Associate Policy and Regulatory Analyst

About the opportunity

SWCA Environmental Consultants is seeking an Associate Policy and Regulatory Analyst in Washington, DC to join our policy and regulatory analysis team working, working closely under our Strategic Growth Director of Client Services. This team supports infrastructure projects across their full life cycle, from early planning and siting through permitting, construction, and long-term operations, by translating evolving policy and agency priorities into structured analysis that helps technical teams and clients anticipate challenges, understand regulatory context, and make informed decisions.

This is an analyst focused role grounded in real project delivery, where policy insight directly informs infrastructure strategy, permitting execution, and operational planning. This role will also play a key part in expanding SWCA’s regulatory intelligence capabilities, supporting heavy transmission and generation pursuits, and developing scoped regulatory risk analyses that strengthen client strategy and can be positioned as billable project deliverables.

This is a full time, benefitted, salaried position based in Washington, DC. Candidates must reside within commuting distance of the DC office. Hybrid work arrangements may be considered for highly qualified individuals.

What you will accomplish

• Monitor and analyze federal and state policy developments, rulemakings, agency guidance, and regulatory trends affecting infrastructure, energy, natural resources, and environmental permitting.
• Translate complex policy and regulatory developments into clear, actionable insights for technical teams, leadership, and clients.
• Assist in the development of proposals and pursuit strategies, particularly for transmission and generation projects, by integrating regulatory risk analysis and policy positioning into competitive responses.
• Provide analytical input on regulatory risk, agency priorities, and policy signals that may influence project planning, permitting pathways, construction considerations, and long-term operations.
• Support development of internal regulatory intelligence tools, policy trackers, and strategic briefings.
• Prepare executive-level summaries that connect policy developments to project delivery considerations, including schedule, cost, feasibility, and risk management.
• Collaborate with multidisciplinary teams to integrate policy awareness into project planning, NEPA strategy, federal permitting coordination, and broader lifecycle decision-making.
• Track litigation trends, agency actions, and emerging regulatory frameworks relevant to SWCA’s markets.
• Contribute analytical insights that support internal strategy discussions, technical teams, and client-facing materials.

Experience and qualifications for success

Basic qualifications

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in environmental policy, public policy, environmental science, planning, or a related field.
• Minimum of five (5) yrs of relevant professional experience.
• Experience analyzing policy or regulatory issues related to infrastructure, energy, environmental permitting, or sustainability.
• Strong analytical writing skills with the ability to communicate complex regulatory issues clearly and concisely.
• Familiarity with federal regulatory processes, environmental review frameworks, or infrastructure-related policy environments.
• Demonstrated ability to translate technical or scientific information across multidisciplinary teams.
• Experience working in consulting, research, regulatory analysis, or project-support environments is preferred.
• Ability to operate in fast-moving environments where policy signals evolve quickly and clarity may be incomplete.

SWCA Environmental Consultants is a growing, 100% employee-owned company that offers a full range of environmental services. Our North Star is to be the best place to work and a leader in sustainability, bringing sound science and creative solutions to global environmental challenges, all while staying true to our commitment to employee ownership. At SWCA, we live our core values every day: we collaborate as #OneSWCA, we’re #AlwaysLearning, we #NeverSettle, and we #GiveBack to our communities. With offices across the country, we’re proud to be one of the largest environmental compliance firms in the U.S. and to rank among Engineering News-Record’s Top 200 Environmental Firms.

SWCA is committed to salary equity and transparency. In alignment with this commitment, we post good faith pay ranges in all job postings. An employee in this Washington, DC-based position can expect a salary of $66,144.00 to $84,884.80/year. Actual pay within this range may depend on experience, qualifications, geographic location, client requirements where applicable, and other factors permitted by law. Regular-status employees are also eligible for performance bonuses. Candidates are also encouraged to consider SWCA’s Total Rewards package ( https://www.swca.com/careers/benefits-wellness/), which includes a competitive Benefits package, forward-thinking workplace flexibility, outstanding corporate culture, award-winning career development, and more.

We offer a supportive, team-focused work environment, competitive pay, and great benefits—including a 100% employee stock ownership plan (ESOP) to help you build a strong financial future. At SWCA, we’re committed to helping our team members grow into industry leaders. Our award-winning Career Landscape program offers a clear and structured path to meaningful career development. We support your growth through conference attendance, internal and external training, education reimbursement, our Science and Leadership Program, and bonuses for qualifying publications. All regular-status employees are eligible for a comprehensive benefits package, including medical, dental, vision, wellness, life, and disability coverage, as well as access to our Employee Assistance Program. Employees may also participate in SWCA’s 401(k) Profit Sharing Plan and Trust.

SWCA continues to invest in our people. We value the skills and experience of our internal team members and strongly encourage qualified employees to apply for open positions. We believe in promoting from within whenever possible, offering meaningful opportunities for career growth.

Application Deadline: We will begin reviewing applications immediately and schedule interviews with qualified candidates on a rolling basis. The position will remain open until we identify a strong pool of candidates and may close without prior notice. We sincerely appreciate the time and effort of all applicants and will thoughtfully review each submission.

If you need assistance accessing SWCA’s website, completing the online application, or require accommodations at any point during the hiring process due to a disability, please contact us at accommodations@swca.com or call 1-480-581-5378. We’re committed to providing an inclusive and supportive experience for all candidates. This contact information is specifically for accommodation requests; other inquiries will not receive a response.

EOE - women, minorities, individuals with disabilities and veterans are encouraged to apply. At SWCA Environmental Consultants, we celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive work environment. We strongly encourage candidates from all backgrounds, including those with diverse experiences and veterans, to apply. We believe that a diverse and inclusive workforce enhances creativity, innovation, and overall organizational success.