Senior Scientist

The Senior Scientist position is a senior level position supporting a variety of environmental services for private and public sector clients. Senior Scientists must communicate effectively with a team of professionals across the environmental and engineering sectors during project planning and construction phases. Senior Scientists serve as lead project scientists and are responsible for project design, budget, logistical planning, and project implementation and work closely with clients, field crews, regulatory agencies, and the public.

Senior Scientists are expected to have excellent field data collection and data entry skills (i.e., attention to detail), be self‑motivated and conscientious with a strong work ethic, and have the ability to meet deliverable deadlines within the expected time frames. This position includes preparing Environmental Assessment (EA) reports for work in utility corridors, leading a variety of permitting and compliance projects associated with utility work, and leading complex and/or large‑scale environmental projects for public and private sector clients.

Depending on the project location, field work could include surveys for: gopher tortoises, burrowing owls, nesting birds, wetlands, protected trees, or seagrass and oysters. Other tasks are assigned as needed to support new clients/projects and individual professional development. Senior Scientist must be able to identify project needs, client expectations, budgets, and timelines and manage junior staff supporting their projects through clear, effective communication and QAQC oversight.

The ideal candidate possesses the following knowledge, skills, and qualifications:

• Strong familiarity with Florida’s ecosystems and plants (upland, wetland, and scrub habitats).
• Comfortable and experienced in conducting wildlife surveys (gopher tortoises, avian species, and other state/federal protected wildlife), sometimes under adverse field conditions (e.g., heat, inclement weather, biting insects, etc).
• Comfortable and experienced in conducting wetland delineations in accordance with state and federal methodologies and performing wetland mitigation assessments.
• Experience overseeing field sampling and managing water quality monitoring projects.
• Experience using GPS units and ESRI GIS Products (Arc Pro, Field Maps, Survey
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• Comfortable and experienced with operating 4X4 off‑road vehicles and ATVs.
• (Plus) FWC Authorized Gopher Tortoise Agent, Certified Wildlife Biologist, or Professional Wetland Scientist certification.
• Excellent technical writing skills
• Experience with environmental resource permitting (local, state, and/or federal level)
• Experience with preparing cost proposals and business development support.
• Ability to work well in a team setting as well as independently with limited direct oversight.
• Excellent organizational and record‑keeping skills with attention to detail.
• Ability to meet deliverable deadlines within the expected time frames.
• Excellent communication and creative problem‑solving skills.
• Experience supervising junior‑level staff.
• Ability to work remotely on occasion (typically 1-2 weeks max with sufficient notice).
• Must possess clean driving records.

General position duties and responsibilities may include (but are not limited to) the following activities:

• Conduct environmental assessments and wildlife surveys in the field.
• Accurately perform data collection, entry, verification, and management in accordance with Standard Operations Procedures (SOPs).
• Prepare technical reports and other project‑specific deliverables within predefined due dates and client expectations.
• Manage several EAs, permitting, and compliance projects concurrently each with varying timelines, including complex and large‑scale projects, and their associated budgets.
• Prepare cost proposals for new clients/projects.
• Participates in business development.
• Perform QAQC support to a variety of deliverables.
• Supervising junior‑level staff.
• Other tasks are assigned as needed to support new projects and individual professional development.

• Participates in mentorship program.
• May serve on ad‑hoc committees at EAI (Ecological Associates, Inc).
• May serve as coordinator of…