Senior Biologist & Project Manager

ESA is seeking an experienced and motivated Biologist & Project Manager proficient in business development, biological resource analysis, and species permitting with a minimum of 10 years of professional environmental experience.  This is a full-time exempt opportunity.  Preference given to candidates who can occasionally work hybrid in-office from one of our Southern CA ESA office locations including: Downtown Los Angeles, Irvine, Rancho Cucamonga, Pasadena, Thousand Oaks, and/or Santa Barbara. Remote candidates within a commutable distance to one of the ESA offices listed and the ability to come in-office as needed for team meetings and meet-ups will also be considered.   

Occasional travel requirements for in-person team collaboration, client relations, regional dept meetings, supervisor and leadership meetings, etc.

Who You Are 

A Biologist & Project Manager with a minimum of 10 years of technical expertise in environmental sciences industry who thrives on being a people leader. Preference given to candidates with environmental consulting experience.  Your technical expertise includes California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) biological resources analysis (e.g., wetlands, wildlife, botany), and California Environmental Species Act (CESA)/Federal Environmental Species Act (FESA) species permitting. Experience with National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) biological resources analysis is a plus but not required.

You have significant experience working on a variety of project types ranging in complexity from small-scale maintenance actions (i.e., bank and levee repairs, sediment removal, culvert replacements) to complex, multi-beneficial, nature-based habitat restoration, enhancement, and adaptation projects (tidal, coastal, and riverine environments), capital improvement projects (utility, transportation, energy, and flood protection infrastructure improvements), and regional conservation programs (habitat preserves, mitigation banks).

You are known for preparing clear, concise, well-written and supported documents, guidance, and recommendations, your high-level of organization and responsiveness, and for your ability to communicate effectively, both verbally and non-verbally. You are comfortable talking with individuals or leading group discussions and presenting information understandably and speaking persuasively about complex topics to internal teams, clients, regulatory agency staff, teaming partners, other project stakeholders, and the general public.

You have a solid foundational knowledge of biological resources in southern California and relevant environmental regulations and regulatory agency permitting pathways and processes. 

• Required Experience:
  • CEQA biological resources analysis & technical writing
  • Project Management
  • Environmental Business Development
  • Experienced in preparing either:
    • Applications for CDFW CESA 2081 Incidental Take Permits OR
    • Biological Assessments for FESA Section 7 Biological Opinions

• Preferred experience:
  • NEPA biological resources analysis & technical writing
  • Consultation with wildlife agencies (CDFW and USFWS) and negotiation of terms and measures for CESA ITPs and USFWS BOs
  • U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS & CDFW) and NOAA Fisheries (FESA Sections 10) 
  • Experienced in preparing applications for CDFW CESA Section 2080.1 Consistency Determinations
  • Technical expertise in plant or wildlife biological resources

You regularly support or lead strategy development and wildlife agency consultations for a wide range of projects. You have existing relationships with the wildlife agencies (CDFW and USFWS) and understand their specific expectations.

You are an effective team member who proactively identifies and contributes constructively to address project challenges. You are driven by contributing to projects that benefit ecosystems and communities and demonstrate a commitment to justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion. You work well independently and under the direction of project directors and managers and technical specialists and are experienced in successfully completing tasks with competing deadlines. You have the ability to work efficiently and communicate effectively while working in a remote flexible environment. 

You value people and staff development; providing technical and professional mentorship to colleagues that are direct reports to you or are on your project teams. You seek out ways to make meaningful contributions to the careers of others through staff supervision or participation in mentoring and training programs. You enjoy leading, mentoring, and growing your team by working collaboratively with them, clients, and interdisciplinary teams to help them deliver projects on time and within budget.

At minimum, you hold a bachelor’s degree with major course work in environmental science, ecology, natural resources, biology, environmental planning, or a related interdisciplinary field.  

What You Will Do for ESA

As a Biologist & Project Manager you will be responsible for the following, including but not limited to:

• Author technically accurate and detailed biological resources reports and CEQA/NEPA analysis.
• QA/QC biological reports (botany, wildlife, aquatic resources delineation).
• Prepare applications for CDFW CESA 2081 Incidental Take Permits (ITP) and Section 2080.1 Consistency Determinations.
• Prepare biological assessments to support a FESA Section 7 Biological Opinion (BO) from USFWS.
• Support the development of FESA Section 10 Habitat Conservation Plans.
• Consultation with wildlife agencies (CDFW and USFWS) and negotiation of terms and measures for CESA ITPs and USFWS BOs.
• Supervise a team of environmental professionals that vary in experience and technical expertise using your judgment and critical thinking skills to select, apply and adapt supervisory and managerial techniques, methods, and procedures for career growth and guidance. You will serve as a mentor and advisor to develop the technical skills of your staff to help advance their careers.
• Lead the preparation of proposals for federal, state, and local projects including providing technical input, contributing to proposal writing, identifying opportunities, and engaging with proposal/interview teams. These efforts will include having the responsibility for preparing scopes of work and budgets and reviewing scopes and budgets prepared by your staff. You may also lead and direct marketing and business development pursuits including developing capture strategies.
• Supervise & provide mentorship and support for junior staff, including reviewing their work for accuracy and clarity and providing constructive feedback and career development guidance while working on projects together.
• Consistently demonstrate your attentive listening skills and clear writing skills while leading staff performance evaluations.
• Business Development
• Other ad-hoc tasks as needed

Thrive in a fast-paced, exciting, and challenging environment and be able to manage multiple responsibilities and deadlines, while working on a team or independently. Contribute to meaningful projects throughout the state ranging from large-scale habitat restoration efforts to nationally recognized community development and transportation projects. Foster an inclusive team environment where all employee-owners are valued, respected, and are enabled to work at their highest level.

What’s Special About Our Biological Resources Team in Southern California   

Our Biology Team includes biologists, restoration ecologists, permitting specialists, conservation biologists, and environmental scientists that provide expertise for many municipalities throughout southern California. Our work matters because it helps communities shape a positive future for their citizens in balance with conserving our state’s sensitive natural resources. 

We value creative thinking, teamwork, and multi-disciplinary and cross-disciplinary engagement and integration. To read about some of the exciting projects we have recently completed, check out this link: https://esassoc.com/projects/ 

What’s Special About ESA

Joining ESA means becoming part of a close-knit team of environmental professionals who contribute to outstanding projects, improve environmental stewardship, and advance a more sustainable and resilient future for our communities and wild places.

At ESA, we provide benefits such as medical, dental, and vision insurance (paid at 70% for you AND your family), annual allocations of company share through our ESOP, a 401(k) plan with company match, and paid vacation, sick leave, and holidays, to name a few.

We also provide specific programs whether you want to further your technical expertise, sharpen your business acumen, or help lead the next generation of employee-owners. We want to support you in reaching your career goals through tuition reimbursement, professional development bonuses, and attendance at conferences.

Who We Are 

We are a 100% employee-owned environmental consulting firm who values diversity and inclusion and celebrate the differences that make each of us unique. Our culture is built on mutual respect, recognizing that our variety of backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives leads to better solutions, which fosters our continued success for our employee-owners and clients. 

In accordance with ESA’s duty and responsibility to provide and maintain a safe workplace that is free of known hazards and to minimize the exposure to potential hazards, any employee who works from an ESA office or conducts any other in-person ESA work-related activity is required to submit their proof of vaccination status or have received an approved exemption and accommodation in states which this applies. 

ESA is an Equal Opportunity Employer, committed to a diverse and inclusive work environment. (EOE M/V/F/D)