Senior Environmental Biologist – California offices
For decades, CH2M HILL has been a global leader in global leader in engineering, consulting, design, program management, construction and operations, working on the most challenging and impactful projects around the world. Through these challenging projects, we develop our people — who transform complex and creative ideas into reality, every day. Join us and together we can work to build a sustainable world. We support you to reach your greatest career goals through continued professional development, a positive work life balance and undeniably cool engineering projects. Join employee-owned CH2M HILL and discover why our diverse team has been consistently ranked as one of the leading employers and repeatedly recognized by FORTUNE magazine as one of the “100 Best Companies to Work For”.
Environmental Jobs at CH2M HILL
Today, the importance of environmental stewardship is unprecedented. As businesses go “Green” and society becomes more proactive, your role in CH2M HILL’s Environmental Group provides opportunities to participate in projects that will protect the Earth’s natural resources. We help our clients in both government and industry markets safeguard and restore natural resources as cost-effectively as possible. Overall it is a monumental task, but with each day, we have the opportunity to limit our footprint. Ready? Let’s Get to Work.
CH2M HILL Senior Environmental Biologists Careers - Santa Ana, CA
The challenge? Provide biological expertise while identifying regulatory requirements for our rapidly growing siting, licensing, and permitting practice for industrial projects. Our Senior Biologist careers provide you with the opportunity to work on siting and licensing of infrastructure projects particularly focused on power and energy facilities (both traditional and renewable) and transmission lines. Each day, as a Senior Biologist, you will be the face of CH2M HILL with the responsibility for providing leadership and strategy for delivery of technically sound biological services on behalf of clients with fast-paced, rapidly changing, and cost sensitive industrial development projects. You should be a self-motivated professional with 10 years of successful experience, have a Bachelor's degree in Biology, Environmental Science, or directly related discipline and have a desire to grow personally as well as professionally with each environmental siting and licensing project.
Our Senior Environmental Biologists:
Serve as a lead biologist overseeing the work of other biologists, assist in identify regulatory requirements and appropriate documentation, mitigation, monitoring and reporting that complies with those regulatory requirements while recognizing the client's need for efficiency and cost effectiveness.
Actively work to resolve conflicts between industrial development projects (typically renewable technologies) and biological resources through permitting, client-oriented agency negotiation, and development of avoidance, minimization, and mitigation strategies.
Work closely with regulatory agencies to develop mutually agreeable permitting approaches and have direct experience working closely with state and federal regulatory agencies including the Bureau of Land Management, US Fish and Wildlife Service, California Department of Fish and Game, US Army Corps of Engineers, and National Marine Fisheries Service.
Serve as a senior technical resource to CH2M HILL's team, providing senior-level quality control, project strategy, and assistance to project managers on planning and delivering diverse biology staff (both in-house and subcontractor) for client projects including the development and implementation of project plans and work assignments, as well as being responsible for ensuring product quality, and on-schedule and on-budget completion.
Work directly with clients to understand and meet their expectations, and leverage work to develop follow-on business opportunities for the firm.
Demonstrate experience with, and a working knowledge of, the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), the California Endangered Species Act (CESA) and other federal and state laws and regulations, particularly as they relate to the biological aspects of infrastructure projects.
Participate in project decisions regarding technical approaches, cost, scheduling, and performance including; planning, staffing, scheduling, budget management, quality control, safety, and coordination of subcontractors and internal technical and support staff.
Serve as a technical resource as well as directly contribute to the technical delivery of the project deliverables.
Additional Information:
The positions have the flexibility to be in one of the following California locations: Oakland, Sacramento, San Diego and Santa Ana offices. CH2M HILL will not sponsor an employment visa (e.g., H-1B visa, etc) to fill this position.
BS in Biology, Environmental Science, or directly related discipline.
10 years of biological experience in infrastructure projects in the western United States, or related technical experience.
Demonstrated experience in working with California regulatory agencies to negotiate compliant and cost effective biological monitoring and reporting requirements for client projects.
Experience with California biological resources, and the ability to negotiate mitigation and compensation with California Department of Fish and Game (CDFG) and US Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) regulators.
Familiarity with regulatory requirements for biological resources.
Demonstrated ability to successfully plan field surveys, lead a diverse team of biology subject matter experts, serve as field team lead, subcontractor management, and/or internal project management.
A demonstrated technical competence and project experience in one or more biological disciplines (e.g., wildlife, botany, or wetlands) applicable to infrastructure (primarily conventional or renewable energy generation/transmission) siting and licensing or environmental permitting of projects.
8 years experience in environmental consulting.
Proficient understanding of California State and Federal biological laws and regulations; specifically in conducting CEQA and NEPA analyses and deliverables.
Strong oral and written communication skills as well as strong skills with Microsoft Word, Excel, and Project programs.
5 years experience with the compilation of large documents/reports.
5 years experience managing biological staff and subcontractors.
In addition to the basic qualifications the following are highly desired but not required:
MS Biology, Environmental Science, or directly related discipline.
15 or more years' experience in the industrial siting and licensing field in the western United States, or related technical experience.
Extensive knowledge with the licensing process administered by the California Energy Commission.
Experience with any or most of the following is desirable: addressing wildlife conflicts on behalf of industrial / power development clients; specialized experience in conducting surveys for rare plants and/or wildlife; USACE 404 wetland permitting, Section 7 and Section 10 consultation, Clean Water Act conformance, CDFG 1603 Agreements, wetland delineations, RWQCB and NPDES permitting; experience with wind, solar and/or non-renewable energy facility permitting.
Experience with local, state, and federal permitting processes for large projects.
General understanding of geographic information systems.
Ability to work independently, as well as in teams ranging from 2 - 60 staff.
Ability to direct and mentor staff biologists regarding data collection, preparation of figures and maps, and report production.
