Senior Biologist & Permitting Specialist

At Jacobs, we're challenging today to reinvent tomorrow by solving the world's most critical problems for thriving cities, resilient environments, mission-critical outcomes, operational advancement, scientific discovery and cutting-edge manufacturing, turning abstract ideas into realities that transform the world for good.

Jacobs is seeking a Senior Biologist & Permitting Specialist to join our dynamic and supportive team who can provide leadership and support for public and private sector infrastructure projects in Washington State as well as throughout the Pacific Northwest region. At Jacobs, we see our job as more than environmental consulting – we are helping our clients secure our world’s natural resources.

We want you to bring your passion and expertise to our dynamic interdisciplinary team of biologists, environmental planners, cultural resources experts, geomorphologists, stream restoration engineers, and beyond. Together, our team helps deliver some of the most exciting and transformative infrastructure projects in the region, from fish passage projects to wetland and stream restoration, energy and water and transportation infrastructure improvements, sustainability initiatives and more.

This key position serves as a technical resource specialist in the field of wetland ecology, mitigation, biology, regulatory compliance, ESA compliance, and other federal, state, and local permitting. Work will include advising and/or managing complex tasks for projects across the PNW, leading teams of specialists, and performing both office and field work. Duties may include project/task management, field work, interagency/interdisciplinary coordination, business development, and opportunities to build a team and mentor staff.

All Jacobs employees are afforded career growth opportunities in the direction you choose.

• Collaboration with multi-disciplinary teams of biologists, engineers, scientists, planners, and other professionals to assemble regulatory compliant environmental studies, reports, and permits. This includes permitting at the local, state (i.e., JARPA, Oregon Removal/Fill Joint Application, and mitigation plans), and federal permits and authorizations.
• Leading fieldwork efforts (aquatic resource, habitat, and vegetation surveys) in WA State and supporting projects in other PNW states, including AK, OR, , ND, SD, and MT following state and federal protocols.
• Assisting with preparation of environmental documents for compliance with the federal Endangered Species Act,
• Familiarity with National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) including developing or advising on environmental resource reports, Environmental Assessments (EA) and Environmental Impact Statements (EIS).
• Supporting proposal preparation, client maintenance, and business development activities.
• Preparing scopes of work and estimating level of effort for task completion.
• Experience with permitting project manager and/or task lead on projects.
• Maintaining excellent communication with clients, regulatory agencies and local government officials, employees, subcontractors.
• Providing management support and fostering the career growth of junior-level environmental staff.

• BS or MS in Biology, Ecology, Environmental Science or related scientific discipline or technical field.
• 15+ years of environmental consulting or agency experience emphasizing your understanding of aquatic resource delineations, endangered species act compliance, fish surveys and recovery, and/or permitting experience.
• Knowledge of WA state and federal permitting programs such as the Clean Water Act and the US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) 404/401 wetland permitting process. Experience in other…