Mid-Senior Environmental Biologist - LA​/OC

Overview

Location(s):
Pasadena, Mission Viejo, Riverside
Practice/Department:
Biological
Work Environment:
Hybrid
Compensation: $90,/annually*

Who You Are

As an employee-owner, you embrace accountability, working safely, collaboration while thinking resourcefully and independently.

Like all Dudekians, you are curious and solution-oriented, with the ability to adapt quickly to changes and approach challenges with a spirit of innovation.

How You’ll Make an Impact

Dudek is currently seeking a full-time experienced Biologist to join our biological resources team. The successful candidate will help grow Dudek’s biological resources practice locally in the Orange County and surrounding regions; manage and implement a wide variety of projects involving sensitive biological resources, including botanical surveys, wildlife surveys, and aquatic resource delineations; and work collaboratively with other Dudek staff based out of our southern and northern California offices.

This position will be a mix of technical writing, project management, and field-based work out of Southern California, with a focus in Orange, Los Angeles, and Ventura Counties.

Duties and responsibilities for this position may include but are not limited to:

• Lead collection of detailed field data, work in remote field locations, hike steep slopes over uneven terrain, and work full days in all types of weather, including but not limited to the following tasks:
  • Lead aquatic resource delineations.
  • Identify California flora to species and subspecies or variety.
  • Lead field surveys for rare, threatened, and endangered plants and wildlife.
  • Lead vegetation surveys, invasive plant surveys, and habitat assessments.
• Manage small-to-mid scale biological resource projects and biological tasks on larger multidisciplinary projects, including scheduling, budgeting, client coordination, and quality control.
• Prepare and oversee preparation of reports summarizing methodology, field survey results and recommendations.
• Prepare and oversee preparation of Aquatic Resources Delineation Reports.
• Prepare and oversee preparation of documents supporting environmental permit applications and CEQA/NEPA biological evaluations.
• Serve as a mentor to junior to lower mid-level staff and assist in building proficiency of technical skills.
• Ability to work as member of a team and independently to make decisions and complete tasks on time and within budget.

• Bachelor’s degree in biology, ecology, botany, environmental science or related natural resources field.
• A minimum of 8 years of experience in biological resource consulting (or equivalent experience in a regulatory agency setting) with increasing levels of responsibility.
• Proven experience managing biological tasks or projects, including client communication, deliverable oversight, and team coordination.
• Knowledge and understanding of special-status plant species, vegetation communities, and sensitive vegetation resources that occur in the Orange, Los Angeles and Ventura County regions and broader Southern California.
• Knowledge of state and federal statutes, regulations, and permitting requirements relating to biological resources, in particular, the federal Clean Water Act, state and federal Endangered Species Acts, California Porter-Cologne Water Quality Control Act, and California Fish and Game Code.
• Familiarity with using a handheld GPS unit (e.g., EOS Arrow or similar) and experience using advanced software and mapping tools such as ESRI Field Maps, Survey
  123, and Collector.
• Strong written and oral communication skills.
• Conscientious and detail-oriented with demonstrated accuracy and attention to detail.
• Exercises good judgment and sound decision-making skills.
• Willingness to travel for work, including overnight stays in hotels.
• Must possess a valid driver’s license and have active personal automobile liability insurance by first day of employment.

• Master’s degree in biology, ecology, botany, environmental science or related natural resources field.
• Demonstrated experience with management of projects involving biological impact analyses, special-status species, and mitigation planning, particularly experienced in the regulatory environment of San Diego County and the City of San Diego.
• Knowledge and understanding of field and data analysis techniques used to map and assess wetland and water features potentially jurisdictional under the federal Clean Water Act, California Porter-Cologne Water Quality Control Act, and California Fish and Game Code.
• Knowledge of California aquatic resource types and systems.
• Proficient in wildlife identification and impact evaluation skills throughout California.
• Strong customer service emphasis and solution-oriented project delivery approach.
• Possess or actively pursuing U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Section 10(a)(1)(A) recovery survey permits and/or California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) Memorandum of Understanding…