Principal Biologist

Grounded in safety, quality, and ethics, our experts lead their fields with dedication, a creative spirit, and a vision for growth. We draw from more than 20 technical specialties worldwide and are devoted to fostering a community of diverse talents, backgrounds, and expertise. Here, you can apply your passion and collaborate with top environmental professionals on work that’s vital to our clients and the communities they serve.

Join a team that’s naturally committed to the environment.

Your Opportunity

Stantec is seeking a consulting biologist with at least 15 years of experience to join our southern California Ecosystems Group by operating out of our Santa Barbara, or San Diego, California offices. We welcome a talented and collaborative team member with demonstrable experience in southern California and elsewhere. As a Principal-level Biologist with Stantec, you will work in a highly dynamic team environment with other biologists/ecologists/water resource specialists, and wider multidisciplinary team.

This will be a leadership role providing direction and mentorship for junior team members, project management, and responsibility for driving business development. This position will primarily entail office work but may include limited opportunities for field work.

In this position, you will be responsible for the contribution and management of multi-disciplinary project teams across multiple sectors, including, but not limited to, renewable energy, and electric and gas transmission and distribution projects, as well as natural resource planning and management projects. As a Principal Biologist, you will oversee and provide expertise in field biology, regulatory strategy, CEQA/NEPA analysis, and permitting strategy.

Specific background and expertise should consist of excellent botanical, wetland, or wildlife technical expertise, expertise with regulatory permitting, and proven success in project and client management. This position requires extensive coordination with clients, resource agencies, and environmental and technical staff. The ideal San Diego, CA candidate will also have the following qualifications:

• Experience working on utility-related biological compliance projects, particularly with San Diego Gas & Electric (SDG&E), is highly desirable.

• Experience managing complex projects and/or programs in southern California as a Project Manager for multidisciplinary teams.

• Familiarity with SDG&E’s environmental permitting processes, biological monitoring protocols, and utility corridor operations is considered a strong asset.

• Candidates with prior consulting or coordination experience involving SDG&E projects are encouraged to apply.

• Special consideration will be given to applicants who have supported SDG&E’s Habitat Conservation Planning and mitigation strategies, or CPUC-regulated initiatives.

What You Will Do for Stantec

As a Principal Biologist:

• Your assignments/projects will be advanced in nature and require the application of experience and strategy.

• You will frequently interact and interface with environmental regulators and clients; proactively assessing and resolving concerns.

• You will be responsible for independently planning, strategizing, implementing, and orchestrating the team to deliver complicated projects related to natural resources, wetlands, biophysical impact assessments, environmental assessments, and regulatory approvals.

• You will manage tasks and projects according to approved scopes of work and deliver quality reports on schedule and within budget, while maintaining consistency with Stantec’s Project Management Framework and International Organization for Standardization (ISO)-certified Integrated Management System (IMS).

• You will provide senior technical peer reviews and independent reviews relating to natural resource science and biology on multidisciplinary projects.

• You will apply technical and business knowledge and methods to develop creative, effective, and economical solutions to address current and potential project issues.

• You will assist in analyzing current and emerging technical issues, and implementing actions to proactively address market, business, regulatory,…