What are the responsibilities and job description for the Conservation Planner-Southeast Region position at The Westervelt Company?
Join Our Team: Conservation Planner - Tennessee Region
Location: Tennessee (In Office/Field-Based)
Make a Difference in Conservation
Westervelt Ecological Services (WES) is seeking a motivated and detail-oriented Conservation Planner to support the development of ecological restoration projects across Tennessee. This is a unique opportunity to contribute to meaningful conservation work-restoring streams, wetlands, and habitats-while growing your career in a collaborative, mission-driven environment.
A Day in the Life
You start your day reviewing aerial imagery and ecological data for a potential site. By mid-morning, you're in the field-walking a stream corridor, taking notes on vegetation, and snapping photos for documentation. After lunch, you join a virtual meeting with state agency staff to discuss permitting pathways. You spend the afternoon drafting a site summary and collaborating with a senior planner on a mitigation strategy. Before wrapping up, you prepare a few slides for an upcoming conference where you'll help represent WES. Every day brings a mix of fieldwork, planning, learning, and collaboration-all in service of restoring Tennessee's natural landscapes.
What You'll Do
As a Conservation Planner, you'll play a key role in identifying, evaluating, and supporting the development of mitigation projects such as:
- Permittee-Responsible Mitigation (PRM)
- Mitigation Banks
- In-Lieu Fee Programs (ILFs)
- Turnkey Restoration Projects
You'll work closely with senior planners, scientists, and agency partners to bring restoration projects from concept to reality.
Key Responsibilities
- Site Evaluation: Assist in reconnaissance and baseline assessments of potential mitigation sites.
- Planning & Documentation: Support the preparation of planning documents, including ecological assessments and entitlement materials.
- Stakeholder Engagement: Communicate with agency staff, landowners, and internal teams to support project approvals.
- Marketing Support: Represent WES at conferences and prepare technical materials for outreach.
- Learning & Growth: Build your knowledge of Tennessee's ecosystems, including soils, hydrology, and endangered species.
- Team Collaboration: Provide general office and project support while contributing to a positive team culture.
What We're Looking For
- Bachelor's degree in Planning, Environmental Science, Biology, Forestry, Landscape Architecture
- 5-7 years of experience in stream and/or wetland restoration planning, ideally in the Southeastern U.S.
- Knowledge of federal environmental laws (e.g., Clean Water Act, Endangered Species Act).
- Strong communication skills-both written and verbal.
- Field experience with ecological systems, especially streams and wetlands.
- Tennessee-specific experience and banking mitigation work is strongly preferred.
Preferred qualifications also include experience working with Nashville District USACE and TDEC, conducting TN HD assessments and agency submittals, supporting business development and TN market analysis and ArcMap, ArcGIS or QCIS
Why Join WES?
- Mission-Driven Work: Help restore and protect vital ecosystems.
- Collaborative Culture: Work with a passionate, multidisciplinary team.
- Professional Growth: Learn from experienced planners and scientists.
- Impact: See your work translate into real-world environmental outcomes.
Ready to Apply?
If you're passionate about conservation and ready to grow your career in ecological restoration, we'd love to hear from you. Target pay range is $84-125K plus 12% bonus.
Equal Opportunity Employer: Minority/Female/Disabled/Veteran/Gender Identity/Sexual Orientation
