Lead ESA Section Consultation Scientist

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Lead ESA Section 7 Consultation Scientist

Fully Remote

Description

The National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), a division of the Department of Commerce (DOC), is responsible for the stewardship of the nation's living marine resources and their habitat. The Southeast Regional Office (SERO) is located in St. Petersburg, Florida. SERO also has Field Offices in Galveston, Texas;
Baton Rouge, Louisiana;
West Palm Beach, Florida;
St. Croix, USVI;
San Juan, Puerto Rico;
Beaufort, North Carolina; and Charleston, South Carolina. This task order will provide professional and scientific support services across multiple programs managed by SERO within the Southeast Region.

SFI is seeking a Lead Endangered Species Act (ESA) Section 7 Consultation Scientist to support NOAA Fisheries Southeast Regional Office (SERO) in St. Petersburg, Florida. Will conduct scientific literature reviews to obtain background information necessary to conduct and write up credible, legally, and biologically defensible, project-effect analyses for Section 7 consultation documents.

This is a senior-level technical and leadership position supporting high-visibility and mission-critical ESA Section 7 consultation activities. The Lead ESA Section 7 Consultation Scientist will independently perform complex and highly specialized consultation work and provide technical leadership, quality oversight, and guidance to less-senior ESA Consultation Scientists assigned to Section 7 activities.

Work Location:

This position is fully remote and must be worked during east coast business hours.

• Serving as a senior technical resource for complex, high-visibility, and/or mission-critical ESA Section 7 consultations, independently evaluating complex biological, regulatory, and project-specific issues.
• Providing technical leadership and oversight to less-senior ESA Consultation Scientists, including assigning or coordinating consultation activities as appropriate, providing technical direction, and supporting staff in resolving complex consultation issues.
• Mentoring and training junior ESA Consultation Scientists in SERO practices, ESA Section 7 theory and implementation, analysis of effects, consultation document development, and applicable quality standards.
• Conducting QA/QC reviews of consultation documents prepared by less-senior staff consistent with the PRD QA Plan and providing technical feedback necessary to ensure biological accuracy, consistency, legal sufficiency, and adherence to established SERO practices.
• Participating in Section 7 QA/QC meetings and supporting the development and review of complex biological opinions, including preparation or review of technical sections such as environmental baseline, effects analyses, and climate-related considerations.
• Coordinating with consulting biologists, PRD reviewers, species recovery coordinators, Office of General Counsel, federal action agencies, applicants, and other stakeholders to resolve complex consultation issues and facilitate timely completion of Section 7 consultations.
• Ensuring that informational requirements for completing Section 7 consultation are met for incoming consultation requests.
• Collaborating with others to ensure that consultations are consistent, biologically accurate and defensible, legally sufficient, achieve conservation goals.
• Discussing project methodologies and designs with applicants and federal agencies and recommending reasonable approaches, alternatives, and/or modifications to the proposed action, to reduce impacts to listed species and their habitats and to streamline the consultation process.
• Drafting agency response documents using Microsoft programs, including requests for…