Mid-level Biologist

Mid-Level Biologist

AECOM's Natural Resources team is seeking a Mid-Level Biologist (Biologist III) to support environmental permitting and compliance coordination for various clients. We are seeking an experienced and motivated candidate to take on this career-defining opportunity. As part of this important role, you will support numerous aspects of natural resource management with a focus on environmental compliance for multiple clients throughout California and potentially other regions within the Western U.S.

This position is primarily office based (approximately 90%+) located in our San Diego, CA office with a hybrid work option.

The successful candidate will have:

• Strong working knowledge of environmental regulatory requirements for projects in California.
• Strong interpersonal, organizational, creative problem-solving, collaboration and leadership skills.
• Experience contributing to a diverse team of professionals.
• Experience managing environmental studies for large, complex projects in multiple locations.
• Experience working with design teams to avoid, minimize and streamline environmental regulatory permitting.
• Ability to apply acquired expertise and knowledge to solve business challenges.
• Experience coordinating with construction contacts and cross-disciplinary teams of environmental specialists to implement environmental permitting requirements.

Key responsibilities:

• Maintains project level tracking of environmental tasks and/or compliance requirements across a broad portfolio of similar linear utility projects.
• Available for or delegates issue resolution in support of construction activities, which may require irregular early morning, late evening and/or weekend work hours on occasion.
• Possess knowledge of major state and federal and major regulatory frameworks as well as knowledge of regional conservation planning and apply to assigned tasks.
• Support planning and execution of environmental review and technical studies, including biological and aquatic resources.
• Conduct technical writing assignments such as Biological Technical Reports, Mitigation and Monitoring Plans, Natural Environment Studies, Biological Assessments, and/or EIR/EIS sections.
• Perform assignments that require background in wildlife ecology and/or botany and ecological processes.
• May be assigned biological survey fieldwork as part of a team and alone in coastal, inland, and desert environments, which can include rugged terrain.
• Identify and record native and non-native fauna and/or flora in the field.
• Utilize electronic data collection methods and manage data, as needed.
• Function as part or larger team focused on design, permitting, land rights acquisition and environmental, collaborate to obtain project approval in timely fashion.
• Oversee and contribute to preparation of environmental technical reports that meet the requirements of local governments and jurisdictions, governing agencies or any other relevant entities.
• Work with client to support external agency communications and submittals.
• Serve as subject matter expert on matters related to biological and aquatic resources and/or regulations.
• Coordinate with project managers to ensure engineering plans and/or proposed construction methods meet requirements of agencies.
• Inform other internal functional groups about requirements and regulations related to environmental issues to assist with compliance with general conditions of approvals at permit and construction stages of the project, and to meet project timelines.
• Manage internal and external project status reporting; Participate in project and team meetings.
• Work under supervision of senior project managers or senior-level team members.

About AECOM's Environment Business Line Join AECOM to be part of an expert global team who is connected through a well-developed, worldwide, internal technical practice network through which you can learn from and brainstorm with the best in the world. AECOM is an industry-leading, world class environmental firm, and we want you to succeed within it. We respect and encourage your own pathway to excellence via our Freedom to Grow initiative. AECOM is known for our award-winning technical excellence, leading-edge science and innovative project delivery. We provide sustainable solutions for some of the world's most challenging issues. Our global clients and their projects span a variety of market sectors and geographies and require innovative technical solutions to solve wide-ranging environmental problems.

Minimum Qualifications:

• Bachelor's Degree in related field (biology, ecology, etc.).
• 4 years of relevant experience or demonstrated equivalency of experience/and or education in natural resource management with a focus on environmental compliance.
• Valid driver license required and must be able to safely drive to job sites safely.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Master's degree in related field.
• 6+ years of relevant natural resources experience.
• Prior consulting experience preferred, particularly with southern California utilities clients.
• The ideal candidate will possess a strong background in Lead Environmental Inspector (LEI) roles for major construction projects including basic understanding of multiple environmental resource areas including biological resources, aquatic resources, cultural resources, stormwater, air quality, noise, hazardous materials, etc.
• Knowledge of southern California wildlife and plant species.
• Formal training conducting jurisdictional delineations for wetlands and waters.
• Project and client management experience including management of multiple projects of significant scope and complexity.
• Ability to thrive in quickly changing environment and manage multiple priorities simultaneously.
• Excellent interpersonal, written and verbal communication skills.
• Resourceful, flexible and maintain the ability to react and respond quickly with a focus on accuracy.
• Regulatory permitting experience related to jurisdictional waters and/or wildlife preferred.
• Knowledge of database management a plus.
• Knowledge of electric utility work, including underground and overhead.
• Familiarity with mitigation, monitoring, and reporting programs.
• Familiarity with regulatory and permitting requirements under the federal Endangered Species Act, California Endangered Species Act, NEPA, CEQA, and the Clean Water Act.
• Strong technical writing skills on environmental technical documents.
• Familiarity with terrestrial biology, field experience with special status species of southern California, and knowledge of regulatory requirements.
• Candidate must be flexible and willing to support multiple projects as needed.
• Strong organizational and communications skills and ability to clearly and proactively communicate with construction crews, field staff, and clients.

Due to the nature of the work, US Citizenship is required.