Senior Biologist

About the role

Grounded in safety, quality, and ethics, Stantec’s experts lead their fields and guide our work with rigor, a creative spirit, and vision for growth. We draw from more than 20 technical specialties around the globe and are committed to fostering an inclusive community of diverse talents, backgrounds, and expertise. We’re a place to apply your passion and collaborate with top environmental talents on work that’s critical to our clients and the communities they support. Stantec is a place where the best and brightest come to build on each other’s talents, do exciting work, and make an impact on the world around us.

Responsibilities

• Manage projects, supervise staff, lead and mentor project field teams, and provide support to other project managers.
• Plan, prepare, and review technical reports or portions of larger environmental assessments.
• Work with business development teams and lead efforts to respond to Requests for Proposals (RFPs).
• Contribute to our corporate profile through active participation in professional associations and committees.
• Coordinate with clients and regulators to communicate results of various survey efforts and technical reports.
• Lead development of permitting strategies, permit application packages, and agency negotiations.
• Aid teams and lead efforts in pursuing and contributing to new business opportunities and effective technical proposals.
• Have a target 75-80% direct project utilization goal.
• Occasionally conduct overnight travel within and outside of southern California.

Requirements

Preferred Skills:

• Demonstrable experience in all aspects of project management, biological impact assessment and mitigation strategy development, and preparation and review of biological resources documents.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills and organizational skills.
• Business development acumen with established relationships with clients and regulatory agency staff and/or the capability of successfully developing and maintaining these relationships.
• Significant experience in reviewing and analyzing scientific data, maps, and drawings with strong analytical, problem-solving, and decision-making capabilities.
• Significant demonstrable background, knowledge, and experience with the flora, fauna, and vegetative communities of southern California and experience in conducting floristic botanical surveys, reconnaissance wildlife surveys, and species-specific protocol surveys; experience in other areas of California and elsewhere will be considered a plus.
• Possession of a California Scientific Collecting Permit, State Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), and or federal Recovery Permit for one or more special-status species will be considered a plus.
• Significant experience in preparing technical documentation including biological survey reports, technical memoranda, Biological Resources Technical Reports (BRTRs), jurisdictional waters delineations and Aquatic Resources Delineation Reports (ARDRs), and/or biological resources sections for CEQA/NEPA documents.
• Strong knowledge of federal, state, and local environmental regulations and processes, particularly in southern California, such as: - California Environmental Quality Act and National Environmental Policy Act (CEQA/NEPA) Federal and California Endangered Species Act (FESA/CESA) Migratory Bird Treaty Act and Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act (MBTA/BGEPA) Clean Water Act (CWA) Porter-Cologne Water Quality Control Act (Porter-Cologne) California Fish and Game Code (FGC) California Coastal Act and Local Coastal Programs (CCA/LCP)
• Significant experience in preparation of regulatory permit applications such as Clean Water Act Section 404/401, Waste Discharge Requirements (WDRs), Fish and Game Code Section 1600 Lake and Streambed Alteration Agreements, and/or federal/state Incidental Take Permits (ITPs).
• Demonstrable experience contributing to environmental permitting of energy facilities, pipelines, and/or linear infrastructure projects.
• Demonstrable technical competence and project experience in natural resource fields applicable to commercial (primarily conventional or renewable energy generation/transmission) siting and licensing or environmental permitting of other infrastructure projects.
• Demonstrable experience in working on construction projects, compliance monitoring, environmental training, interpretation and application of regulatory requirements, and post-construction monitoring/reporting on small to large projects.
• Significant experience in using GPS/GIS technology to collect biological survey data, map vegetation communities, and/or delineate jurisdictional waters.
• Wetland delineation training certificate and/or demonstrable experience in conducting jurisdictional waters/aquatic resources delineations will be considered a plus.
• Ability to lift and move items and equipment up to 50 lbs.

Qualifications

• At least 10 years of related experience demonstrating increasing levels of responsibility in conducting biological resources surveys and preparing technical reports.
• Minimum of a bachelor’s degree (master’s degree preferred) in Biological Sciences, Environmental Science, Ecology, Natural Resources Management, or a related field.
• Valid driver’s license and good driving record.
• Medical physical and/or drug and alcohol screening may be required for some project assignments.
• OSHA HAZWOPER 40 certification may need to be obtained prior to employment.

