Environmental Scientist

Environmental Scientist

HDR is looking for an Environmental Scientist to join our inclusive, diverse, and highly collaborative environmental team.

Our team spends time both in the field and in an office setting throughout the year. Fieldwork includes wetland and other surface waters delineations, floristic surveys, and wildlife surveys that are performed to support impact assessments, impact avoidance, regulatory permitting efforts, and pre-and post-construction compliance. In the office, we analyze the data collected in the field and use it to prepare natural resource reports, mitigation, and monitoring plans, regulatory permit applications, and other technical papers as needed. As a mid-level Natural Resources Specialist, this individual would work closely with our task leads to meet the environmental needs of our internal and external clients (project managers).

On a day-to-day basis, they will be expected to:

• Support existing projects in the office and in the field.
• In-office work will include, but not be limited to assisting with desktop research, environmental permit applications, NEPA documentation, biological assessments, and other environmental compliance documentation including preparation of documents to support all aspects of the FDOT Project Development and Environment (PD&E) process and development and management of environmental documents in the FDOT State-Wide Environmental Project Tracker (SWEPT).
• Fieldwork includes wetland and other surface waters delineations, floristic surveys, and wildlife surveys that are performed to support impact assessments, impact avoidance, regulatory permitting efforts, and pre-and post-construction compliance.
• Coordinate with environmental staff on upcoming and existing tasks.
• Work on a variety of environmental compliance and natural resources projects as they relate to transportation, water resources, power, waste, and development projects.
• Work with or under the supervision of senior environmental scientists and engineers.
• Take responsibility for assisting with environmental permits, NEPA documentation, biological assessments, and other environmental compliance documentation.
• Assist senior scientists in fieldwork associated with the collection of natural resource data.
• Utilize ArcGIS software to analyze and present data.
• Perform other duties as necessary to support project needs.

Preferred Qualifications

• Preference given to local candidates.
• At least two years of applicable experience, such as: previous experience supporting environmental permit applications for USACE, Water Management Districts, Wetland delineation, and/or FDEP permits.
• Knowledge of Florida's flora and/or fauna.
• Previous wildlife survey experience.
• Experience drafting technical documents such as scientific papers, survey findings reports, compliance documentation, or similar.
• Strong people skills and effective communication skills.
• Willingness to work in inclement conditions and travel for a few days at a time for field work with the majority of travel being round trip in the same day.
• Good organizational and data handling skills.
• Ability to work independently as well as in a team setting.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Environmental Sciences or closely related field.
• Knowledge of wetland delineation, field investigation techniques, and agency coordination requirements.
• Excellent writing and communication skills.
• MS Office experience.
• An attitude and commitment to being an active participant of our employee-owned culture is a must.