Senior Biologist

Your Opportunity

Stantec is seeking a consulting biologist with at least 10 years of experience to join our Southern California Ecosystems Group operating out of one of our Southern California offices, including but not necessarily limited to:
Los Angeles, Fresno, Irvine, Monrovia, Paramount, Pasadena, San Diego, Santa Barbara, Santa Maria, and Ventura. We welcome a talented and collaborative team member with demonstrable experience in Southern California and elsewhere. As a Senior‑level Biologist with Stantec, you will work in a highly dynamic team environment with other biologists/ecologists/water resource specialists, land planning and regulatory experts. This position will include opportunities for both field and office work;

it may also involve field work during construction of projects and implementation of ecosystem restoration projects. In this position, you will be responsible for the contribution and management of multi‑disciplinary project teams in all phases of the execution and delivery of siting and licensing of energy production, including renewable energy, electric and gas transmission projects, transportation projects, community development projects, and projects for other public and private sector clients.

As a Senior 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 strong botanical, wetland, or wildlife technical expertise, familiarity and experience with regulatory permitting, and project and client management. This position requires coordination with clients, resource agencies, and environmental and technical staff.

As a Senior Biologist, you will:

• Manage projects, supervise staff, lead and mentor project field teams, and provide support to other project managers undertaking renewable energy, oil and gas, and other development projects.
• Schedule, assist, and/or lead teams for field tasks, as needed, such as special‑status species surveys/inventories, nesting bird surveys, vegetation community assessments and mapping, jurisdictional waters delineations and assessments, and compliance monitoring.
• Provide guidance to junior staff, including providing training recommendations, coaching, and mentoring.
• Plan, prepare, and review technical reports or portions of larger environmental assessments.
• Work with business development teams and lead efforts to respond to Requests for Proposals (RFPs) including defining the scope of work, associated cost, and compiling relevant sections of proposal documents.
• Contribute to our corporate profile through active participation in professional associations and committees.
• Coordinate with clients and regulators to communicate results of various survey efforts and technical reports.
• Lead development of permitting strategies, permit application packages, and agency negotiations.
• Assist teams and lead efforts in pursuing and contributing to new business opportunities and effective technical proposals.
• Have a target 75‑80% direct project utilization goal.
• Conduct occasional overnight travel within and outside of Southern California.

You are a biologist or natural resources management specialist; you at minimum hold a bachelor’s degree (master’s degree preferred) in Biological Sciences, Environmental Science, Ecology, Natural Resources Management, or a related field; and have a minimum 10 years of related experience demonstrating increasing levels of responsibility in conducting biological resources surveys and preparing technical reports. Skills desired include:

• Demonstrable experience in all aspects of project management, biological impact assessment and mitigation strategy development, and preparation and review of biological resources documents.
• Demonstrable experience in providing strong support and collaboration in delivering high quality work products to multi‑disciplinary project teams within project scope, budget and schedule expectations.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills and organizational skills.
• Business development acumen with established…