Senior Maritime Specialist – On‑Call (Seattle)

About the role

Environmental Science Associates (ESA) seeks a Senior Maritime Specialist on a part‑time, on‑call basis to lead complex federal and state marine permitting, regulatory strategy, and construction compliance for offshore and coastal infrastructure projects. Based in Seattle, the role supports offshore wind, subsea cable, port development, dredging and other marine construction activities.

Key responsibilities

• Manage federal and state marine permitting processes, including BOEM OCS leasing and approvals.
• Develop and execute regulatory strategies to ensure compliance with U.S. federal regulations, marine resource protections, and stakeholder engagement requirements.
• Provide compliance oversight for offshore construction projects such as wind farms, subsea linear infrastructure, ports, and dredging.
• Lead subject‑matter expertise for permitting and compliance under frameworks such as ESA, MMPA, NEPA, and CWA.
• Participate in vessel‑based operations, offshore inspections, and field travel to coastal and offshore sites.
• Collaborate with multidisciplinary teams and maintain detailed documentation of compliance activities.

Required profile

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Marine Biology, Oceanography, Maritime Affairs, Environmental Science, Coastal Engineering or related field.
• 10+ years of experience in marine permitting, offshore construction compliance, or maritime environmental management.
• Demonstrated experience working with BOEM, NOAA, BSEE and U.S. Coast Guard regulatory processes.
• Strong knowledge of marine protected areas, ESA, MMPA, NEPA, CWA frameworks, and vessel operations compliance (including VGP).
• Proven stakeholder‑engagement experience with fisheries and coastal communities.
• Ability to operate in fast‑paced construction environments, travel to project sites, and work both in office and field.

Required skills

• Marine permitting and regulatory processes (BOEM, NOAA, BSEE, U.S. Coast Guard).
• Vessel General Permit (VGP) compliance.
• GIS, marine spatial planning, and habitat mapping.
• Certified Environmental Professional (CEP) certification.
• OSHA HAZWOPER (40‑hour) certification.