Senior Environmental Scientist

Senior Environmental Scientist

At HDR, we specialize in engineering, architecture, environmental, and construction services. We create an unshakable foundation for progress because our multidisciplinary teams also include scientists, economists, builders, analysts, and artists. That's why we believe diversity is our greatest strength. HDR is proud to be an equal opportunity workplace and an affirmative action employer.

HDR is looking for a Senior Environmental Scientist to join our inclusive, diverse, and highly collaborative environmental team. This position will be based out of any of the following Florida offices: Tampa, Sarasota, or Orlando. This individual must be an exceptional senior level environmental scientist and have expansive environmental permitting experience. While we work with a variety of clients from power, transportation, to water, with a range of complexity, candidates with extensive experience obtaining environmental permits for ports projects are preferred. Candidates that strive for excellence in their day-to-day work, scientific practice, and careers; as well as those individuals that are interested in continuing to expand their scientific knowledge through collaboration and continued learning will integrate nicely into our environmental practice. While the focus of this role is to lead benthic surveys, seagrass surveys, wetland delineations, species surveys, and associated regulatory permitting, biologists on our team have the opportunity to crosswalk all facets of project delivery including botany, fisheries, and NEPA.

Our team spends time in the field and in front of a computer throughout the year. Field work includes benthic surveys, seagrass surveys, wetland and other surface waters delineations, habitat surveys, and wildlife surveys that are performed to support impact assessments, impact avoidance, regulatory permitting efforts, and pre- and post-construction compliance. When we are at our computers, we perform desktop surveys, analyze the data collected in the field and use those data to prepare natural resource reports, mitigation and monitoring plans, regulatory permit applications, and other technical papers as needed. As a Senior Marine Environmental Scientist, this individual would be a primary point of contact for our internal and external Ports and Maritime clients (project managers).

This position involves supporting market needs and client-focused solutions, including support of client management efforts, as well as strategic thinking to expand our Environmental practice in the Florida/Puerto Rico area. Responsibilities will include managing environmental projects and tasks in the state, identifying client opportunities, supporting major proposal efforts and mentoring and training staff. The position may also include functioning as an environmental team leader through supervising mid- to junior-level environmental staff.

On a day-to-day basis, we'll count on you to:

• Function as a Senior Marine Environmental Project Manager for permitting ports and maritime projects and related environmental services
• Provide technical expertise at the project level and support growing HDR's environmental program
• Remain up-to-date with regulatory policy changes
• Prepare, plan and analyze/review technical studies, permit applications, NEPA documents, and similar reports/documents
• Accomplish work independently and through coordinating or supervising small to large technical and professional teams from local and regional offices
• Manage and deliver several projects concurrently, including developing and managing budgets, schedules, and quality of product
• Support client relations and be involved with marketing, contractual, design and production meetings
• Assist public and private clients with permit coordination, acquisition and compliance for seagrass, benthic species, wetland, other surface waters, essential fish habitat, and threatened/endangered species
• Orchestrate marine survey sand assessments, biological field surveys or assessments, data interpretation, analysis and report writing
• Support regional or national projects in specific areas of technical expertise
• Perform other duties as necessary

Preferred Qualifications

• BS or MS degree in Biology, Environmental Science, or related field
• Minimum of 10 years' experience conducting focused seagrass surveys, benthic surveys, aquatic resources delineations and permitting through an ecological consulting firm, resource agencies (USACE, Water Management Districts, FDEP, USCG), or similar in Florida.
• Demonstrated field experience, including leading field teams for seagrass surveys, benthic surveys, aquatic resources delineations
• A broad knowledge of Florida's marine environment and species.
• A broad knowledge of Florida's flora and/or fauna.
• Previous Experience in preparation of UMAM analysis
• Previous experience scoping and producing environmental permits for Maritime projects.
• Ability to coordinate with multi-disciplinary technical teams to minimize impacts on natural resources and effectively incorporate into overall project schedule.
• Strong background in NEPA and state-level environmental reviews, including environmental impact statements (EIS), environmental assessments (EA), FDOT PD&Es
• Exceptional and demonstrated technical writing ability.
• Good organizational and data handling skills, along with proficiency in MS Excel and ArcGIS software.
• Ability to market clients and experience writing proposals, developing scopes of work, budgets, and schedules for environmental projects with multi-disciplinary teams and multi-agency efforts
• Proficiency navigating complex regulatory scenarios.
• Ability to function as task lead and QC reviewer on a variety of natural resources studies and deliverables.
• Previous experience managing and mentoring multidiscipline environmental staff
• Previous Mitigation Design experience
• Previous Living Shoreline experience
• Previous experience working with the National Parks Service.
• Previous experience obtaining US Coast Guard permits
• Willingness to work in inclement conditions and travel for a few days at a time for field work.
• Local candidates are preferred

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Environment Science or closely related field
• 10 years experience in complex environmental planning/compliance projects
• Demonstrated knowledge of the NEPA process
• Experience managing large, complex EIS documents for transportation, large facility, land management, or other infrastructure projects
• Technical expertise in the design, implementation, interpretation and presentation of data for environmental studies and investigations in specialized discipline
• Proficient with MS Office
• Self-starter with excellent writing and communication skills
• Strong conceptual, organizational, problem-solving and research abilities
• Ability to work independently and as part of a team
• Staff management experience beneficial
• An attitude and commitment to being an active participant of our employee-owned culture is a must

What We Believe

HDR is our company. Together, we build on each other's life experiences and perspectives to make great things possible every day. This shapes our collaborative culture, encourages organizational trust and connects us closer to the clients and communities we serve.

Our Commitment

As employee owners, we all have a role in creating an inclusive environment where each of us is welcomed, valued, respected, and empowered to bring our authentic selves to work every day. Our eight Employee Network Groups (Asian Pacific, Black, Hispanic/Latino(a), LGBTQ+, People with Disabilities, Veterans, Women, Young Professionals) help create a sense of belonging and foster a supportive environment where everyone is empowered to engage and contribute. Each group has an executive sponsor and is open to all employees.