Senior Wildlife Biologist - NorCal
About The Position
Dudek is seeking a full-time Senior Biologist to help grow its biological resources practice in the San Francisco Bay Area and Sacramento/Auburn regions. The role involves managing and implementing complex projects involving sensitive biological resources, with a focus on botanical surveys and aquatic resource delineations. Work includes technical writing, project management, business development, and field-based assignments, in collaboration with staff in Northern California offices. The position includes leading field data collection and surveys, managing biological projects and tasks for multidisciplinary projects, preparing and overseeing technical reports and permit-support documents, and supporting business development. The role also mentors junior and mid-level staff. It operates in a hybrid work environment, with remote or office-based work and occasional outdoor project-site visits. Fieldwork may involve remote locations, steep and uneven terrain, long days, and varied or extreme weather. Dudek is a 100% employee-owned firm serving clients nationwide. It describes its work as supporting projects that improve and protect built and natural environments, including renewable energy, infrastructure, environmental protection, and community resilience. Dudek is committed to equal employment opportunity and an inclusive workplace. Employment requires U.S. work authorization, and successful candidates must pass a pre-employment drug test and background check.
Requirements
- Bachelor’s degree in biology, ecology, botany, environmental science, or a related natural resources field.
- At least 12 years of experience in biological resource consulting, or equivalent experience in a regulatory agency setting, with increasing responsibility.
- At least 5 years of demonstrated experience managing complex biological tasks or projects, including client communication, contract and change-order negotiation, schedule and budget oversight, deliverable quality, and large-team coordination.
- Knowledge of field and data analysis techniques used to map and assess aquatic resources potentially jurisdictional under the federal Clean Water Act, California Porter-Cologne Water Quality Control Act, and California Fish and Game Code.
- Expert-level knowledge of special-status plant species, vegetation communities, and sensitive vegetation resources in Northern California.
- Knowledge of state and federal statutes, regulations, and permitting requirements relating to biological resources, particularly the federal Clean Water Act, state and federal Endangered Species Acts, California Porter-Cologne Water Quality Control Act, and California Fish and Game Code.
- Strong written and oral communication skills.
- Willingness to travel for work, including overnight hotel stays.
- Valid driver’s license and active personal automobile liability insurance by the first day of employment.
- Ability to work in remote field locations, hike steep slopes over uneven terrain, and work full days in varied weather.
- Ability to bend, squat, climb ladders, and lift up to 35 pounds unassisted or 50 pounds with a team lift.
- Ability to walk or trek over uneven terrain for long distances and extended periods, including in extreme weather.
- Must have U.S. work authorization.
- Must pass a pre-employment drug test and background check.
Nice To Haves
- Master’s degree in biology, ecology, botany, environmental science, or a related natural resources field.
- Experience managing projects involving biological impact analyses, special-status species, and mitigation planning.
- Experience successfully negotiating resource agency permits, such as with USACE, USFWS, CDFW, Water Board, or Coastal Commission.
- Experience representing clients before elected officials, such as city councils, boards of supervisors, or special district boards.
- Expert-level knowledge of aquatic resource types and systems in California.
- Proficiency in wildlife identification and impact evaluation throughout California.
- Strong customer service emphasis and a solution-oriented project delivery approach.
- Conscientiousness, attention to detail, and demonstrated accuracy.
- Good judgment and sound decision-making skills.
Responsibilities
- Lead complex and large-scale aquatic resource delineations.
- Identify California flora to the species and subspecies or variety level.
- Lead field surveys for rare, threatened, and endangered plants and wildlife.
- Lead large-scale and complex vegetation surveys, invasive plant surveys, and habitat assessments.
- Manage biological resource projects and biological tasks for multidisciplinary projects, including scheduling, budgeting, client coordination, and quality control.
- Prepare and oversee reports describing methods, field survey results, and recommendations.
- Prepare and oversee Aquatic Resources Delineation Reports.
- Prepare and oversee documents supporting environmental permit applications and CEQA/NEPA biological evaluations.
- Lead and support business development efforts for biological resource projects.
- Mentor junior and mid-level staff and help build their technical proficiency.
- Collect detailed field data in remote locations and work outdoors across varied weather and terrain.
- Coordinate with other Dudek staff based in Northern California offices.
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What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Career Level
Senior
