Environmental Planner - Bristol District

Virginia.gov is hiring an Environmental Planner for the Bristol District in CO, offering a salary range of $66,771 - $108,503. The role involves ensuring compliance with environmental laws, managing programs, and providing expertise in environmental regulations. Candidates should have knowledge of transportation project development and environmental analysis. Required qualifications include experience in environmental technical programs and proficiency in relevant software. This position is office-based at the Bristol District Office.
Title: Environmental Planner - Bristol District

State Role Title: Environmental Specialist II

Hiring Range: $66,771 - $108,503

Pay Band: 5

Agency: VA Dept of Transportation

Location: Bristol District Office

Agency Website: https://www.jobs.virginia.gov/home

Recruitment Type: General Public - G

Job Duties

What Drives You? At VDOT, we are driven by the commitment to making Virginia’s transportation network safer, more sustainable, and innovative. If you’re passionate about environmental stewardship and compliance, and want to be part of a dynamic team, we encourage you to apply!
VDOT is seeking an experienced Environmental Planner to join our team. In this role, you will play a key part in ensuring compliance with state and federal laws, regulations, and policies across complex environmental programs and services. As an environmental compliance subject-matter expert, you will provide expert interpretation, analysis, and application of environmental regulations to support VDOT’s project and program delivery.
Key Responsibilities:
Ensure VDOT’s compliance with all applicable state and federal environmental laws, regulations, and policies.
Manage and guide complex environmental programs, ensuring timely and accurate compliance.
Provide expertise in the analysis, interpretation, and application of environmental regulations and policies.
Work collaboratively with VDOT teams to integrate environmental considerations into project planning, design, and execution.
Assist in resolving environmental issues related to transportation projects and provide guidance on mitigation strategies.
Serve as a subject-matter expert on environmental compliance, offering training and advice to VDOT staff and external partners.

Minimum Qualifications

• Skilled in computers to include spreadsheet and database software.
• Knowledge of environmental laws, regulations, policies, programs, and procedures relative to transportation.
• Valid driver's license.
• Knowledge of transportation project development practices involving planning, traffic, design, right of way, and construction.
• Ability to work as a team member or leader of inter-disciplinary teams under the pressure of deadlines.
• Ability to read and interpret project plans, contracts, special provisions, laws and regulations and environmental program and project documents.
• Ability to effectively negotiate solutions to environmental obstacles.
• Knowledge and experience performing technical environmental analysis and compiling reports of analytical results to include environmental impact analysis.
• Ability to build rapport and to convey technical information in a format easily understood by a diverse group.

Additional Considerations

• Progressively responsible experience in professional level environmental technical programs, planning, and engineering.
• Experience with GIS or other mapping and data analyses software
• Experience preparing NEPA documents for highway projects evaluating the impact of development projects on the environment.
• Experience preparing NEPA or Section 4(f) documents, including but not limited to Categorical Exclusions.
• A combination of training, experience, or education in Environmental Science, Natural Science, Forestry, Vegetation Management, Biology, Ecology, Hydrology, Hydraulics, Cultural Resources, Urban Planning or related field desired.

Special Instructions

You will be provided a confirmation of receipt when your application and/or résumé is submitted successfully. Please refer to “Your Application” in your account to check the status of your application for this position.

You will be provided a confirmation of receipt when your application and/or resume is submitted successfully. Please refer to “Your Application” in your account to check the status of your application for this position.
State applications will only be accepted as submitted online by 11:55 pm on the closing date through the PageUp System. State applications submitted via email, postal mail, fax, or in person will not be considered. Applicants are expected to fully represent qualifications and work history on the State application and/or resume. The decision to interview an applicant is based on the information provided on the application, therefore, it is essential to fully complete each section of the application and provide detailed information. Submitting an incomplete state application, or a state application lacking in detail, may impact your interview eligibility.
Multiple positions may be filled from this recruitment within 90 days of the closing date.
In addition to a rewarding work experience, VDOT offers excellent health and life insurance, benefits, pre-tax spending accounts, state funded Short- and Long-Term Disability, paid holidays, vacation, tuition assistance, free wellness programs, and a state retirement plan with options for tax-deferred retirement savings including employer matching.
We are a “Virginia Values Veterans” (V3) official certified company and state agency that provides hiring preference to Veterans and Members of the Virginia National Guard in support of Executive Order 29, (2010). If you are a Veteran or Virginia National Guard Member, we urge you to respond accordingly on your state application.
We have Shared Values and a Code of Ethics: your success in our organization depends upon modeling these values, therefore please access the following link: https://www.virginiadot.org/about/missionandvalues.asp to review them and; if in agreement, we welcome you to apply.
Fingerprint-based background checks, references, work history, and DMV records will be verified prior to employment. Applicants must be eligible to work in the United States. H1B VISA Sponsorship is not available. VDOT utilizes a market-based pay program, which has been approved by DHRM. Therefore, advertised rates of pay may or may not align with the Commonwealth pay bands.
The Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) is an Equal Opportunity Employer by both policy and practice. For more information about our employment practices, please visit “Information for VDOT Employees and Applicants”: http://www.virginiadot.org/jobs/information_for_employees.asp
Once onboarded, this position may be eligible for telework opportunities; availability, hours, and duration of telework shall be approved as outlined in the Commonwealth’s telework policy.

Contact Information

Name: Jessica Meyer

Phone: 276-213-1791

Email: Jessica.Meyer@vdot.virginia.gov

In support of the Commonwealth’s commitment to inclusion, we are encouraging individuals with disabilities to apply through the Commonwealth Alternative Hiring Process. To be considered for this opportunity, applicants will need to provide their AHP Letter (formerly COD) provided by the Department for Aging & Rehabilitative Services (DARS), or the Department for the Blind & Vision Impaired (DBVI). Service-Connected Veterans are encouraged to answer Veteran status questions and submit their disability documentation, if applicable, to DARS/DBVI to get their AHP Letter. Requesting an AHP Letter can be found at AHP Letter or by calling DARS at 800-552-5019.

Note: Applicants who received a Certificate of Disability from DARS or DBVI dated between April 1, 2022- February 29, 2024, can still use that COD as applicable documentation for the Alternative Hiring Process.