Associate Biologist

Grounded in safety, quality, and ethics, our experts lead their fields and guide our work with rigor, a creative spirit, and a vision for growth. We draw from more than 20 technical specialties worldwide and are committed to fostering an inclusive community of diverse talents, backgrounds, and expertise.

Stantec is seeking a consulting biologist with a minimum of 5 years of experience to join our Southern California Ecosystems Group. The position is based at one of our Southern California offices, including Bakersfield, Fresno, Irvine, Los Angeles, Monrovia, Paramount, Pasadena, Santa Barbara, San Diego, Santa Maria, or Ventura. We welcome a talented and collaborative team member with demonstrable experience in Southern California and elsewhere.

As an Associate Biologist, you will work in a highly dynamic team environment with other biologists, ecologists, water‑resource specialists, and land‑planning and regulatory experts. This position will include both field and office work and may involve field work during construction and implementation of ecosystem restoration projects.

• Lead and mentor project field teams and support project managers on renewable‑energy, oil‑and‑gas, and other development projects.
• Schedule, assist, or lead teams for field tasks such as special‑status species surveys, nesting bird surveys, vegetation community assessments and mapping, jurisdictional waters delineations, and compliance monitoring.
• Provide guidance to junior staff, including training recommendations, coaching, and mentoring.
• Plan, prepare, and review technical reports or portions of larger environmental assessments.
• Work with business‑development teams to contribute to Requests for Proposals (RFPs), including scope definition, cost estimating, and compiling relevant proposal sections.
• Assist teams in pursuing new business opportunities and developing technical proposals.
• Contribute to the corporate profile through participation in professional associations and committees.
• Coordinate with clients and regulators to communicate results of surveys and technical reports.
• Assist with developing permitting strategies, permit‑application packages, and agency negotiations.
• Maintain a target 80‑85% direct project‑utilization goal.
• Conduct overnight travel within and outside Southern California.

Skills and experience required:

• Collaborative team member effective in multidisciplinary project and field teams.
• Proficient in health and safety policies and procedures.
• Ability to coordinate with project managers to conduct work efficiently within scope, budget, and schedule.
• Demonstrable background, knowledge, and experience with the flora, fauna, and vegetative communities of Southern California.
• Experience conducting floristic botanical surveys, reconnaissance wildlife surveys, and species‑specific protocol surveys.
• Experience with or permits for arroyo toad, coastal California gnatcatcher, least Bell’s vireo, southwestern willow flycatcher, Mohave ground squirrel, and/or desert tortoise is a plus.
• Possession of a California Scientific Collecting Permit, State Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), and/or federal Recovery Permit is a plus.
• Experience as a USFWS‑approved biologist for federally listed species or a CDFW‑approved Designated Biologist (DB) is a plus.
• Wetland delineation training certificate or demonstrable experience in jurisdictional waters/aquatic resources delineations is a plus.
• Strong verbal and technical writing skills; ability to communicate with team members, junior staff, clients, and regulatory agencies.
• Experience preparing technical documentation such as biological survey reports, technical memoranda, Biological Resources Technical Reports (BRTRs), jurisdictional waters delineations, Aquatic Resources Delineation Reports (ARDRs), and biological resources sections for CEQA/NEPA documents.
• Working knowledge of federal, state, and local environmental regulations and processes, particularly in Southern California.
• Ability to prepare or contribute to regulatory permit applications such as Clean Water Act Sections 404/401, Waste Discharge Requirements (WDRs), Fish and Game Code…