Natural Resources Biologist

AECOM is actively seeking a full-time Natural Resources Biologist for immediate employment within our Southern California Natural Resources Group. AECOM is proud to provide our employees with exciting, challenging projects and career opportunities in a dynamic and flexible working environment. This hybrid position is primarily office-based, though some field work may be required and can be based in San Luis Obispo, Orange or Los Angeles, CA offices. 

This position would support numerous natural resource projects in the southern and central California region with a focus on leading preparation of Biological Assessments, Habitat Conservation Plans, technical reports, and other regulatory compliance and permitting efforts including CEQA/NEPA, 404/401, CESA, and ESA resource agency consultation.  

Primary duties include authoring on complex technical documents for large-scale projects, developing permitting strategies for clients, synthesizing compiled datasets, collaborating with a large team of technical experts, and task management. The ideal candidate has a strong technical background and advanced writing skills and is interested in moving towards a Project Management trajectory.  Familiarity with Sections 7 and 10 of the federal Endangered Species Act, 2081 permitting under the California Endangered Species Act, NEPA, CEQA, and the Clean Water Act are required. A 10(A)(1)(a) permit for listed species local to southern California is preferred (but not required), including species such as coastal California gnatcatcher, desert tortoise, and/or southwestern willow flycatcher amongst others. Additional duties may include financial management tasks and team coordination/leadership. Position will support multiple project managers on a variety of types of projects including utility, military, transportation, and renewable energy sectors.

The responsibilities of this position include but are not limited to, those listed below:

• Conduct writing assignments, including completing Biological Technical Reports, Mitigation and Monitoring Plans, Natural Environment Studies, Biological Assessments, and/or EIR/EIS sections.
• Operate as primary point of contact for clients and resource agencies on projects.
• Possess knowledge of major state and federal agencies (e.g., USACE, USFWS, BLM, CDFW, RWQCB, and CCC) and major regulatory frameworks (e.g., NEPA, CEQA, ESA, CESA, CFGC, CWA and CCA as well as knowledge of regional conservation planning (i.e., MSCP, MHCP, MSHCP) and apply to assigned tasks.
• Support proposal efforts.
• Work under supervision of senior project managers or senior-level team members.
• Ability to independently manage projects or tasks and/or oversee project teams.
• Ensure assigned tasks stay on schedule and budget.
• The ability to work independently and as part of a team; be innovative and a problem solver.
• Perform assignments that require background in wildlife ecology and/or botany and ecological processes.
• Conduct biological survey fieldwork as part of a team and alone in coastal, inland, and desert environments.
• Identify and record native and non-native fauna and/or flora in the field.   
• Utilize electronic data collection methods and manage data, as needed.
• Mentor other AECOM junior staff with technical writing and project/task management.

About AECOM’s Environment Business Line
Join AECOM to be part of an expert global team who is connected through a well-developed, worldwide, internal technical practice network through which you can learn from and brainstorm with the best in the world. AECOM is an industry-leading, world class environmental firm, and we want you to succeed within it.  We respect and encourage your own pathway to excellence via our Freedom to Grow initiative.

AECOM is known for our award-winning technical excellence, leading-edge science and innovative project delivery. We provide sustainable solutions for some of the world’s most challenging issues. Our global clients and their projects are diverse and interesting. They span market sectors and geographies and require innovative technical solutions to solve wide-ranging environmental problems within diverse community profiles.

AECOM’s Sustainable Legacies program describes our approach to the environment, social equity and governance (ESG.) We embed sustainability throughout our business and help clients embed sustainable practices into their work. We help clients reduce their impact on the environment, achieve compliance and reduce risks.