Senior Environmental Scientist

About the opportunity

SWCA Environmental Consultants is an employee-owned company specializing in natural and cultural resource management, environmental planning, and regulatory compliance.  SWCA’s Scarborough, Maine team is growing and seeking a Senior Environmental Scientist.  This position offers a collaborative and supportive work environment with a diverse team of scientists working on a wide range of projects. The successful candidate will possess a broad range of skills including a well-developed understanding of environmental permitting in the Northeast and/or Midwest U.S. across multiple sectors including linear energy, utilities, and land development, strong technical field skills, and effective communication skills.

You will be a core member of the natural resources program, serving as a subject matter expert, managing large, complex tasks and projects, providing senior oversight and quality control for project deliverables, serving as client technical manager for key clients, taking a lead and collaborative role in pursuing project opportunities across the region, and supervising and mentoring staff. You will manage project requirements and provide technical expertise related to environmental permitting and compliance, the Clean Water Act, the National Environmental Policy Act, the Endangered Species Act, other resource planning/permitting regulations, and/or natural resource disciplines. You will oversee and develop state permits, 404/401 permits, biological field studies, biological assessments, project monitoring, compliance reporting, and other deliverables. In addition, you will work closely with regulatory agencies to support needs during permitting processes.

This is a regular (with benefits), salaried, exempt position reporting into SWCA's Portland, ME office.   Remote (= distributed) work environments are encouraged.  Compensation will be based on individual qualifications and experience.

Application Deadline:  Applications are due at 6:00 PM EDT on Friday July 30, 2026.

What you will accomplish

• Author or lead the preparation of permits and regulatory documents.
• Provide technical and project management expertise to serve SWCA clients better.
• Assist in business development activities including identifying opportunities, meeting with clients, responding to requests for proposals, and preparing scopes of work, schedules, and budgets.
• Independently engage with regulatory agencies and clients to develop and execute strategies to comply with natural resource law, regulations, and agency policies.
• Contribute to the scientific culture, professional credibility, and business strategy of SWCA and encourage scientific knowledge and growth for self and others.
• Manage and guide complex projects through the entire project lifecycle, from scope and fee preparation, technical execution, budget management, and project closeout.
• Oversee the planning, organization, and execution of natural resource project requirements including fieldwork and coordinating large permitting efforts.
• Train, mentor, and supervise junior staff members.
• Establish technical study design, sampling protocols, field data management including safety procedures, and coordination with applicable SWCA staff.
• Follow company and client safety protocols and maintain a safe working environment.
• Oversee and direct all aspects of environmental permitting related to Clean Water Act (CWA) Sections 401 (Water Quality Certification), 402 (National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System), and 404 (Dredge and Fill Material), as well as the U.S. Endangered Species Act, and other state and local laws and regulations.

Experience and qualifications for success

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Wetland Science, Biology, Plant/Soil Science, Ecology or other related environmental science.
• Minimum of eight (8) years experience working in a private sector (i.e., consulting) or regulatory agency setting leading and overseeing the completion of fieldwork, technical reports, impact assessments, and environmental assessments.
• Experience leading complex permitting tasks, environmental consulting, or ecological studies including developing and implementing budgets, schedules, scopes of work from feasibility assessments to final report/permit preparation.
• Experience with local, state, and federal regulatory agencies in the northeast.
• Ability to travel as needed for client and agency meetings.
• Ability to collaborate with junior to experienced environmental professionals.
• Experience with client management and business development for environmental permitting and planning and natural resources services within the region.

Preferred Qualifications

• Master’s degree in Wetland Science, Biology, Plant/Soil Science, Ecology or other related environmental science.
• Minimum of ten (10) years experience working in a private sector (i.e., consulting) or regulatory agency setting leading and overseeing the completion of fieldwork, technical reports, impact assessments, and environmental assessments.
• Experience working on linear projects, including natural gas clients.
• Professional certifications including PWS, CWB, CERP, NHCWS, CESSWI, Registered (Professional) Soil Scientist, CE, or similar.

Additional Information

• Ability to travel regionally to meet with clients, and regulatory personnel and conduct/supervise field work when necessary.

Why Work at SWCA:

SWCA Environmental Consultants is a growing employee-owned firm, providing a full-spectrum of environmental services.  Our Vision (the North Star) is to make SWCA the best workplace and industry leader in sustainability, bringing sound science and creative solutions to global environmental challenges while maintaining a dedication to employee-ownership. We live our core values: we collaborate as #OneSWCA; we are #AlwaysLearning, we #NeverSettle, and we #GiveBack.

We are 100% employee-owned, and we build our success together. 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. We offer a supportive, team-oriented work environment and competitive wages and benefits, including an 100% employee stock ownership plan (retirement).

At SWCA, we support our team members in developing their careers to make them leaders in their industry. Our Career Landscape initiative is a process and guide designed to help develop chart rewarding career paths for employees at SWCA. We encourage professional conference attendance, internal and external professional development and training programs, education reimbursement, a Science and Leadership Program, and bonuses for publications meeting certain criteria. All regular status employees are eligible to participate in SWCA medical, dental, vision, employee assistance, wellness, life and disability plans, and are eligible to participate in the SWCA 401(k) Profit Sharing Plan and Trust. 

If you need assistance accessing SWCA’s website, completing the online application, or require accommodations at any point during the hiring process due to a disability, please contact us at accommodations@swca.com or call 1-480-581-5378. We’re committed to providing an inclusive and supportive experience for all candidates. This contact information is specifically for accommodation requests; other inquiries will not receive a response.

SWCA is committed to salary equity and salary transparency for all its employees.  In alignment with this commitment, SWCA posts good faith pay ranges in all its advertised job postings to promote pay equity and transparency.

A Senior Environmental Scientist based in Scarborough, ME based position can expect a compensation rate of $93,018/year to $121,139/year.  Actual pay within this range may depend on experience, qualifications, geographic location, client requirements where applicable, and other factors permitted by law.  Regular-status employees are also eligible for performance bonuses. Candidates are also encouraged to consider SWCA’s Total Rewards package, which includes a competitive benefits package (https://www.swca.com/careers/benefits-wellness/), forward-thinking workplace flexibility, outstanding corporate culture, award-winning career development, and more.

EOE - women, minorities, individuals with disabilities and veterans are encouraged to apply. At SWCA Environmental Consultants, we celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive work environment. We strongly encourage candidates from all backgrounds, including those with diverse experiences and veterans, to apply. We believe that a diverse and inclusive workforce enhances creativity, innovation, and overall organizational success.

SWCA continues to invest deeply in career development programs, delivering our award-winning Career Landscape support resources to accelerate the growth of our staff. We recognize the valuable skills and experiences our internal team members bring to SWCA’s continued success. Qualified internal candidates are encouraged to apply and will be seriously considered for this position. We believe in promoting from within, where possible, providing our existing employees with compelling opportunities to advance their careers.

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