Paxston Richards
Oak Park,IL
Summary
Environmental engineering professional with a track record of directing multimillion-dollar capital improvement and sustainability projects. Proven ability to oversee environmental compliance and infrastructure planning, enhancing operational performance while aligning with corporate financial objectives and regulatory requirements.
Overview
4
4
years of professional experience
Work History
Environmental Specialist – Engineering & Environmental Compliance
Republic Services
07.2024 - Current
- Oversee engineering, environmental compliance, and infrastructure planning for one of Illinois' largest municipal solid waste landfills, ranked 4th in the state by disposal volume and tonnage.
- Direct multimillion-dollar capital improvement, remediation, renewable energy, and sustainability projects from planning through construction while ensuring regulatory compliance, budget performance, and schedule execution.
- Draft, design, and manage the construction of multimillion-dollar engineering infrastructure projects supporting landfill operations, environmental protection systems, and long-term facility development.
- Integrated engineering, operations, and sustainability initiatives to enhance operational efficiency, mitigate environmental risk, and align with corporate financial objectives.
- Developed engineering solutions that aligned environmental stewardship with operational performance and supported long-term asset management.
- Ensure compliance with federal, state, and local environmental regulations governing landfill operations, permitting, groundwater protection, air quality, stormwater management, and waste disposal.
- Manage engineering documentation, environmental reporting, permitting activities, and regulatory inspections.
- Coordinate cross-functional engineering initiatives between operations, environmental compliance, construction, and executive leadership.
- Support strategic planning for future facility expansion, infrastructure improvements, renewable energy opportunities, and environmental sustainability initiatives.
- Serve as project manager for engineering consultants, contractors, regulators, and internal stakeholders throughout project development and implementation.
- Spearheaded corporate initiatives to improve quality assurance of newly constructed infrastructure, safeguarding client investments and ensuring successful project delivery through comprehensive engineering design reviews and technical documentation.
- Manage the environmental engineering and compliance portfolio across 10 municipal solid waste facilities encompassing more than 2,000 acres of operational property.
Sustainability Intern
Division of Aviation – Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport
05.2023 - 08.2023
- Directed the compilation and coordination of the airport's annual ESG+P Sustainability Report, partnering with cross-functional stakeholders to ensure data accuracy and timely completion.
- Developed environmental performance reports evaluating sustainability initiatives, regulatory compliance, and key environmental performance indicators (KPIs) to inform strategic decision-making.
- Evaluated operational datasets to identify resource conservation strategies, waste diversion opportunities, and process improvements supporting the airport's sustainability goals.
- Managed stakeholder coordination for recycling initiatives serving more than 200 internal and external partners, facilitating implementation planning and cross-department collaboration.
- Contributed to development of environmental policy and sustainability planning for one of the world's busiest airports, enhancing long-term environmental stewardship and meeting regulatory objectives.
- Contributed to operations at one of the world's busiest airports.
Operations Intern
ANLS – National Limousine Service | Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport
06.2022 - 08.2022
- Supported daily operations at one of the world's busiest transportation hubs, gaining experience managing logistics, scheduling, and service coordination within a highly regulated airport environment.
- Collaborated with operations teams, airport personnel, and customers to resolve service challenges while maintaining compliance with strict safety, efficiency, and reliability standards.
- Analyzed operational workflows to enhance resource allocation and streamline communication processes, contributing to improved service performance.
- Tracked operational data and maintained documentation while supporting process improvements to ensure regulatory readiness and operational efficiency.
- Coordinated with stakeholders to manage complex infrastructure systems effectively.
Education
Bachelor of Science - Environmental & Ecological Engineering
Purdue University
West Lafayette, IN08-2024
Skills
- Environmental Engineering
- Environmental Compliance
- Regulatory Compliance
- Environmental Permitting
- Landfill Engineering
- Stormwater Management
- Solid Waste Management
- Remediation Projects
- Sustainability Strategy
- Renewable Energy Projects
- Project Budgeting
- Capital Project Management
- Contractor Management
- Cross-functional Leadership
- Risk Assessment
- ESG
- Process Improvement
- Engineering Design
- GIS (Spatial Analysis)
- Environmental Reporting
- Stormwater Compliance
- Landfill Gas
- Groundwater Monitoring
- Microsoft Project
- Microsoft Office Suite
- Data Analysis
- Renewable Energy
Leadership Experience
- Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Keeper of Records and Seals
- National Society of Black Engineers, Board Member & Student Mentor
Timeline
Environmental Specialist – Engineering & Environmental Compliance
Republic Services
07.2024 - Current
Sustainability Intern
Division of Aviation – Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport
05.2023 - 08.2023
Operations Intern
ANLS – National Limousine Service | Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport
06.2022 - 08.2022
Bachelor of Science - Environmental & Ecological Engineering
Purdue University