Skills

• Strong botanical, wetland, or wildlife technical expertise.
• Familiarity and experience with regulatory permitting.
• Project and client management experience.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills and organizational skills.
• Experience with and/or permits for arroyo toad, coastal California gnatcatcher, least Bell’s vireo, southwestern willow flycatcher, Mohave ground squirrel, and/or desert tortoise.
• Experience with and/or possession of a California Scientific Collecting Permit, State Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), and or federal Recovery Permit for one or more special-status species.
• Experience with being considered a USFWS-approved biologist for one or more federally listed species and/or a CDFW-approved Designated Biologist (DB).
• Significant experience in preparing technical documentation including biological survey reports, technical memoranda, Biological Resources Technical Reports (BRTRs), jurisdictional waters delineations and Aquatic Resources Delineation Reports (ARDRs), and/or biological resources sections for CEQA/NEPA documents.
• Strong knowledge of federal, state, and local environmental regulations and processes, particularly in southern California, such as: - California Environmental Quality Act and National Environmental Policy Act (CEQA/NEPA) Federal and California Endangered Species Act (FESA/CESA) Migratory Bird Treaty Act and Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act (MBTA/BGEPA) Clean Water Act (CWA) Porter-Cologne Water Quality Control Act (Porter-Cologne) California Fish and Game Code (FGC) California Coastal Act and Local Coastal Programs (CCA/LCP)
• Significant experience in preparation of regulatory permit applications such as Clean Water Act Section 404/401, Waste Discharge Requirements (WDRs), Fish and Game Code Section 1600 Lake and Streambed Alteration Agreements, and/or federal/state Incidental Take Permits (ITPs).
• Experience contributing to environmental permitting of energy facilities, pipelines, and/or linear infrastructure projects.
• Experience in working on construction projects, compliance monitoring, environmental training, interpretation and application of regulatory requirements, and post-construction monitoring/reporting on small to large projects.
• Significant experience in using GPS/GIS technology to collect biological survey data, map vegetation communities, and/or delineate jurisdictional waters.
• Significant experience in conducting floristic botanical surveys, reconnaissance wildlife surveys, and species-specific protocol surveys; experience in other areas of California and elsewhere will be considered a plus.
• Experience with and/or permits for arroyo toad, coastal California gnatcatcher, least Bell’s vireo, southwestern willow flycatcher, Mohave ground squirrel, and/or desert tortoise.
• Experience with and/or possession of a California Scientific Collecting Permit, State Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), and or federal Recovery Permit for one or more special-status species.
• Experience with being considered a USFWS-approved biologist for one or more federally listed species and/or a CDFW-approved Designated Biologist (DB).
• Significant experience in preparing technical documentation including biological survey reports, technical memoranda, Biological Resources Technical Reports (BRTRs), jurisdictional waters delineations and Aquatic Resources Delineation Reports (ARDRs), and/or biological resources sections for CEQA/NEPA documents.
• Strong knowledge of federal, state, and local environmental regulations and processes, particularly in southern California, such as: - California Environmental Quality Act and National Environmental Policy Act (CEQA/NEPA) Federal and California Endangered Species Act (FESA/CESA) Migratory Bird Treaty Act and Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act (MBTA/BGEPA) Clean Water Act (CWA) Porter-Cologne Water Quality Control Act (Porter-Cologne) California Fish and Game Code (FGC) California Coastal Act and Local Coastal Programs (CCA/LCP)
• Significant experience in preparation of regulatory permit applications such as Clean Water Act Section 404/401, Waste Discharge Requirements (WDRs), Fish and Game Code Section 1600 Lake and Streambed Alteration Agreements, and/or federal/state Incidental Take Permits (ITPs).
• Experience contributing to environmental permitting of energy facilities, pipelines, and/or linear infrastructure projects.
• Experience in working on construction projects, compliance monitoring, environmental training, interpretation and application of regulatory requirements, and post-construction monitoring/reporting on small to large projects.
• Significant experience in using GPS/GIS technology to collect biological survey data, map vegetation communities, and/or delineate jurisdictional waters.
• Significant experience in conducting floristic botanical surveys, reconnaissance wildlife surveys, and species-specific protocol surveys; experience in other areas of California and elsewhere will be considered a plus.
• Experience with and/or permits for arroyo toad, coastal California gnatcatcher, least Bell’s vireo, southwestern willow flycatcher, Mohave ground squirrel, and/or desert tortoise.
• Experience with and/or possession of a California Scientific Collecting Permit, State Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), and or federal Recovery Permit for one or more special-status species.
• Experience with being considered a USFWS-approved biologist for one or more federally listed species and/or a CDFW-approved Designated Biologist (DB).
• Significant experience in preparing technical documentation including biological survey reports, technical memoranda, Biological Resources Technical Reports (BRTRs), jurisdictional waters delineations and Aquatic Resources Delineation Reports (ARDRs), and/or biological resources sections for CEQA/NEPA documents.
• Strong knowledge of federal, state, and local environmental regulations and processes, particularly in southern California, such as: - California Environmental Quality Act and National Environmental Policy Act (CEQA/NEPA) Federal and California Endangered Species Act (FESA/CESA) Migratory Bird Treaty Act and Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act (MBTA/BGEPA) Clean Water Act (CWA) Porter-Cologne Water Quality Control Act (Porter-Cologne) California Fish and Game Code (FGC) California Coastal Act and Local Coastal Programs (CCA/LCP)
• Significant experience in preparation of regulatory permit applications such as Clean Water Act Section 404/401, Waste Discharge Requirements (WDRs), Fish and Game Code Section 1600 Lake and Streambed Alteration Agreements, and/or federal/state Incidental Take Permits (ITPs).
• Experience contributing to environmental permitting of energy facilities, pipelines, and/or linear infrastructure projects.
• Experience in working on construction projects, compliance monitoring, environmental training, interpretation and application of regulatory requirements, and post-construction monitoring/reporting on small to large projects.