Ecologist

Arcadis•Chicago, IL

1d•Hybrid

About The Position

Arcadis is seeking an Ecologist to join our Enviro Socio Permitting team in the Midwest to support our expanding business across a range of sectors, including oil and gas, renewable energies, rail, and linear utilities. The successful candidate will lead field wetland delineations, listed species habitat assessments, and other general environmental assessments. They will also assist with reporting, agency coordination, and permit applications. The ideal candidate will have a strong understanding of stream and wetland determination and delineation methods, local listed species and their habitat requirements, Clean Water Act permitting, and local Chicagoland County wetland permitting. The position will require a candidate to work collaboratively with a diverse team and have the capacity to balance varying priorities, including field and office work. Arcadis offers a flexible working environment and follows a hybrid work structure. A successful candidate can expect to work remotely and from the office, as needed, based on the demands of projects and teams. There will also be the need to lead wetland and waterbody delineation surveys and site reviews with regulatory agencies and clients. Field and office work can vary by season, but it’s generally anticipated to be approximately evenly split.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in environmental science, biology, ecology, or similar environmental discipline
Four or more years of experience in environmental planning and permitting in the Midwest, including experience conducting and leading wetland delineations using the U.S Army Corps of Engineers Midwest and Northcentral and Northeast Regional Supplements
One or more years leading wetland delineation field teams and surveys
Experience using GPS and data collection technology
Knowledge of regional ecology, sensitive habitats, and special status species
Experience writing technical reports, managing field data, and communicating with technical teams
Experience developing permit applications (including Clean Water Act Section 404 permits and Section 401 Water Quality Certifications) and completing threatened and endangered species consultations

Nice To Haves

Strong understanding of stream and wetland determination and delineation methods
Strong understanding of local listed species and their habitat requirements
Strong understanding of Clean Water Act permitting
Strong understanding of local Chicagoland County wetland permitting

Responsibilities

Apply technical knowledge to provide high quality deliverables to support planning and permitting for our clients.
Lead wetland and stream delineations, flora inventories, listed species habitat assessments, and other environmental surveys.
Record field data using handheld global positioning system (GPS) units and tablets utilizing Fulcrum, FieldMaps, Survey 123 for ArcGIS, or similar programs.
Walk and conduct fieldwork for long hours.
Travel up to 50%, including overnight travel.
Prepare technical reports, work plans, and other environmental documents to support environmental permitting.
Prepare regulatory permit applications (e.g., U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Clean Water Act. Section 404 permit applications and Section 401 Water Quality Certification applications, Rivers and Harbors Act Section 408 review requests, and Section 402 National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System permit applications).
Lead agency consultations for threatened and endangered species.
Manage desktop environmental assessments to identify potential permitting requirements.
Provide support to project teams using excellent technical writing and communications skills.
Mentor junior staff.
Assist with the growth of new and existing client relationships through delivery of quality work and data.