Senior Aquatic Scientist

Environmental Science Associates (ESA) is a 100% employee-owned environmental consulting firm. We plan, design, permit, mitigate, and restore for projects across our communities, infrastructure systems, open spaces, and wildlands. We are 50 years strong in 21 offices across California, the Pacific Northwest, and the Southeastern United States.

ESA is seeking a skilled aquatic scientist with 20+ years of experience to join our Fish and Aquatic Sciences practice in Northern California. We welcome a collaborative team member with a growth mindset who can implement real-time water quality and fish acoustic telemetry monitoring, collect data digitally, analyze results, and deliver high-quality technical written work products. The ideal candidate will work a hybrid schedule by being on-site a few days per week at our Sacramento, CA office. 

Who You Are 

• 20+ years of experience in a relevant scientific or environmental consulting environment. 
• Bachelor's degree in Hydrology, Environmental Science, or related field.
• You are an experienced senior-level aquatic scientist who performs hydrologic and/or water quality evaluations, technical studies, analyses, and tasks requiring knowledge based on at least 20 years of professional experience. You may specialize in one or more areas, including, but not limited to: estuarine hydrodynamics, hydrodynamic modeling, acoustic telemetry, water quality studies, and field leadership.
• You have strong writing skills, effective oral presentation skills, listening skills, and the ability to present information understandably about basic or moderately complex topics.
• You collect, interpret, and analyze hydrologic and fish routing data and serve as a senior technical/resource specialist. You may serve as a Project Manager or Task Manager on high complexity projects. You primarily work with limited direction and can lead small teams. You will help lead client interactions and may perform routine marketing tasks. 
• You are self-aware, self-motivated, and respectful and empathetic toward others. You accept responsibility for your actions, constructively give and receive feedback, and work collaboratively with a team mentality. 
• You possess a valid CA driver’s license, a clean driving record, and have experience driving 4WD vehicles off-road.

What You Will Do for ESA

• As a senior-level aquatic scientist, you will apply critical thinking and problem solving to water quality, hydrologic, and fish movement investigations for a wide range of high complexity studies. You will lead water quality and hydrologic field studies such as managing real-time telemetry arrays or performing fisheries special investigations. You will serve as a contributing or lead author of environmental documents potentially including technical memoranda, scientific discipline reports, and/or scientific publications. You will prepare draft documents that are clear, concise, well-written and supported. 
• You will work collaboratively as part of an interdisciplinary team.  You take the initiative to provide mentoring to more junior staff. You will demonstrate equitable and inclusive ways of working with others: treat others with respect, empathy, and dignity. You will thrive in a fast-paced, challenging environment and are able to manage multiple responsibilities and deadlines while working on a team or independently. 
• You will perform project functions such as development and tracking of scope, schedule, and invoices when managing projects. You will deliver project assignments on time and within budget. You will check work for errors, accuracy, and applicability to project needs. 
• You enjoy fieldwork and can walk long distances carrying a backpack; and are able to lift at least 40 pounds. You are confident working outside, in remote and rural settings, as well as in urban environments. Physical outdoor work may include, but may not be limited to, work in all types of weather, traversing uneven ground and sometimes steep terrain in forested environments, fields, arid lands, along stream banks, and in coastal/intertidal areas. You may be exposed to inclement weather and uncomfortable working conditions. Some night and/or weekend work may be required. 

What’s Special About Our Fish and Aquatic Sciences Team in California   

The ESA fish and aquatic sciences practice functions across the entire project life cycle—from strategic planning and permitting, to study design and field implementation, all the way through to analysis, reporting, and public outreach. Our multidisciplinary expertise enables us to provide complete and integrated fisheries and aquatic sciences services. This includes use of advanced technologies to solve some of the most complex scientific and regulatory challenges.

Our team is skilled at working together with clients to create a shared vision for project success. We strive to help our clients find solutions to complex aquatic resource issues, and we understand that it takes consistent communication and careful listening with clients and partners to achieve progress. Direct coordination in every step of the project life cycle is critical, and at ESA we create an atmosphere of open engagement with our clients to ensure project goals are met.

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. 

If you are an applicant with a disability that requires a reasonable accommodation to complete any part of the application process or are limited in the ability—or unable to use—the online application system and need an alternative method for applying, you may contact our Human Resources Department via email: humanresources@esassoc.com for assistance.

 Please include the following in your message so we can promptly address your request:

• Full name
• The best method to contact you (phone number and/or email address)
• Title of Job Position Applied
• Description of your accommodation request

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