Project Environmental Scientist

GFT. • Berkeley, CA

6d • $95,000 - $135,000 • Hybrid

About The Position

GFT is seeking a Project Environmental Scientist to join their growing Environmental Practice. This role follows a hybrid work model, requiring regular attendance at either their Berkeley, CA or Roseville, CA offices. GFT’s Environmental team delivers integrated planning, permitting, and compliance solutions that support infrastructure development across North America. With more than 140 professionals in 22 offices, the team guides clients through NEPA and permitting processes, ecological and regulatory assessments, and environmental remediation efforts. Their expertise spans transportation, power, water, and facilities markets — working alongside agencies at federal, state, and local levels. From stream restoration to complex regulatory requirements and advance critical infrastructure projects.

This is an excellent career opportunity for an experienced, motivated Project Environmental Scientist who is ready to take the next step in their career. We are looking for someone who combines strong technical permitting expertise – a professional that enjoys doing the work, working directly with clients and regulatory agencies and helping to build a growing environmental practice.
The successful candidate will have strong working knowledge of California and federal environmental permitting requirements, particularly as they apply to transportation, water and power projects. This individual will lead and prepare permit applications and technical documentation, coordinate with regulatory agencies, manage permitting assignments and support projects through planning and through design and construction.

In this capacity, the successful candidate will be responsible for the following:
Lead and support natural resource analysis and environmental permitting for transportation, water, and other infrastructure projects throughout California.
Develop permitting strategies and identify federal, state, and local regulatory requirements during project planning, CEQA/NEPA and design.
Prepare and manage permit applications and supporting technical documentation, including Clean Water Act Sections 404 and 401, California Fish and Game Code Section 1600 Lake and Streambed Alteration Agreements, and other applicable federal, state, and local permits and approvals.
Coordinate directly with regulatory agencies, including the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Regional Water Quality Control Boards, California Department of Fish and Wildlife, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, NOAA Fisheries, and other agencies as appropriate.
Conduct wetland delineations, jurisdictional assessments, biological field studies, and other technical investigations necessary to support project permitting as well as CEQA/NEPA analysis.
Author and review technical reports, CEQA/NEPA analysis, permit applications, environmental commitments, mitigation plans, and related environmental deliverables.
Work closely with engineering and design teams to identify natural resource and permitting constraints, develop practical avoidance and minimization measures, and incorporate environmental requirements into project design and construction.
Support environmental compliance during construction, including implementation and tracking of permit conditions and mitigation commitments.
Manage environmental permitting assignments, including scope, schedule, budget, staffing, deliverables, and client communications.
Contribute to and increasingly lead environmental components of proposals, interviews, scopes of work, and cost estimates.
Contribute to the continued development of GFT’s California Environmental Practice.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in environmental science, biology, ecology, the physical sciences, or closely related field.
• Approximately 5-8 years of progressively responsible experience, with significant experience delivering natural resources and permitting services for infrastructure projects.
• Demonstrated experience preparing and managing environmental permits for projects in California.
• Strong working knowledge of applicable federal and California environmental regulations.
• Experience working with and developing relationships with regulatory agencies such as USACE, CDFW, RWQCB, USFWA and/or NOAA Fisheries.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Self-starter, able to complete tasks with minimal supervision and direction.
• Willingness to travel and execute work in a variety of settings and environmental conditions (heat, cold, rain, etc.).
• Demonstrated leadership and interpersonal skills to work effectively with others and achieve results.
• Demonstrated agility working with multi-disciplined infrastructure projects.
• Demonstrated professional judgment, consistency, strong attention to detail, and background of high-quality work products.
• Ability to prepare and deliver presentations and lead meetings, when needed.
• An entrepreneurial mindset and interest in helping grow a developing California environmental practice.

Nice To Haves

• A Master’s degree in environmental science, biology, ecology or a closely related field.
• Established relationships with California transportation agencies, water agencies, municipalities, regulatory agencies, or other infrastructure clients.
• Experience with Caltrans, local transportation agencies, passenger rail/transit agencies, water districts, utilities, or similar California public-sector clients.
• GIS experience.
• Relevant professional certifications or specialized permitting/natural-resource credentials.

Responsibilities

• Lead and support natural resource analysis and environmental permitting for transportation, water, and other infrastructure projects throughout California.
• Develop permitting strategies and identify federal, state, and local regulatory requirements during project planning, CEQA/NEPA and design.
• Prepare and manage permit applications and supporting technical documentation, including Clean Water Act Sections 404 and 401, California Fish and Game Code Section 1600 Lake and Streambed Alteration Agreements, and other applicable federal, state, and local permits and approvals.
• Coordinate directly with regulatory agencies, including the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Regional Water Quality Control Boards, California Department of Fish and Wildlife, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, NOAA Fisheries, and other agencies as appropriate.
• Conduct wetland delineations, jurisdictional assessments, biological field studies, and other technical investigations necessary to support project permitting as well as CEQA/NEPA analysis.
• Author and review technical reports, CEQA/NEPA analysis, permit applications, environmental commitments, mitigation plans, and related environmental deliverables.
• Work closely with engineering and design teams to identify natural resource and permitting constraints, develop practical avoidance and minimization measures, and incorporate environmental requirements into project design and construction.
• Support environmental compliance during construction, including implementation and tracking of permit conditions and mitigation commitments.
• Manage environmental permitting assignments, including scope, schedule, budget, staffing, deliverables, and client communications.
• Contribute to and increasingly lead environmental components of proposals, interviews, scopes of work, and cost estimates.
• Contribute to the continued development of GFT’s California Environmental Practice.

Benefits

• Hybrid (in-person and remote) work environment.
• Comprehensive benefits package including wellness programs, parental leave, and pet insurance, in addition to medical, dental, vision, disability, and life insurance.
• Tax-deferred 401(k) savings plan.
• Competitive paid-time-off (PTO) accrual.
• Tuition reimbursement for continued education.
• Commitment to professional development, access to internal and external training programs, and support of active participation in professional organizations.
• Incentive compensation for eligible positions.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level