Midwest Environmental Permitting Project Manager (Multiple Locations)

Do you want to come help lead decarbonization and the advancement of Renewable Energy?

Are you excited about working with a diverse, collaborative team at the world’s largest renewable energy consultancy? Do you have a passion for permitting renewable energy projects, and furthering your professional development in a company that truly puts people first?

At DNV our organizational culture and how we collectively influence the world for future generations matters deeply to us. Our team works every day to increase the widespread deployment and operation of renewables to address climate change and positively impact society; endeavors to achieve our purpose through the success of our customers; and strives to be high-performing and innovative. Our approach reflects the equity, respect, and diversity we wish to see in the world.

DNV’s Environmental, Permitting and Sustainability (EPS) team is growing rapidly, and we are seeking a Midwest Environmental Permitting Project Manager to help us provide comprehensive permitting services in the Midwest and the rest of the United States (US). You will be responsible for leading project development and environmental and permitting activities, including the preparation of local, state, and federal renewable energy permit applications, associated environmental and social impact studies, stakeholder engagement sessions, and land use and zoning permit applications for renewable energy projects located in the Midwest. You will also be engaged in leading proposal efforts, business development for wind, solar, battery storage, and hydrogen facilities across the US, as well as assisting with project due diligence activities.

DNV Environmental, Permitting & Sustainability

In our EPS team we strive to develop long-term partnerships with our Customers, acting as their trusted advisor from the early site selection stage through to operations. As our Customers are at the forefront of the energy transition, our team focuses on being nimble, highly experienced, and driven by our mission to ensure renewable energy projects are safely and sustainably sited, permitted, and operated.

Our Team

The EPS team is comprised of siting, environmental, permitting and ESG specialists who work directly with our Clients to help identify and address project risks. Our mission is to guide the sustainable, responsible growth of the renewables industry by providing innovative environmental and permitting expertise to support the greater good.

To facilitate this work, excellent written and oral communication skills are paramount. Broadly, our work falls into four categories:

• Biological services, including field surveys, habitat conservation plans, corporate avian and bat protection plans, review of mitigation strategies, and associated permitting.
• Permitting services, providing support for permitting at the federal, state/provincial, and local level for wind, solar, battery storage and hydrogen projects; including stakeholder engagement.
• Siting services, including layout optimization, constraints reviews, acoustical measurements, noise impact assessments, shadow flicker studies, blade/ice throw assessments, glint and glare studies, and visual impact studies.
• ESG services, including health and safety assessments, climate risks impact assessments, human rights impact assessments and international guidelines (Equator Principles, IFC Performance Standards) reviews.

This role is based at our DNV office in Oakbrook, IL, presenting a dynamic hybrid schedule where employees will typically spend three (3) days per week working from either a DNV office or client location/site. Further details regarding role-specific requirements will be shared during the interview process.

Other DNV office locations may also be considered like Madison, WI; Okemos, MI; Des Moines, IA; Cincinnati & Columbus, OH; and Nashville, TN.

What You’ll Do

• Support renewable energy project site selection and characterization studies.
• Lead the preparation and submission of permit applications, coordination of environmental fieldwork, authoring of environmental reporting documentation including critical issues analyses, technical permitting studies and management plans, Phase I ESAs, environmental impact assessments, mitigation and monitoring plans, technical project proposals, agency consultation and stakeholder engagement programs.
• Provide support for technical due diligence reviews of environmental permits for project financing activities.
• Organize consulting activities with different stakeholder groups, including federal and state regulatory agencies such as the BLM or USFWS, local communities, and Tribes or First Nations.
• Develop and maintain strong working relationships with Midwest regulatory agencies (and/or other US regions);
• Maintain sustainable relationships and good communication with clients, vendors, subcontractors, and other project stakeholders.
• Assist in business development activities including preparing proposals for each client/project, maintaining strong client relationships, and attending client meetings to support further service offering expansion.
• Participate in DNV’s thought leadership activities in coordination with the EPS Head of Section and Team Leads to organize publications, presentations, white papers, and other general scientific and regulatory knowledge-sharing activities related to special analysis for the renewable industry.