Project Environmental Planner -- Tribal Liaison

About the opportunity

SWCA Environmental Consultants is expanding our team and actively looking for dynamic individuals who are following their passion in delivering the highest-quality project work. Our Albuquerque, NM office is looking for a self-motivated Project Environmental Planner/Tribal Liaison. The ideal candidate will have at least 7 years of relevant experience of environmental planning or tribal liaison work, and be interested in growing and developing their planning skillsets.

Individuals need to be willing and able to work with peers across various offices and accomplish in-office and field tasks associated with a variety of projects in any given week. A candidate with experience in environmental planning would be preferred; however, SWCA is also open to applications from new graduates and others with natural and cultural resource specialties and an interest in a planning-related career path.

This is a permanent full-time, regular (with benefits), salaried position.  It will be located in our Albuquerque, NM office but highly-qualified candidates from remote locations with be seriously considered.

What you will accomplish

You will be responsible for conducting land use and environmental inventories and impact analyses, facilitating public and agency outreach, facilitating trust and relationship building with Native Communities, and providing quality assurance and leadership during the development of land use and environmental permitting applications and documents for a wide variety of projects. Specific responsibilities include:

• Write and prepare National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) Environmental Assessments and Environmental Impact Statements addressing the development of a wide variety of projects, revision of federal land use plans, issuance of rights-of-way, approvals, and/or leases, policy amendments, etc.
• Prepare of key aspects of environmental planning documents, including pre-application activities and project planning; developing project descriptions and supporting documentation; preparing technical reports; public involvement and stakeholder outreach.
• Lead local land use and environmental permitting for County and State requirements.
• Serve as a task lead, deputy project manager, or project manager on projects of varying size and complexity.
• Provide support to SWCA project managers on complex NEPA and planning projects.
• Provide enterprise-level support by contributing to business development pursuits and proposals.
• Lead public/agency/stakeholder scoping efforts, including the development and presentation of project informational materials and comment review, response, and tracking.
• Provide a current understanding of tribal politics, culture, law, governance rules and structure, and the role of how relationships and values shape Native American views, values, and perspectives.
• Work with staff to analyze proposed plans and projects involving Native American interests
• Support SWCA to increase staff effectiveness and accountability when working in Indian Country
• Deepen our marketing skills in cultural responsiveness and sensitivity and the understanding of the historic basis for federal and state Indian law and policy
• Increase our ability to represent agency/client programs/projects and/or priorities to the tribal governments and native communities, with an embodied respect for tribal rights, beliefs, interests, and priorities to acquire more work with clients and Tribal Nations.

Experience and qualifications for success

REQUIRED:

• Bachelor’s degree with some coursework or focus on Archaeology
• At least seven (7) years of experience writing and compiling environmental documents and/or tribal liaison work. Experience should include complex, multi-disciplinary projects; authoring land use or environmental applications, inventories, or analyses; assisting in public involvement efforts; and preparing technical studies and planning related documents.
• Experience with land use or environmental documentation guidance and review, specifically working with agencies directly, as well as project applicants and proponents.
• At least three (3) years of relevant tribal relations experience.

PREFERRED

• Familiarity or interest in participating in local, state, and federal land use and environmental regulations or processes including local jurisdiction land use planning, NEPA, the Federal Land Policy and Management Act (FLPMA), the Clean Water Act (CWA), the Endangered Species Act (ESA), and the National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA).
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills; interpersonal skills and emotional intelligence; attention to detail; and organization, schedule, and budget management skills.
• Experience with public lands, natural resource issues, renewable (solar, wind, and storage) generation projects, mining projects, and transmission projects in Western and/or southwest US states.
• A working understanding of agency internal processes and procedures and positive existing relationships with local, state, and federal land management and regulatory agencies.

SWCA Environmental Consultants is a growing employee-owned firm, providing a full spectrum of environmental services. With offices across the United States, SWCA is one of the largest environmental compliance firms and ranks among Engineering News-Record’s Top 200 Environmental Firms.

If you would like to contact SWCA regarding the accessibility of our website or need assistance completing the online application process due to a disability, please email accommodations@swca.com or call 480-581-5378.  This contact information is for disability accommodation requests only. All other inquiries will not receive a response.

EOE - women, minorities, individuals with disabilities and veterans are encouraged to apply.

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Seniority Level

Mid-Senior level

Not ready to apply? Connect with us for general consideration.