the most transformative transportation and urban development projects in the Washington, DC region. Outside the Washington, DC region, the DC office supports planning and NEPA reviews for a range of agencies including the National Park Service, U.S. Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management, Bureau of Indian Affairs, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Surface Transportation Board, Federal Transit Administration, and Federal Highway Administration. The Washington, DC office also collaborates with agency counsel and some of the country’s top law firms in NEPA-related litigation before U.S. District Courts, Circuit Courts of Appeals and even the Supreme Court.

 

This is an excellent opportunity for an environmental planner looking to make a bigger impact in planning and NEPA. This position requires the ability to work collaboratively with multiple disciplines, including planners, urban designers, environmental scientists, historians and archaeologists, and engineers, to navigate the NEPA and permitting processes for large-scale infrastructure projects and federal lands planning activities.   

 

Responsibilities:

• Participate in the management of NEPA reviews, including the preparation of Environmental Impact Statements, Environmental Assessments, and Categorical Exclusions as well as related studies and activities, such as purpose and need development, alternative analyses, agency consultation, public engagement, multimodal planning studies, and technical resource reports.
• Participate in the development of strategies to navigate the NEPA and permitting processes.
• Consult, coordinate, and communicate with regulatory agencies, clients, and internal and external project team members to advance projects in a timely manner.
• Support the consultation process and review requirements for other special purpose statutes such as the Endangered Species Act, National Historic Preservation Act, Clean Water Act, and Department of Transportation Act.
• Prepare sections or analyses for or review NEPA documents or sections of NEPA documents.
• Help plan and organize public engagement activities, including in-person and virtual public meetings.
• Conduct research and collect and analyze data in support of environmental and planning projects.
• Monitor industry changes and requirements, policies, procedures, and legislation. Interpret and apply applicable federal and state regulations. Research, analyze, and determine potential impact of proposed legislation or policy issues.
• Represents VHB at conferences, seminars, and industry organizations and events.

Skills and Abilities:

• Well-developed knowledge of and experience with NEPA and other special purpose statues and associated regulations and guidance such as the Endangered Species Act, National Historic Preservation Act, and Section 4(f) of the U.S. Department of Transportation Act.
• General understanding of project management principles and experience with collaborative problem solving with stakeholders, clients, and teammates.
• Excellent verbal, written and interpersonal communication skills.
• Team oriented with ability to perform multiple tasks independently in a timely manner and collaborate effectively and positively with team members.
• Self-motivated, highly organized, and detail oriented.
• Skills and knowledge must be commensurate with required experience and job level.

Qualifications:

• Minimum 5-8 years’ work experience.
• 8-11+ years of relevant work experience preferred
• BA in relevant area of study (e.g., Environmental Studies, Ecology/Natural Resources Studies, Urban Planning, Regional Planning, Sustainability Planning, Economics, Transportation Planning).
• Master’s degree a plus.

Work Environment:

• Requires ability to work in a busy, collaborative office environment. VHB continues to embrace a flexible, hybrid work environment.
• Occasional travel to clients’ offices and off-site locations for public meetings, presentations, and workshops.
• Occas