Director, Environmental Permitting

Job Description

Job Description

The Role:

We are looking for a Director, Environmental Permitting, to lead and scale all environmental functions supporting development, permitting, construction, and operations of on-site power generation to support large data center loads across the U.S.

You will be responsible for leading all environmental strategy, permitting, compliance, and regulatory interface activities for Scale Microgrids Data Center business, providing executive-level oversight of environmental risk management across natural gas generation facilities, data center infrastructure, and electric transmission and distribution assets. You will establish environmental standards, manage agency relationships, oversee consultants, and ensure projects are delivered on schedule and in full regulatory compliance.

This is a leadership role with strategic and operational accountability. Environmental risk can kill a project quietly and expensively, and this role ensures our portfolio moves forward with regulatory certainty, disciplined compliance, and long-term operational stability.

The role reports to our Chief Development Officer, Data Centers, and is based in either our NYC, Ridgewood, NJ, Santa Monica/Oakland, CA, or Chicago offices.

Strategic Leadership

• Develop and execute environmental strategies for all projects.
• Identify environmental risks early in project development and integrate mitigation strategies into siting, engineering, and financial modeling.
• Serve as the environmental authority for executive leadership.
• Build and lead the environmental team as the portfolio scales.

Permitting & Regulatory Strategy

• Direct permitting strategy for natural gas generation facilities, data centers, substations, transmission infrastructure, and distribution systems.
• Oversee federal, state, and local environmental permitting, including Clean Air Act permitting (Title V, PSD, minor source permits), Clean Water Act Sections 404 and 401, stormwater and NPDES compliance, wetlands and listed species coordination, cultural resource coordination, and NEPA documentation where applicable.
• Develop permitting schedules aligned with project development milestones.
• Lead negotiations and interface with agencies, including the Department of Environmental Protection, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, and local jurisdictions and water management districts.

Compliance & Operational Oversight

• Ensure compliance across development, construction, and operational phases.
• Establish internal environmental compliance frameworks and reporting systems.
• Oversee environmental audits and corrective action plans.
• Provide guidance on air emissions monitoring, water discharge compliance, waste management, and spill prevention.

Technical Oversight

• Direct environmental due diligence for land acquisition and project development.
• Oversee Phase I and II ESA processes.
• Evaluate site constraints related to wetlands, species, floodplains, and cultural resources.
• Interpret evolving federal and state environmental regulations and advise leadership accordingly.

Cross-Functional Leadership

• Partner with Development, Engineering, Construction, Legal, and Finance teams.
• Support investor diligence and lender technical reviews.
• Provide environmental risk summaries for board-level presentations.
• Manage third-party environmental consultants and budgets.

Work Environment

• Periodic travel to project locations
• A combination of office, field, and agency engagement responsibilities.

Required skills:

• Bachelor’s degree in Environmental Science, Environmental Engineering, Biology, or related field.
• 10+ years of progressive environmental experience in energy, utility, or infrastructure sectors.
• Demonstrated leadership experience managing environmental programs or teams.
• Deep working knowledge of environmental regulations.
• Experience in natural gas generation and electric infrastructure projects.
• Strong understanding of air permitting for combustion turbines or reciprocating engines.
• Experience interfacing directly with federal and state regulatory agencies.
• Proven ability to manage complex, multi-permit development timelines.
• Strong executive communication skills.

Preferred skills:

• Master’s degree in environmental or related discipline.
• Professional certification (e.g., P.E., CEP, CHMM).
• Experience supporting data center infrastructure.
• GIS proficiency and ability to interpret spatial environmental data.
• Experience in microgrid or distributed energy development.

Leadership Competencies:

• Strategic thinker who understands how environmental decisions impact capital deployment and schedule.
• Calm and decisive under regulatory pressure.
• Able to balance compliance with development velocity.
• High ownership mindset.
• Strong negotiation skills.
• Comfortable presenting to executive leadership and investors.

This is a great opportunity to have a long-term impact on a fast-paced, private equity-backed growth business. Some of the core virtues embraced by Scales’ employees include:

· Do the Right Thing

· Act Like an Owner

· Hustle

· Demand Results

· Go Together

· Evolve or Disappear

We offer a competitive compensation package and a comprehensive benefits program including medical benefits, paid vacation and holidays, and 401K matching.

About Scale Microgrids

Scale is redefining resilience, with advanced microgrids that go beyond traditional backup power solutions to give businesses the power to adapt and thrive amid all of today’s growing energy challenges. As a vertically-integrated provider of turnkey advanced microgrid systems, Scale combines project design, engineering, and execution expertise with microgrid-as-a-service financing to offer our customers systems that are optimized to deliver maximum value from day one while ensuring ultra-reliable operations and fast time-to-power.

Scale is backed by EQT, a firm with ~$250B in assets, bringing a depth of experience, resources, and capital that will enable Scale to continue pursuing our vision of powering the world with distributed energy. The investment enables Scale to own and operate billions of dollars in distributed generation assets. To learn more about Scale Microgrids, please visit

About EQT

EQT is a leading purpose-driven global investment organization with EUR 246 billion in total assets under management, divided into two business segments: Private Capital and Real Assets. EQT owns portfolio companies and assets in Europe, Asia Pacific, and the Americas and supports them in achieving sustainable growth, operational excellence, and market leadership. To learn more about EQT, please visit

Scale strives to attract and retain a workforce that reflects the composition of our customer base and communities. We are committed to providing a work environment that provides everyone with equal access and opportunity to contribute and drive meaningful outcomes. We encourage applicants from all backgrounds to apply and will consider qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, or national origin.

We may use artificial intelligence (AI) tools to support parts of the hiring process, such as reviewing applications, analyzing resumes, or assessing responses. These tools assist our recruitment team but do not replace human judgment. Final hiring decisions are ultimately made by humans. If you would like more information about how your data is processed, please contact us.