Senior Wildlife Biologist and Project Manager

ESA seeks a highly motivated Senior Wildlife Biologist and Project Manager to join their Pacific Northwest Biological Resources and Land Management team. The ideal candidate will have at least 10 years of experience leading and conducting wetland delineations, rating wetlands, authoring reports, and managing projects. Experience with mitigation planning is a plus. The successful candidate will have the opportunity to work with a variety of clients including Sound Transit and Washington State Department of Transportation, as well as many local municipalities. This senior-level position focuses on collaboration, outstanding client service, project management, and oversight to ensure the delivery of high-quality work products, all while being part of a team that is passionate about doing great work and having fun together. 

 Who You Are

• You are a Senior Wildlife Biologist with a minimum of 10 years of experience conducting wetland delineations, environmental planning, permitting, document writing, and reviews for projects of varying complexity in the Pacific Northwest. You will have served as the primary author on a variety of environmental documents such as wetland delineation reports and functional assessments, biological resources assessments and evaluations, technical reports, and permit applications utilizing your exceptional writing and communication skills. You are known for producing clear, concise, well-written documents, and for your ability to present complex information in an understandable manner and speak persuasively to clients, regulatory agency staff, teaming partners, and the public. 
• You have extensive experience in supervising and coordinating the acquisition of local, state, and federal environmental permits and approvals for projects. This includes Washington State Hydraulic Project Approvals, Clean Water Act (CWA) Section 404 permits, CWA Section 401 Water Quality Certifications, shoreline permits, Tribal approvals, and critical areas permits and from local governments.
• You have completed analysis and documentation for projects subject to Washington SEPA or federal NEPA requirements involving analysis of existing conditions and potential impacts of project alternatives on a variety of aquatic and upland species and their habitats.
• You are an experienced client service manager with interest and expertise in how to grow client relationships, teaming relationships, and generating new business. You have led and directed marketing and business development pursuits including developing capture strategies, and leading proposals, interviews, and presentations.
• You work collaboratively with clients and interdisciplinary teams to deliver your projects on time and within budget and have aided in or solely managed scope, schedules, and budgets. You are an effective team member and communicator who proactively identifies and contributes constructively to solving project and team challenges. You enjoy mentoring and coaching junior staff to foster teamwork and elevate others. 
• You hold a bachelor's and/or master’s degree in biology or a related environmental or ecological field.
• You can work full-time or hybrid in either our ESA Seattle or Portland office.

What You Will Do for ESA 

• As a senior-level Wildlife Biologist and Project Manager, you will lead or direct multi-faceted natural resources-related projects in collaboration with scientists, engineers, landscape architects, and other specialists on larger and more complex municipal and private development projects.
• You will demonstrate a clear understanding of project management principles and practices and be responsible for the development of environmental assessments and compliance documents in accordance with applicable guidelines and requirements, while delivering assignments within budget and schedule.
• You will serve as a technical specialist, preparing and managing complex environmental analyses and coordinating with key team members, including senior staff, subconsultants, and clients. Training and/or experience in wetland science and regulatory services is required; a current certification as a Professional Wetland Scientist (PWS) is desirable. You will produce technical work and written products that are clear, concise, and well supported.
• You will consistently demonstrate your solid writing skills, and attentive listening skills, and participate in and/or lead client meetings. You will present at, or provide support at, community workshops and public hearings effectively presenting complex technical information clearly and concisely.
• You will lead proposal preparation for midsized projects and assist with proposals for larger projects, providing technical input, contributing to proposal writing, identifying opportunities, and engaging with proposal/interview teams. These efforts will include having the responsibility for preparing scopes of work and budgets. You may also lead and direct marketing and business development pursuits including developing capture strategies.
• You will provide mentorship and support for junior staff, including reviewing their work for accuracy and clarity and providing constructive feedback and career development guidance while working on projects together.
• You will thrive in a fast-paced, challenging environment and be able to manage multiple responsibilities and deadlines while working on a team or independently.

 What ESA Will Do for You

• Joining ESA means becoming part of a close-knit team of environmental professionals who contribute to outstanding projects, improve environmental stewardship, and advance a more sustainable and resilient future for our communities and wild places.  
• At ESA, we provide benefits such as medical, dental, and vision insurance (paid at 70% for you AND your family), annual allocations of company shares through our ESOP, a 401(k) plan with company match, and paid vacation, sick leave, and holidays, to name a few.  
• We also provide specific programs whether you want to further your technical expertise, sharpen your business acumen, or help lead the next generation of employee-owners. We want to support you in reaching your career goals through tuition reimbursement, professional development bonuses, and attendance at conferences. 

What’s Special About Our Northwest Biological Resources and Land Management Team 

Our team includes Wetland Biologists, Fisheries Biologists, Environmental Scientists, and Conservation/Climate Planning Specialists who provide expertise for many agencies in Washington, Oregon and across the Northwest. Our work matters because it helps communities shape a positive future for their citizens. We value integrity, creative thinking, teamwork, clear communication, and multi-disciplinary engagement and integration.

Who We Are 

We are a 100% employee-owned environmental consulting firm who values diversity and inclusion and celebrate the differences that make each of us unique. Our culture is built on mutual respect, recognizing that our variety of backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives leads to better solutions, which fosters our continued success for our employee-owners and clients. 

In accordance with ESA’s duty and responsibility to provide and maintain a safe workplace that is free of known hazards and to minimize the exposure to potential hazards, any employee who works from an ESA office or conducts any other in-person ESA work-related activity is required to submit their proof of vaccination status or have received an approved exemption and accommodation in states which this applies. 

ESA is an Equal Opportunity Employer, committed to a diverse and inclusive work environment. (EOE M/V/F/D)