Overview As Principal Consultant in ERM's Capital Project Delivery, you lead environmental permitting and regulatory oversight for California's major power and renewable projects. You will be a trusted advisor on CEQA/NEPA and natural resource permitting, helping accelerate projects while safeguarding resources. You'll shape permitting strategies, mentor teams, and position ERM as the go-to partner for complex capital delivery in California. This role combines science, regulation, and strategic client leadership to enable sustainable infrastructure growth.
Compensation / Benefits- paid time off
- parential leave
- medical
- dental
- vision
- life, disability, AD&D insurance
Responsibilities- Lead CEQA/NEPA impact assessments and natural resource permitting for large-scale energy projects
- Prepare technical studies and environmental documents (EIRs, Biological Constraints Reports)
- Develop permit strategies, file applications, and negotiate permit conditions with state/federal agencies
- Direct permitting and compliance for telecom, energy infrastructure, and linear development projects
- Collaborate with Account Directors to expand ERM's services and deliver strategic value to clients
- Mentor consultants and foster a high-performance team culture
- Drive innovation in Impact Assessment and Planning service offerings
- Ensure adherence to health and safety, financial targets, and client satisfaction metrics
Key requirements- 6+ years of consulting experience with substantial expertise in California electric/gas transmission and generation markets
- Proven track record delivering multi-million-dollar environmental programs or winning strategic projects
- Established relationships with California utilities (PG&E, SCE, Sempra) and key regulators
- Strong knowledge of CEQA/NEPA impact assessment best practices and permitting processes
- Business acumen to identify opportunities and deliver enterprise-wide solutions
- leadership and mentoring
- client relationship management
- strategic thinking and problem-solving
- CEQA/NEPA impact assessment
- Environmental permitting processes
- Environmental impact document preparation (EIRs)
