Project Manager - Environmental Planning Specialist

Western EcoSystems Technology, Inc. (WEST) is a dynamic, medium-sized consulting firm with offices across the United States and Canada. We are looking for a full-time Project Manager focusing on solar projects as well as biodiversity and ecosystem services.

All WEST ecologists are supported by a team of technical and non-technical staff, which sets new team members up for success. Beyond science, we encourage and support participation in conservation actions at the local and national level and have developed a company-wide diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) program. We are seeking a qualified Project Manager that will be responsible for managing projects with a primary focus on solar energy projects that will also help WEST grow our biodiversity enhancement and ecosystem services (BEES) team.

WEST has a permanent core of professionals with broad experience in basic and applied ecological studies and the sophisticated analysis of natural resource data. Since its founding in 1990, the WEST team has shaped the foundation of what we do, and what we believe in through our core values and key principles. Our work matters to our clients, communities, and the environment. Join WEST and discover a company of passionate, committed, and highly motivated individuals.

Please click here to see what benefits WEST offers!

Key Details:

• Salary: $66,000 - $100,000, plus an annual bonus. Salary may vary based on education, knowledge, and experience.
• Location: Location is flexible, although a location in the western region of the United States is preferred (see https://west-inc.com/about-us/locations/).

The position may require periodic overnight travel.

Job Description:

The successful candidate will have a minimum of 5-8 years of experience and expertise in environmental consulting with a focus on project planning, conducting environmental reviews (e.g., critical issues analyses, pre-construction surveys, agency coordination), biodiversity initiatives, restoration/revegetation planning, and/or monitoring for energy industry clients. Experience serving as project manager or deputy project manager overseeing workflow and execution of projects tasks, including but not limited to the preparation and delivery of environmental review documents is preferred. This role has an emphasis on solar energy projects in the Pacific Northwest (Washington, Oregon) and Western/Southwestern regions of the United States (Idaho, California and Nevada), with additional projects in the Rocky Mountain (Colorado, Utah, Wyoming, and Montana) region. Opportunities to support other WEST services will also be available based on the candidate's background and areas of interest.

WEST Project Managers work individually, as well as with a team of natural resource specialists, scientists, GIS specialists, biometricians, and editors.

Responsibilities:

• Project Management: Prepare proposals for work focused on solar energy (e.g., preliminary site assessments), including scopes of work, schedules, and budget estimates. Team leadership, management, and mentoring of junior staff.
• Environmental Planning: Conduct/lead/oversee environmental reviews (e.g., critical issues analyses, permit matrices, preliminary site assessments, pre-construction surveys, stakeholder coordination).
• Biodiversity Enhancement and Ecosystem Services: Work directly with WEST clients and agency personnel in the energy industry (primarily solar) to identify and develop practical and ecologically minded site restoration strategies, biodiversity enhancements, monitoring protocols, and vegetation management plans for use during a project's planning, construction, and operations phases.
• Coordinate with WEST clients to effectively communicate project details and summary of methods and data, including developing presentations and facilitating stakeholder (e.g.,agency, interest groups, landowner/neighbor) meetings.
• Perform quality checks to ensure agency, WEST, and/or client standards are met.
• Provide strategic input and support to WEST in growing and expanding both our role on solar energy projects and biodiversity enhancement and ecosystem services within the United States.
• Help maintain WEST's position as thought leaders in the energy-environmental consultingmarket.

This is a general description of the functions for this position and is not inclusive of all the duties whichmay be associated with this position.

Qualifications and Preferred Skills/Abilities:

The successful candidate joining WEST as a full-time regular Project Manager - Environmental Planning Specialist will be a self-motivated individual who is able to pay close attention to detail and possess:

• Minimum of a bachelor's degree in natural resources, environmental science, biological science, ecology, or equivalent.
• Five or more years of full-time professional experience including project or deputy project management; two or more years practicing applied restoration ecology, or equivalent.
• Project management experience, including maintaining project schedules, budget creation and tracking, and proposal writing, along with a track record of maintaining positive relationships with coworkers, clients, and stakeholders.
• Strong technical writing/editing skills with the ability to pay close attention to detail and accurately report scientific methods and results in a clear and concise manner to various audiences.
• Strong time management, project management, and organizational skills with the ability to effectively manage time to meet deliverable targets and deadlines, work well under time constraints, balance multiple priorities, and track progression of various documents concurrently.
• Ability to work effectively both independently and as a team with other professionals.
• Experience working in the solar industry is preferred but not required.
• Knowledge of biodiversity baseline evaluations and quantification tools to assess changes in biodiversity, illustrate changes in ecological health, and evaluate the effectiveness of site-specific management strategies is preferred but not required.

After an offer of employment is made, the candidate must successfully pass a pre-employment background check, drug screening, and a DMV records check that meets WEST's minimum criteria to operate a motor vehicle on behalf of the company. A valid driver's license will be required.

WEST provides equal employment opportunities to all individuals regardless of their race, color, religion, gender identity or expression, age, sex, sexual orientation, national origin, disability status, genetics, and any protected veteran status, and any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local law. Further, WEST takes affirmative action to ensure that all individuals are treated fairly, and without discrimination, for recruitment, selection, advancement and every other term and privilege associated with employment.