Chief Biodiversity and Wildlife

Freeport McMoRan•Phoenix, AZ

6d•$112,000 - $160,000•Hybrid

About The Position

Provides technical authority for wildlife and biodiversity to ensure defensible regulatory compliance, credible application of the mitigation hierarchy, and effective integration of biodiversity considerations across the lifecycle of Freeport operations. Leads scientific and methodological work supporting compliance with wildlife regulations, No Net Loss commitments, and corporate policies, while adapting approaches as regulatory expectations, business needs, and ecological science evolve. In this role, you serve as the technical authority for interpreting, applying, and defending regulatory and policy requirements governing wildlife, habitats, and ecosystem services of conservation concern across jurisdictions (ESA, MBTA, and NEPA), ensuring regulatory compliance by leading technical analyses, documentation, and reporting, supporting timely submittals, and enabling effective agency engagement across the lifecycle of operations. As the Chief Biodiversity and Wildlife, you lead and contribute to biodiversity technical work across the full lifecycle of operations from early-stage exploration and project development through operations, remediation, and closure to integrate biodiversity considerations into project planning, permitting, implementation, and assurance, conducting and overseeing technical assessments, analyses, and plan development to address potential impacts, risks, and regulatory considerations in project design, execution, and closure activities. You steward the application of the mitigation hierarchy and No Net Loss approach by developing and maintaining methodologies, calculations, and guidance to assess impacts, determine residual effects, and identify appropriate mitigation and offset actions, ensuring consistent, defensible application aligned with regulatory requirements, corporate commitments, and evolving scientific practice. You ensure the quality and defensibility of wildlife and biodiversity work products by establishing expectations for studies and analyses, reviewing and validating technical outputs, supporting the effective use of consultants, and confirming scopes of work, assessments, and plans meet regulatory, scientific, and corporate standards before being relied upon. You also advance the scientific foundations of biodiversity work by developing and refining baselines, methodologies, metrics, and analytical tools to assess impacts and monitor performance, ensuring approaches remain scientifically credible and fit for purpose while incorporating evolving regulatory expectations, corporate commitments, external standards, emerging technologies, and sharing technical knowledge and best practices across the organization.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in biology, ecology, environmental science, conservation biology, natural resource management, or a closely related field and seven (7) years of progressively responsible experience in wildlife, biodiversity, or natural resources management roles, including experience providing technical authority or senior advisory support on complex or high-risk issues; OR Master’s degree in biology, ecology, environmental science, conservation biology, natural resource management, or a closely related field and five (5) years of progressively responsible experience in wildlife, biodiversity, or natural resources management roles, including experience providing technical authority or senior advisory support on complex or high-risk issues.
Deep technical knowledge of wildlife ecology, biodiversity conservation, habitat management, and species-at-risk considerations, including the ecological functions that support species persistence.
Strong understanding of regulatory and policy frameworks governing wildlife, habitats, and ecosystem services, and the ability to interpret, apply, and defend those requirements in varied regulatory contexts such as ESA, MBTA, and NEPA.
Demonstrated ability to evaluate complex, high-risk situations, synthesize scientific information, and provide clear, defensible technical guidance with a customer service focused mindset.
Experience reviewing, validating, and improving technical analyses, assessments, and plans prepared by others to ensure scientific rigor and regulatory defensibility.
Ability to communicate complex technical concepts clearly and effectively to internal teams, regulators, and external stakeholders, both verbally and in writing.
Proven capacity to mentor, guide, and transfer technical knowledge while retaining accountability for final technical judgment.

Nice To Haves

Experience working with international or cross-sector standards and frameworks related to biodiversity and conservation, including the application of the mitigation hierarchy, biodiversity impact assessment, and approaches for addressing residual impacts (e.g., offsets or compensatory measures) in complex project contexts.
Experience in resource-intensive, land-use, infrastructure, or extractive sectors where biodiversity considerations intersect with environmental and social impact assessments, large-scale project development, and long-term operational impacts.
Direct experience supporting or engaging with regulatory agencies or authorities on wildlife and biodiversity matters, including review or defense of impact assessments, mitigation approaches, or compliance strategies in one or more jurisdictions.
Experience advising on time-sensitive or high-consequence issues.
Advanced academic training or professional recognition in a biodiversity, ecology, or conservation-related discipline.

Responsibilities

Provides technical authority for wildlife and biodiversity to ensure defensible regulatory compliance, credible application of the mitigation hierarchy, and effective integration of biodiversity considerations across the lifecycle of Freeport operations.
Leads scientific and methodological work supporting compliance with wildlife regulations, No Net Loss commitments, and corporate policies, while adapting approaches as regulatory expectations, business needs, and ecological science evolve.
Serves as the technical authority for interpreting, applying, and defending regulatory and policy requirements governing wildlife, habitats, and ecosystem services of conservation concern across jurisdictions (ESA, MBTA, and NEPA).
Ensures regulatory compliance by leading technical analyses, documentation, and reporting, supporting timely submittals, and enabling effective agency engagement across the lifecycle of operations.
Leads and contributes to biodiversity technical work across the full lifecycle of operations from early-stage exploration and project development through operations, remediation, and closure to integrate biodiversity considerations into project planning, permitting, implementation, and assurance.
Conducts and oversees technical assessments, analyses, and plan development to address potential impacts, risks, and regulatory considerations in project design, execution, and closure activities.
Steward the application of the mitigation hierarchy and No Net Loss approach by developing and maintaining methodologies, calculations, and guidance to assess impacts, determine residual effects, and identify appropriate mitigation and offset actions.
Ensures consistent, defensible application aligned with regulatory requirements, corporate commitments, and evolving scientific practice.
Ensures the quality and defensibility of wildlife and biodiversity work products by establishing expectations for studies and analyses, reviewing and validating technical outputs, supporting the effective use of consultants, and confirming scopes of work, assessments, and plans meet regulatory, scientific, and corporate standards before being relied upon.
Advances the scientific foundations of biodiversity work by developing and refining baselines, methodologies, metrics, and analytical tools to assess impacts and monitor performance.
Ensures approaches remain scientifically credible and fit for purpose while incorporating evolving regulatory expectations, corporate commitments, external standards, emerging technologies.
Shares technical knowledge and best practices across the organization.