What are the responsibilities and job description for the Staff Environmental Engineer position at Redwood Materials?
About Redwood Materials
Redwood Materials was founded in 2017 by JB Straubel, co-founder and former CTO of Tesla, on a simple but radical idea: the critical minerals powering the energy transition already exist. They just need to come back. Today Redwood is the largest lithium-ion battery recycler in North America — recovering, refining, and redeploying critical minerals from end-of-life batteries back into the supply chain. On the energy side, Redwood has deployed the largest second-life battery project in the world, delivering power to AI data centers in months rather than years using proprietary energy architecture engineered entirely in-house. The company is profitable, the market it operates in is projected to grow 20 to 50 times over the next decade, and Redwood is the only company with the supply chain, the technology, and the operational scale to lead it.
Position Summary:
The position is responsible for leading and supporting environmental permitting and compliance program execution, covering air, water, and waste media, for Redwood Energy's rapidly growing project development, EPC, and O&M project portfolio. The role partners with Project Development, Engineering, Construction, Operations, and the broader EHS team to build compliance into project design, delivery, and operations. The position determines methods and approaches to new assignments, resolves complex and nuanced regulatory questions, and advises project leaders on environmental requirements and risk. This is a hybrid position – with the candidate ideally based out of our Nevada or San Francisco offices, with travel of up to 30% to Redwood Energy project sites.
Essential Duties and Responsibilities:
- Lead environmental permitting strategy and execution for Redwood Energy projects, including applicability determinations, applications, and agency coordination
- Direct compliance program execution across the PD, EPC, and O&M portfolio, including air, SPCC, stormwater, waste, and land-use or wetlands requirements
- Integrate environmental requirements into project design, equipment selection, and construction planning through early engagement with Engineering and project teams
- Scope and oversee biological surveys (threatened/endangered species, migratory birds, bats), wetland delineations, cultural/historic resource surveys, and geotechnical/soils assessments
- Oversee environmental scope of EPC contractors and consultants, including deliverables, site inspections, and handoff of compliance obligations to operations
- Stakeholder & public engagement support. Prepare materials for public hearings, respond to comments, coordinate with tribal consultation processes where required
- Risk & schedule management. Flag permitting risks that could delay interconnection or COD, and coordinate with project development, legal, and engineering teams to de-risk the critical path
- Track and interpret regulatory changes and translate them into clear operating requirements and change controls
- Serve as a primary interface with regulators and lead site inspections, audits, and corrective action closure for the portfolio
- Develop and deliver environmental training, procedures, and program documentation, and advise colleagues on complex compliance matters
Skills, Knowledge, and Abilities:
- Bachelor's degree in Environmental, Chemical, Civil, or Mechanical Engineering or a related field; advanced degree is a plus.
- 8 years of environmental permitting and compliance experience with a bachelor’s degree (6 with a Master's), or equivalent experience, in industrial, energy, or construction settings.
- Working knowledge of federal, state, and local environmental requirements applicable to energy and industrial projects, including Clean Air Act permitting (Minor and Major source), SPCC, Clean Water Act (NPDES, SWPPP), and RCRA.
- Experience supporting projects through development, construction, and operations, including working with EPC contractors and consultants.
- Ability to travel up to 30% of the time to project sites.
- Ability to work independently, manage multiple projects and competing deadlines, and lead cross-functional initiatives in a fast-paced startup environment.
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills for working with regulators, customers, project teams, and leadership
The position is full-time. Compensation will be commensurate with experience.
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