Environmental Scientist

Freese and Nichols, Inc. is seeking a motivated Environmental Scientist to join our Coastal and Environmental Science team in our Houston, Texas office. The candidate can expect to work on a wide variety of projects including, but not limited to water infrastructure and planning, flood risk reduction, ecological monitoring and restoration, transportation, ports and navigation, and energy development. Clients mostly consist of state, federal, and municipal entities, with some NGO and private industry work.

• Assist with:
  • Preparing technical presentations, reports, letters, plans, and proposals.
  • Developing documents supporting environmental compliance (e.g., Environmental due diligence reports, Biological Assessments, NEPA documents).
• Conduct fieldwork including:
  • Wetland/stream delineations, freshwater mussel surveys, fish relocations, and habitat assessments.
  • Using GPS units in fieldwork, and other survey equipment (water quality meters, flow monitors, seines/nets).
• Support data management, processing, and interpretation.
• Utilize ESRI mapping applications (Arc Map, ArcGIS Pro, ArcGIS Online, Survey 123).
• Collaborate with team members and interface effectively with internal and external clients.
• Travel up to 50% of the time, mostly within Texas, with some out-of-state projects.

• Bachelor’s degree in Biology, Ecology, or a similar field
• Background in ecology/biology and understanding of terrestrial and aquatic ecology.
• 2+ years of related experience
• Field skills in plant identification, freshwater mussel and fish identification, soil classification, and sampling methods.
• Strong technical writing and verbal communication skills.
• Valid Texas driver’s license and ability to pass a pre‑employment drug screen.
• Physical capability to lift over 50 pounds and work in strenuous conditions or inclement weather.
• Comfortable traveling short distances to field sites by boat.

• Open Water Diver certification (PADI, NAUI, or SSI) with recent SCUBA diving experience.
• Familiarity with environmental compliance (e.g., Section 404 of the Clean Water Act, Endangered Species Act, NEPA).
• Experience with off‑road driving and towing/backing trailers (or willingness to learn).
• 3+ years of related experience
• Master’s degree

At the heart of our culture is our LEADS values (Learn continuously, Engage as family, Act with integrity, Deliver quality, and Serve always). Each year, our employee engagement survey confirms that our leaders and our employees live our values.

We strive to be the firm of choice for clients and employees through innovative approaches, practical results, and outstanding service. For more than 130 years, we have been planning and designing the infrastructure our communities need: developing water supplies, designing roadways and bridges, preparing for natural disasters, and much more.

Besides our comprehensive benefits package (see more at Benefits That Work for You), we offer paid overtime for salaried employees, an annual bonus, and access to company cabins in Red River, New Mexico and Banner Elk, North Carolina. We are proud of our flexible work environment which includes a hybrid schedule with up to 40% of remote work, and an alternative work schedule program which provides a day off every other Friday.

Join our team of 1,300+ employees as we grow from Virginia to Colorado. Learn more about working here at Working at Freese and Nichols.

Freese and Nichols is firmly committed to Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) and prohibits employment discrimination for employees and applicants based upon race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, pregnancy, genetic information, disability, status as a protected veteran, or any other protected category under applicable federal, state, and local laws.