Land & Shoreline Management Specialist - Renewable Energy

FirstLight Power • Full-time • Northfield, Massachusetts, United States • 4h ago

About Us

FirstLight is a leading clean power producer, developer, and energy storage company serving North America. With a diversified portfolio that includes over 1.65 GW of operating renewable energy and energy storage technologies and a development pipeline with 4+ GW of solar, battery, hydro, onshore wind and offshore wind projects, FirstLight specializes in hybrid solutions that pair hydroelectric, pumped-hydro storage (including Northfield Mountain, the largest energy storage facility in New England), utility-scale solar, large-scale battery, and wind assets. The company's mission is to accelerate the decarbonization of the electric grid by supporting the development, operation, and integration of renewable energy and storage to meet the world's growing clean energy needs and deliver an electric system that is clean, reliable, affordable, and equitable. Based in Burlington, MA, with operating offices in Northfield, MA, New Milford, CT, Oshawa, ON and Montréal, QC, FirstLight is a steward of more than 14,000 acres and hundreds of miles of shoreline along some of the most beautiful rivers and lakes in North America.

FirstLight is wholly owned by PSP Investments, one of Canada's largest pension investment managers. We have over 200 employees in Canada and the US with operations based in Massachusetts, Connecticut, New York, Pennsylvania, Ontario and Quebec. In Canada, FirstLight operates through its subsidiaries H2O Power and the recently acquired Hydromega, which is headquartered in Montreal.

We proudly serve our host communities and beyond through our clean energy assets, the recreation spaces we steward, the jobs we produce, and the economic benefit we deliver through our operations and charitable actions.

We are a team of caring, passionate professionals who are driven to deliver positive climate impact and to have fun while doing it! We value diversity, equity and inclusion and encourage people with diverse perspectives, skills and experiences to apply.

Position Detail:

We are looking for an experienced Land & Shoreline Management Specialist to join our Land Management team for this hybrid position in either Northfield, MA or New Milford, CT.

The Land & Shoreline Management Specialist reports to the Senior Land Manager and may be based in Western CT or Western MA in this hybrid role. The Land & Shoreline Management Specialist will be responsible for conserving, protecting and enhancing FirstLight's land and water associated with our hydroelectric assets as it relates to regulatory, environmental, natural resource, aesthetic, historical and recreational requirements. Will ensure compliance with FirstLight's shoreline management plan and guidelines via various Federal Energy Regulatory Commission's (FERC) hydro operating licenses and other applicable state and federal laws or regulations pertaining to rivers, streams, lakes, wetlands, and surrounding uplands. Will utilize online GIS maps, permit management databases, workflows and customer relationship response systems. Site visits will be required for issuance of all complex agreements.

The Land & Shoreline Management Specialist will join the existing Land Management Team that supports FirstLight's property management by reviewing and issuing permits for shoreline and land uses on multiple rivers and lakes throughout CT, MA, VT, NH and PA.

FirstLight's Land Management Department (LMD) is responsible for 250 miles of shoreline on 14,000 acres of land and where FirstLight operates its hydroelectric generation plants and interacts with the public on various topics.

Our ideal candidate possesses the experience, passion and energy to be a driving force in FirstLight's continued evolution to accelerate the decarbonization of the electric grid to meet the clean energy needs of tomorrow.

Key Responsibilities Include, But Are Not Limited To:

Serves as the contact for lake and riverfront residents and homeowner associations for shoreline and land use permit application and inquiries;
Reviews and interprets property ownership from GIS, surveys, and hard copy maps in comparison with shoreline management plan, other guidelines and FERC License terms to determine if requests are permissible;
Reviews permit applications submitted via the online application portal for requests to use company lands and waters and evaluates for completeness and acceptance or denial; files documents from online permit portal;
Communicates effectively with the public in person, by phone, and email on shoreline issues and permit application requirements, and assists with navigating the company website and online permit application portal;
Represents FirstLight at events and prepares and presents informational publications related to FirstLight's permit program to municipalities, contractors, and the public;
Conducts site inspections and field inventories of shoreline uses including docks, seawalls, stairs, paths, patios, shoreline structures, site improvements, and encroachments via land and vessel;
Assesses fees and manages invoicing or receipt of payments for permits, enforcement fees, and commercial rent payments;
Prepare and issue documents, letters, permits, and enforcement notices, and maintains document management via digital and hard copy files;
Identifies, posts signage, prepares violation notices and negotiates resolutions through the issuance of permits for any allowable shoreline and land uses;
Prioritizes online requests or inquiries from website to ensure issues raised by the public are addressed in a timely manner and acts as a first point of contact to resolve general inquiries, elevating issues to manager or other departments when necessary;
Overnight travel to MA, VT, NH, PA may be required for special projects biannually, work will be primarily in Western Connecticut;
Perform other duties and responsibilities as assigned;
Comply with all FirstLight policies and procedures.

Job Qualifications / Skills

Must have high school diploma or equivalent; Bachelor's or Associates degree in Natural Resources with a focus in Natural or Biological Sciences, Forestry, Real Estate, Geography, GIS or related field is preferred;
2+ years of related work experience;
Ability to read, interpret, and analyze maps, surveys, and site plans is highly desirable; Familiarity with general site construction practices, erosion controls, and use of GIS mapping software;
Understanding of general real estate transactions and principals, including deeds, leases, licenses, land rights, legal documents, land records, title searches and surveys is strongly preferred;
Advanced MS Suite skills and use of emerging technology as well as data entry experience;
Experience working with the public on complex or difficult scenarios while maintaining a high degree of professionalism;
Analytical mindset, highly organized, task oriented with a sense of diligence and a positive problem-solving style is required;
Must be a self-starter and have strong time-management skills to meet daily changing workload;
Proven ability to be self-directed while working on projects and tasks with strict deadlines;
Strong commitment to high ethical standards and best work practices;
Effective written and verbal communication skills, both in-person and via phone/email;
Must have a valid, clean driver's license.

Physical Requirements

Must be able to work near and on the water including lakes, rivers, dams and power canal areas;
Must be physically able to work at elevated and subterranean locations in a variety of adverse outdoor environments and be capable of standing, walking, balancing, sitting, climbing, stooping, squatting, crouching, reaching, kneeling, pushing, pulling and lifting (up to 25 lbs).

Why Work for FirstLight?

We consider our employees to be our most valuable resource and we strive to provide a challenging, collegial, and rewarding workplace. FirstLight embraces a company-wide commitment to recruit, develop, and retain a dedicated, diverse, and engaged workforce that is motivated to be ever better both professionally and personally.

Joining the FirstLight Team is an opportunity to experience a unique and exciting culture. Some of our benefits for eligible employees include:

• Comprehensive Medical, Dental, Vision, Life and Disability Insurance

• Paid Parental Leave

• Health and Wellness Programs

• Mental Health Care

• 401(k) with Employer Matching

• Flexible Spending Account

• Health Savings Account

• Annual Performance Incentive Plan

• Employee Assistance Program

• Generous Paid Time Off Plan

• Paid Holidays

• Professional Development

• Employee Referral Program

• Tuition Reimbursement

• Charitable Matching Program & Employer Sponsored Volunteer Program

FirstLight provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants without regard to race, color, religion, gender, age, sexual orientation, national origin, ancestry, disability, genetics, veteran status or any other characteristic protected by state, federal and local laws. In addition to federal law requirements, FirstLight complies with applicable state and local laws governing nondiscrimination in employment in every location in which the company has facilities. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential job functions.

FirstLight's values are:

Respect - Integrity - Safety - Excellence - Innovation - Team

Join Our Team!

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