Project Wildlife Biologist

SWCA Environmental Consultants is seeking a Project Wildlife Biologist to join our team in Half Moon Bay, California. This position is ideal for a wildlife professional with a strong background in California wildlife resources, biological surveys, habitat assessments, and environmental permitting who is eager to contribute to a diverse portfolio of projects throughout the Bay Area and coastal California.

In this role, you will manage natural resource projects and technical tasks, support business development efforts, conduct and oversee wildlife surveys, coordinate field teams, and mentor junior staff. You will collaborate with project managers, clients, regulatory agencies, and multidisciplinary teams to deliver high-quality biological and environmental compliance services. Projects may support a variety of clients, including utility providers, transportation agencies, water agencies, local and state governments, private developers, and conservation organizations.

The ideal candidate will possess strong wildlife expertise and experience managing project budgets, schedules, and scopes of work. Responsibilities may include leading wildlife and habitat assessments, supporting permitting and compliance efforts, preparing technical reports and resource analyses, overseeing field investigations, and providing technical guidance to project teams. This position offers opportunities for professional growth while helping expand SWCA’s wildlife and natural resources practice throughout coastal and Northern California.

This is a full-time, regular (with benefits), salaried/exempt position that is distributed (=remote) based eligible from our Half Moon Bay, California office. Travel, including overnight stays, may be required. Fieldwork will primarily occur throughout the San Francisco Bay Area, Central Coast, and other locations within California as project needs dictate.

Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis, and interviews may be scheduled as qualified candidates are identified. This position may close without prior notice once a strong candidate pool is established.

• Directs and participates in the collection, management, and summarization of field data and other best available information. Expected to ensure that information collected and applied to projects is accurate, complete, and verifiable.
• Directs and performs simple descriptive data analysis and collaborates with GIS and Statistical teams on more complex tasks to analyze significance, identify trends, and make predictions applicable to project questions. Directs and performs monitoring or management actions in the field to implement project requirements or regulatory terms and conditions. Creates and maintains records of completed activities and conditions for the project record.
• Directs and prepares certain technical resource reports and sections of others, including setting, objectives, methods, findings, and conclusions. Collaborates with Technical Editors to ensure quality of written deliverables.
• Provides technical guidance and mentorship to junior staff on resource science, methods and practices, regulatory requirements, and project or client insights.
• Develops strategies for avoiding, minimizing, or mitigating project impacts and ensuring compliance with regulatory standards. Prepares planning and compliance documents for regulatory reviews and approval.
• Leads conversations with teaming partners, experts, clients, landowners, and agency staff to present or solicit technical information. Memorializes communications for project records and shares important insights, action items, or issues with project teams and supervisors.
• Prepares and provides…