Principal Biologist

Experience working on utility-related biological compliance projects, particularly with San Diego Gas & Electric (SDG&E), is highly desirable.

Experience managing complex projects and/or programs in southern California as a Project Manager for multidisciplinary teams.

Familiarity with SDG&E’s environmental permitting processes, biological monitoring protocols, and utility corridor operations is considered a strong asset.

Candidates with prior consulting or coordination experience involving SDG&E projects are encouraged to apply.

Special consideration will be given to applicants who have supported SDG&E’s Habitat Conservation Planning and mitigation strategies, or CPUC-regulated initiatives.

Your assignments/projects will be advanced in nature and require the application of experience and strategy.

You will frequently interact and interface with environmental regulators and clients; proactively assessing and resolving concerns.

You will be responsible for independently planning, strategizing, implementing, and orchestrating the team to deliver complicated projects related to natural resources, wetlands, biophysical impact assessments, environmental assessments, and regulatory approvals.

You will manage tasks and projects according to approved scopes of work and deliver quality reports on schedule and within budget, while maintaining consistency with Stantec’s Project Management Framework and International Organization for Standardization (ISO)-certified Integrated Management System (IMS).

You will provide senior technical peer reviews and independent reviews relating to natural resource science and biology on multidisciplinary projects.

You will apply technical and business knowledge and methods to develop creative, effective, and economical solutions to address current and potential project issues.

You will assist in analyzing current and emerging technical issues, and implementing actions to proactively address market, business, regulatory, and/or economic issues.

You will champion Health, Safety and Environment (HSE) Policies, Procedures, Standards and Guidelines in the execution of all work.

You will provide supervision, training, technical direction and mentoring to more junior staff.

You will contribute to and lead business development activities, including proposals, pre-qualifications, scoping/budgeting, and relationship building with clients and prospective clients and industry colleagues.

The role has a target 65-75% direct project utilization goal.

Occasional overnight travel may be required within and outside of southern California.

Highly skilled in communications and technical information exchange with clients, engineers and scientists, government regulators and agencies, and academia, as well as non-technical communication to the public.

Disciplined approach to project execution and technical excellence.

Shows leadership in striving to continuously improve technical performance.

Promotes new ideas and initiatives and creates an environment that supports creativity and innovation.

Builds and maintains productive professional and personal networking relationships.

Drives collaborative efforts within the region and beyond to deliver consistent, high quality and appropriately scoped technical work.

Proficient in and consistently demonstrates and promotes policies and procedures for HSE, including client-specific training (if applicable).

Extensive experience in reviewing and analyzing scientific data, maps, and drawings with strong analytical, problem-solving, and decision-making capabilities.

Extensive demonstrable background, knowledge, and experience with the flora, fauna, and vegetative communities of southern California; experience in other areas of California and elsewhere will be considered a plus.

Extensive experience in conducting floristic botanical surveys, reconnaissance wildlife surveys, and species-specific protocol surveys; experience/permits with steelhead trout, tidewater goby, California tiger salamander, California red-legged frog, western snowy plover, California least tern, least Bell’s vireo, southwestern willow flycatcher, and/or coastal California gnatcatcher will be considered a plus.

Extensive experience in preparing technical documentation including biological survey reports, technical memoranda, Biological Resources Technical Reports (BRTRs), jurisdictional waters delineations and Aquatic Resources Delineation Reports (ARDRs), and/or biological resources sections for CEQA/NEPA documents

Extensive knowledge of federal, state, and local environmental regulations and processes, particularly in southern California, such as:- California Environmental Quality Act and National Environmental Policy Act (CEQA/NEPA)

Federal and California Endangered Species Act (FESA/CESA)

Migratory Bird Treaty Act and Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act (MBTA/BGEPA)

Clean Water Act (CWA)

Porter-Cologne Act

California Fish and Game Code (FGC)

California Coastal Act and Local Coastal Programs (CCA/LCPs)

Extensive experience in preparation of regulatory permit applications such as Clean Water Act Section 404/401, Waste Discharge Requirements (WDRs), Fish and Game Code Section 1600 Lake and Streambed Alteration Agreements, and/or federal/state Incidental Take Permits (ITPs).

Demonstrated experience leading environmental permitting of energy facilities, pipelines, and/or linear infrastructure projects in the western United States.

Demonstrated technical competence and project experience in natural resource fields applicable to commercial (primarily conventional or renewable energy generation/transmission) siting and licensing or environmental permitting of other infrastructure projects.

Experience in working on construction projects, compliance monitoring, environmental training, interpretation and application of regulatory requirements, and post-construction monitoring/reporting on small to large projects.

Experience with using GPS/GIS technology to collect biological survey data, map vegetation communities, and/or delineate jurisdictional waters.

Possession of a California Scientific Collecting Permit, State Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), and or federal Recovery Permit for special-status species will be considered a plus.

Wetland delineation training certificate will be considered a plus.

Must have ability to occasionally travel.

Must have a valid driver’s license and good driving record.

OSHA HAZWOPER 40-hour certification will be considered a plus.

A medical physical and/or drug and alcohol screening may be required for some project assignments.