Qualifications and Experience
We are seeking an ideal candidate who is passionate about building a long-term consulting career that blends technical expertise with leadership skills. The successful applicant will possess:
- A minimum of 7 years of experience as an environmental biologist.
- A Bachelor's degree in biology, ecology, environmental science, or a related field.
Job Description
The selected candidate will be responsible for managing complex biological resource projects and leading a variety of activities, including biological due diligence assessments, construction monitoring, biological constraints studies, technical reporting, permit applications, and agency negotiations during the environmental review and permitting process. Additional duties will involve developing solutions to complex biological challenges, collaborating with clients and regulatory agencies on mitigation strategies, and driving business development activities for the biology team, including proposal preparation and client engagement.
Key Responsibilities:
- Provide technical direction and strategic solutions to address complex biological and regulatory challenges.
- Mentor biology staff, assisting with project management and development of solutions for biological and regulatory issues.
- Manage both small and large-scale projects, overseeing budgets, schedules, and quality of service.
- Prepare project budgets for biological surveys and reporting.
- Collaborate with cross-departmental teams to develop proposals and execute project plans.
- Lead or conduct field surveys, including rare plant surveys, botanical inventories, and vegetation classification/habitat mapping, in accordance with the Manual of California Vegetation and National Vegetation Classification System.
- Conduct surveys for endangered, threatened, and sensitive wildlife species across southern California.
- Collect field data and compile reports for biological assessments.
- Conduct technical analysis and contribute to the preparation of biological documents.
- Collaborate with the accounting department to review project invoices, expenditures, and audits.
- Lead or conduct quantitative and qualitative restoration site monitoring.
- Oversee construction activities to ensure compliance with mitigation and permit requirements.
- Coordinate and supervise the preparation of biological documents and technical analyses.
- Provide peer review of deliverables and offer feedback to project team members.
- Regularly meet with internal project managers and external clients to discuss project requirements and expectations.
- Prepare and present technical information to clients, the public, boards, or commissions.
- Lead team meetings to track progress on project deliverables.
- Prepare and track project scopes, schedules, meeting agendas, meeting minutes, and progress reports.
Other Requirements:
The ideal candidate will possess:
- A broad understanding of southern California's wildlife and plant communities.
- In-depth knowledge of federal and state regulations, policies, and procedures related to the natural environment.
- Proficiency in ecology, resource conservation, mitigation strategies, and basic engineering concepts.
- Understanding of biological principles and ecosystem dynamics in a planning context.
- Experience preparing technical biological documents, including survey reports, impact assessments, permit applications, and mitigation plans.
- Strong communication skills for liaising with regulatory agencies in California.
- Experience with wetland and jurisdictional delineations, including those under the jurisdiction of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Regional Water Quality Control Board, and California Department of Fish and Wildlife.
- Experience with CEQA/NEPA, environmental permitting for waterways, and related permits and certifications.
- Knowledge of wildlife protection regulations for listed species at both the state and federal levels.
- Wetland delineation training certification.
- Experience preparing and implementing mitigation and restoration plans.
- Familiarity with avian surveys, including nesting surveys and monitoring.
- Expertise in pre-construction and construction compliance monitoring.
- Strong project management skills and the ability to lead teams effectively.
- Exceptional technical writing and analysis abilities.
- Proficiency in conducting archival and electronic research using relevant agency databases.
