Environmental Project Engineer

Company Overview

Illest Environmental is a solution-focused environmental engineering and consulting firm supporting major infrastructure, construction, and development projects throughout the United States. Our work spans environmental due diligence and site assessment, construction environmental compliance, permitting, stormwater, hazardous materials and waste, soil and groundwater, air quality, and noise and vibration. Our growing portfolio includes major heavy-civil infrastructure projects as well as large-scale data center developments. We are a growing firm where engineers are given meaningful responsibility early on. Our team is expected to not simply identify environmental requirements, but to understand the project, solve problems, and develop practical solutions that allow work to move forward while maintaining compliance.

Job Summary

Illest Environmental is seeking an Environmental Project Engineer with approximately 3–7 years of experience, with five years preferred. This is a mid-level position for an engineer ready to move beyond primarily task-based work and begin taking ownership of projects and technical work streams. The Environmental Project Engineer will work directly with Illest Environmental’s principals, clients, developers, contractors, consultants, laboratories, subcontractors, and junior staff. This successful candidate will be expected to independently manage assignments, coordinate field and technical work, communicate directly with clients and project teams, and help drive projects forward without requiring constant direction. Assignments may include environmental site assessments and due diligence, site investigations, environmental compliance, permitting, stormwater, hazardous materials, soil and groundwater, noise and vibration, and project-specific environmental planning.

Responsibilities

• Take ownership of environmental engineering, due diligence, and compliance assignments from planning, through implementation, and closeout.
• Support environmental due diligence, including review of Phase I Environmental Site Assessments and other existing environmental reports.
• Plan and execute Phase II Environmental Site Assessments and subsurface investigations, including scoping, drilling contractor coordination, laboratory coordination, sampling, data review, and reporting.
• Evaluate soil and groundwater data, environmental reports, site plans, and proposed construction activities to identify risks and develop practical recommendations.
• Develop contaminated-material management, mitigation, excavation, transportation, and disposal strategies.
• Coordinate with drilling contractors, laboratories, waste facilities, transporters, and other environmental vendors and subcontractors.
• Perform environmental inspections and site visits at active construction, development, and industrial facilities.
• Support environmental planning and permitting for data centers, infrastructure projects, and other large-scale developments.
• Research federal, state, and local environmental requirements and coordinate with regulators and local authorities as needed.
• Develop permit matrices, compliance trackers, environmental plans, technical memoranda, ESA reports, monitoring reports, and other client deliverables.
• Support environmental compliance programs involving stormwater, erosion and sediment control, hazardous materials and waste, SPCC, EPCRA, storage tanks, wastewater, air quality, and related requirements.
• Support noise and vibration programs through technical review, data analysis, mitigation recommendations, and troubleshooting.
• Review technical work prepared by junior engineers, interns, and field staff.
• Communicate directly with clients, contractors, developers, engineers, regulators, and other project stakeholders.
• Assist Illest Environmental principals with project management, technical review, scopes, proposals, estimates, and client coordination.
• Contribute to the improvement of internal technical standards, templates, and procedures as the company grows.

What We Are Looking For

We are looking for an engineer who can take ownership of a problem and move it toward a solution. The ideal candidate can independently manage technical assignments, coordinate outside resources, interpret environmental data and regulations, communicate confidently with clients and contractors, and produce clear professional deliverables. The role requires someone who is comfortable working across multiple environmental disciplines rather than being limited to a single specialty. Experience in every area listed is not expected.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Environmental Engineering, Civil Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Chemical Engineering, or another relevant engineering discipline from an accredited engineering program.
• Approximately 3–7 years of relevant engineering or environmental consulting experience, with five years preferred.
• Experience supporting environmental due diligence, site investigation, environmental compliance, construction, infrastructure, industrial, or development projects.
• Strong technical writing, analytical, organizational, and problem-solving skills.
• Ability to independently manage multiple assignments, subcontractors, and deadlines.
• Strong communication skills and comfort working directly with clients and project teams.
• Ability and willingness to perform field work at active construction and environmental investigation sites.
• EIT certification & progress toward professional engineering licensure preferred.
• PE license is a plus but not required.

Relevant Experience May Include

• Phase I and Phase II Environmental Site Assessments
• Environmental due diligence and site characterization
• Soil and groundwater investigation
• Drilling contractor and laboratory coordination
• Contaminated soil management and mitigation planning
• Environmental permitting and regulatory coordination
• Data center and industrial development
• Construction environmental compliance
• Stormwater / SWPPP and erosion and sediment control
• Hazardous materials and hazardous waste
• SPCC and EPCRA compliance
• Storage tank and wastewater requirements
• Noise and vibration monitoring or analysis
• Air quality compliance

Location and Travel

This position will primarily support projects throughout the Washington, DC–Baltimore metropolitan region, while also supporting Illest Environmental projects throughout the United States. The role includes a combination of office work, site visits, client meetings, environmental investigations, and field assignments. There will be opportunities to travel to project sites throughout the United States for environmental inspections, investigations, and project coordination. Travel will vary depending on project needs but is expected to be less than 25%.

Pay: $90,000.00 to $115,000 per year

Benefits:

• 401(k)
• 401(k) matching
• Dental insurance
• Health insurance
• Health savings account
• Paid time off
• Professional development assistance
• Vision insurance

License/Certification:

• Engineer in Training Certification (Preferred)
• Work Location: In person