Associate, Environmental Compliance and Strategy

Position Overview

As an Associate, Environmental Compliance & Strategy, you will support responsible development, construction and operation of utility-scale wind, solar, and storage across the US, but focused primarily in New York State. You will assist Invenergy’s in-house environmental team with environmental due diligence, planning, permitting, and compliance for a dedicated portfolio of renewable generation and storage projects. To fulfill these duties, you will support collaboration with internal project teams such as development, engineering, and construction management; external teams like environmental, engineering consultants and legal counsel; and stakeholders such as private landowners, state/federal resource agencies, and conservation organizations. The ideal candidate will be an organized and collaborative self-starter with a keen attention to detail.

Responsibilities

• Support New York State permitting (94c, Article 10, Article 7, Freshwater Wetlands Act) and Federal permitting (Clean Water Act, Endangered Species Act, Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act) for a portfolio of renewable energy generation and storage projects in various stages of development or construction.
• Support and maintain federal and state regulatory agency relationships and project consultation.
• Manage oversight of consultants providing environmental survey support, which includes reviewing proposals, managing survey timelines, and ensuring survey methodologies follow wildlife agency input and satisfy permit conditions/project needs.
• Assist with the review of technical reports provided by consultants. Reports typically include but are not limited to: habitat evaluations, desktop environmental screenings, threatened/endangered/sensitive species surveys, wetland delineations, avian and bat use surveys, and post-construction monitoring studies.
• Contribute to environmental due diligence for development and acquisition opportunities.
• Maintain a complete and organized project record to demonstrate compliance with federal and state wildlife regulations.
• Provide review and support for engineering design to ensure compatibility with project commitments/requirements.
• Identify and communicate project needs, schedules, and risks across project support teams. Work collaboratively and efficiently with internal teams and external parties (e.g., consultants) to execute project work on schedule, and develop strategies to address environmental-related issues.
• Maintain comprehensive knowledge of environmental policy, regulation and compliance that affect permitting and impacts on project siting and compliance.
• Participate in regional and national initiatives, symposia, conferences, and industry groups as needed to achieve Company objectives.
• Contribute to internal initiatives to improve ECS team processes and effectiveness.

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor’s Degree.
• Professional experience with federal (ESA, NEPA, CWA) and New York  State (94c, Article 10, Article 7, Freshwater Wetlands Act) environmental laws, guidelines, and policies, and support in developing project strategies for compliance.
• Working knowledge of the USACE Nationwide Permits and/or Individual Permits under Section 404 of the Clean Water Act
• 2+ years in renewable energy or 4+ years in a similar industry with experience managing responsibilities similar to those listed above.
• Self-directed and detail oriented, with the ability and desire to work effectively in a team environment.
• Able to act and adapt to a fast-paced business environment with competing deadlines, and quickly learn and implement internal processes.
• Strong attention to detail, assuring documents and communications are concise and accurate.
• Eligible to work in the United States without the need for employer visa sponsorship now or in the future.

Preferred Qualifications

• Advanced degree in biological science/natural resources/environmental policy or environmental law degree.
• Experience with back-end implementation of wetland and wildlife avoidance, minimization, and mitigation strategies in support of NY state and federal permitting.
• Experience directly consulting (via agency meetings, written communication etc.) with agencies administering NY State renewable energy siting permits (ORES, NYSDEC, NYSDPS) and federal permitting (USACE, USFWS), and managing outcomes and actions from such consultations.

$93,000 – $102,000

Eligible for medical, dental, vision, 401(k), bonus, paid time off, etc.

Invenergy LLC is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to, among other things, race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, status as a protected veteran, or disability.