Coastal Scientist or Engineer – Staff Level

Natural Systems Design•Seattle, WA

7d•$70,000 - $90,000•Hybrid

About The Position

We are Natural Systems Design, a Washington-based, and focused, environmental consulting firm with a mission to understand, protect, and restore aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems. Founded in 2003, we are an interdisciplinary team with over 50 people with office locations in Seattle, Bellingham, and Port Angeles, Washington. Our company was founded and grown with the intention of being a different kind of consulting company that prioritizes its people, values science and the environment, and works collectively to make a positive impact. Position Summary: We are seeking a full-time Staff level Coastal Engineer, Geologist, or Geomorphologist. Our Staff level engineers and scientists typically have 1 to 5 years of professional experience. The successful candidate will have strong proficiency and interest in coastal processes analysis, nature-based solutions, nearshore ecosystems, coasts, estuaries, and developed waterfronts. Position Location: (Seattle, Bellingham, or Port Angeles, Washington) We are currently using a hybrid model of in-office and remote work. For this position, our preferred candidate is located near one of our three office locations and a commutable distance to field work in the Puget Sound region. However, the days you come into the office and the days you work from home are always up to you.

Requirements

B.S. in coastal, civil, environmental or ocean engineering; or geology; or directly related discipline.
1 year of professional experience in engineering or coastal geology or related field; including research work.
Engineer In Training (EIT) or Geologist In Training (GIT) registration or ability to obtain within one year of employment.
Proficiency or interest in coastal restoration design, beach nourishment, inlet processes, and soft-shore protection.
Proficiency with ArcGIS platform for spatial analysis, mapping, and data visualizations.
Strong technical writing and communication skills, including the ability to develop clear reports and deliver effective presentations to clients and agencies on complex coastal and estuarine topics.
Experience or interest in coastal flooding risk analysis and sea level rise resilience and adaptation approaches.
Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with experience using data analysis tools (e.g., R, Coastal Engineering Manual, Coastal Engineering Design and Analysis System, excel spreadsheets, Visual Basic, MATLAB, or other programing languages) to process and interpret datasets.
Willingness and ability to conduct site investigation and field measurements at coastal and estuarine sites in varying weather conditions.
Valid driver’s license and ability to travel to project sites through the Puget Sound region.
Must be legally authorized to work in the U.S. on an on-going basis without sponsorship.

Nice To Haves

Advanced degree in coastal, civil, environmental, ocean engineering, oceanography, geology or related discipline.
Coastal engineering or geomorphology experience in Puget Sound or similar estuarine/coastal environments.
Familiarity with gravel and mixed gravel-sand beach dynamics and beach design.
Engineering with nature/nature-based design/living shorelines, and habitat enhancement project design experience.
Demonstrated understanding of and sensitivity to a range of perspectives on relationships and interconnections with the natural world and traditional cultures, such as Tribal Ecological Knowledge.
Familiarity with field data collection, such as topographic survey (total station, RTK GPS, or drone-based mapping (UAS)), pebble count, documentation of vegetation conditions and field mapping.
Eagerness to grow technical skills and take on increasing responsibility in project delivery.
Experience with development of project specifications in conformance with client and industry guidelines.
Understanding of coastal modeling such as waves and/or sediment transport modeling using Delft3D, SWAN, XBEACH, CMS-Wave or similar programs.
Familiarity with Coastal Engineering Manual and other coastal design guidelines and design standards.
Experience in developing design concepts/alternatives in AutoCAD or other drafting software.
Experience supporting coastal geomorphology analyses, including shoreline change, sediment transport, and erosion/accretion processes in estuarine or nearshore environments.
Field experience conducting coastal data collection such as beach profiling, sediment sampling, and site assessments.
Experience supporting shoreline restoration, living shorelines, or nature-based solutions projects.

Responsibilities

Support site condition assessment, alternative analysis and feasibility studies, and related engineering and scientific investigation for restoration projects.
Conduct sea level rise and climate change vulnerability analysis.
Support engineering and scientific investigations for restoration project site analysis and related studies.
Apply best available science and/or engineering practices to support innovative, cost-effective approaches and optimal shoreline management solutions that meet project goals.
Perform geospatial analysis using ArcGIS and related tools, that include acquiring and processing geospatial and remote sensing data (e.g., LiDAR, coastal mapping).
Organize data and manage datasets and analyses to be reproducible, clearly documented, and accessible to project teams.
Assist in preparing technical reports, figures, and memos that clearly communicate methods, findings, and recommendations.
Contribute to the project team by producing high-quality deliverables on time and within budget, tracking project schedule, and proactively and clearly communicate status updates to project teams.
Collaborate with interdisciplinary teams (engineers, ecologists, landscape architects) to incorporate technical insights into restoration and shoreline projects.
Take increasing ownership of discrete project tasks and deliverables, with opportunities to grow into project management and technical leadership.
Support design and analysis of engineering approaches to restoration and enhancement of natural coastal and estuarine ecosystems using nature-based approaches.
Assist with coastal modeling of existing and proposed conditions, including analysis of observational data and implementation of models and software that includes SWAN, XBeach, and HEC-RAS.
Calculate material, construction, earthwork quantities and impact areas to assist with permitting, and cost estimating.
Support coastal geomorphology analyses, including shoreline change, sediment transport, and erosion/accretion processes in Puget Sound nearshore environments.
Conduct fieldwork such as beach profiling, sediment sampling, subsurface soil characterization, and site assessments; assist with organizing and managing field data.
Analyze and interpret geomorphic and monitoring data using GIS and other tools to support project evaluations and design.
Support development and application of coastal models (e.g., waves, hydrodynamics, sediment transport) under guidance from senior staff.
Assist with permitting support by compiling technical information and responding to agency comments.
Contribute to literature reviews and stay current on regional coastal processes, sea level rise, and resilience strategies.