Consulting Associate, Biologist

Overview

Kickstart your environmental consulting career with hands‑on field experience and real‑world impact from day one. ERM is seeking a motivated Consulting Associate, Biologist to join our growing Capital Project Delivery (CPD) team in Indianapolis, Indiana. This is a unique opportunity for an early‑career professional to contribute directly to impactful environmental projects across renewable energy, oil and gas, power, and technology sectors.

• Support environmental permitting, due diligence, and impact assessments that enable responsible project development.
• Identify and protect wetlands, waterways, and sensitive habitats.
• Deliver high‑quality field data and technical insights that inform regulatory and client decisions.
• Help shape sustainable infrastructure projects across the Midwest and southeastern US.
• Build expertise across multiple sectors, setting the stage for advancement in technical or project management career paths.
• Perform wetland delineations using U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Wetlands Delineation Manuals (1987 and 1989) and Regional Supplements.
• Provide technical analyses, contributing within your specialization and supporting multidisciplinary work.
• Support a wide range of projects including NEPA environmental assessments, RTE habitat assessments, WOTUS delineations, Phase I Environmental Site Assessments, and related documentation.
• Conduct field surveys, collect and organize field data, perform research/literature reviews, and prepare technical reports and client recommendations.
• Assist in developing project‑specific compliance management plans aligned with federal, state, and local regulations.
• Perform multi‑media permitting and compliance documentation with agencies including U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, National Marine Fisheries Service, and state/local agencies.
• Work within quality, budget, and schedule expectations while developing foundational project‑management knowledge.
• Support ERM Partners‑in‑Charge and Project Managers in delivering high‑quality client outcomes.
• Collaborate as an integral member of the Impact Assessment team to support broader team objectives.

• BS in environmental science, biology, natural resources, or related discipline; or equivalent experience.
• Recent graduate to 1+ years of relevant environmental experience or professional internships.
• Familiarity with leading field survey techniques and WOTUS delineations, including working knowledge of sub‑meter accuracy GPS technologies and digital data collection platforms such as ArcGIS Field Maps, Survey
  123, and/or Bio App.
• Familiarity completing Hydrologic Determination Data Sheets and Stream Quantification Tool.
• Experience conducting Hydrologic Determinations with TDEC and Jurisdictional Determination with USACE.
• Strong commitment to safety.
• Willingness and desire to support field assignments between 50% and 80% of the time during the field season (April to October).
• Working knowledge of field techniques for plant identification and their facultative rating, the 50/20 rule, soil sampling, hydric soil identification using the most current version of the NRCS Field Indicators of Hydric Soils, and wetland hydrology indicators is required.
• Detail‑oriented with excellent critical‑thinking and troubleshooting/problem‑solving skills.
• Effective written/verbal communication and strong organization/analytical skills.
• Experience recording/writing detailed technical data and reports and building tables and spreadsheets (including tabulation and manipulation of data).
• Ability to engage in multifaceted and dynamic situations and collaborate with a team of experts across the project lifecycle.
• Ability to multi‑task, maintain flexibility, and work independently with minimal supervision.
• Demonstrated attributes to become a strong consultant: team player, eagerness to learn and grow, self‑starter who takes initiative, versatile, and service‑oriented mentality.
• Highly organized with keen attention to detail while maintaining a broader project perspective.
• High level proficiency in Microsoft Office programs.
• Driver's License required. Ability to operate a company vehicle due to…