Project Wildlife Biologist

SWCA Environmental Consultants is seeking a Project Wildlife Biologist to join our team in Half Moon Bay, California. This position is ideal for a wildlife professional with a strong background in California wildlife resources, biological surveys, habitat assessments, and environmental permitting who is eager to contribute to a diverse portfolio of projects throughout the Bay Area and coastal California.

In this role, you will manage natural resource projects and technical tasks, support business development efforts, conduct and oversee wildlife surveys, coordinate field teams, and mentor junior staff. You will collaborate with project managers, clients, regulatory agencies, and multidisciplinary teams to deliver high-quality biological and environmental compliance services. Projects may support a variety of clients, including utility providers, transportation agencies, water agencies, local and state governments, private developers, and conservation organizations.

The ideal candidate will possess strong wildlife expertise and experience managing project budgets, schedules, and scopes of work. Responsibilities may include leading wildlife and habitat assessments, supporting permitting and compliance efforts, preparing technical reports and resource analyses, overseeing field investigations, and providing technical guidance to project teams. This position offers opportunities for professional growth while helping expand SWCA’s wildlife and natural resources practice throughout coastal and Northern California.

This is a full-time, regular (with benefits), salaried/exempt position that is distributed (=remote) based eligible from our Half Moon Bay, California office. Travel, including overnight stays, may be required. Fieldwork will primarily occur throughout the San Francisco Bay Area, Central Coast, and other locations within California as project needs dictate.

Please submit a cover letter along with your resume to be eligible for this position.

Application Deadline: Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis, and interviews may be scheduled as qualified candidates are identified. This position may close without prior notice once a strong candidate pool is established.

• Directs and participates in the collection, management, and summarization of field data and other best available information. Expected to ensure that information collected and applied to projects is accurate, complete, and verifiable.
• Directs and performs simple descriptive data analysis and collaborates with GIS and Statistical teams on more complex tasks to analyze significance, identify trends, and make predictions applicable to project questions. Directs and performs monitoring or management actions in the field to implement project requirements or regulatory terms and conditions. Creates and maintains records of completed activities and conditions for the project record.
• Directs and prepares certain technical resource reports and sections of others, including setting, objectives, methods, findings, and conclusions. Collaborates with Technical Editors to ensure quality of written deliverables.
• Provides technical guidance and mentorship to junior staff on resource science, methods and practices, regulatory requirements, and project or client insights.
• Develops strategies for avoiding, minimizing, or mitigating project impacts and ensuring compliance with regulatory standards. Prepares planning and compliance documents for regulatory reviews and approval.
• Leads conversations with teaming partners, experts, clients, landowners, and agency staff to present or solicit technical information. Memorializes communications for project records and shares important insights, action items, or issues with project teams and supervisors.
• Prepares and provides resource or regulatory updates to clients.
• Follows applicable federal, Tribal, state, local, industry, contractual, and company regulations, standards, and specifications.
• Performs related work as assigned.

Additional Job-Specific Responsibilities:

• Manage and participate in biological field studies, including wildlife and vegetation surveys, habitat assessments, and biological evaluations.
• Collect and manage field and desktop data using GPS, GIS, maps, aerial imagery, and other technical tools to support biological analyses and project decisions.
• Manage focused natural resource projects, including project scopes, budgets, schedules, and delivery of high-quality work aligned with client objectives.
• Uphold field safety standards, operate company vehicles as required, develop site-specific safety plans when applicable, and anticipate potential field hazards.

Knowledge normally obtained through a bachelor's degree. Four years of relevant, progressively responsible experience. Seven years of related experience is preferred; or any equivalent combination of experience, performance, training, and/or education.

• Bachelor’s degree in Biology, Ecology, Environmental Science, Natural Resource Management, or a related field.
• Four (4) years of progressively responsible experience in biological consulting, natural resources consulting, environmental permitting, or related work, or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Experience conducting biological surveys, habitat assessments, biological monitoring, construction monitoring, or related fieldwork.
• Knowledge of California and federal environmental regulations applicable to biological resources, including the California Endangered Species Act and Federal Endangered Species Act.
• Familiarity with common and special-status California plant and wildlife species.
• Experience preparing technical biological reports, biological evaluations, permit applications, compliance documentation, or related technical deliverables.
• Experience managing project scopes, schedules, budgets, and deliverables for natural resource or environmental projects.
• Proficiency with GPS, field data collection technology, and Microsoft Office applications, including Word and Excel.
• Ability to conduct fieldwork in a variety of environmental conditions, including traversing uneven terrain and carrying field equipment as needed

Preferred Qualifications:

• Seven (7) years of biological consulting or natural resources experience.
• Several years or field seasons conducting biological surveys, habitat assessments, construction monitoring, or related fieldwork.
• Experience preparing and/or working under Habitat Conservation Plans (HCPs), Natural Community Conservation Plans (NCCPs), regional conservation plans, or similar resource management programs.
• Experience supporting infrastructure, transportation, utilities, water, renewable energy, or other environmental permitting projects.
• Possession of, or experience operating under, applicable biological resource permits, including California Scientific Collection Permits, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Recovery Permit(s), or other federal and state species-specific authorizations.

Applicants must possess a valid driver's license and meet SWCA's driver requirements. 

Safety Expectations: Takes responsibility for team safety, developing safety plans (when applicable), and anticipating potential safety hazards.  

Work Environment: Work is regularly performed outdoors and involves hiking over uneven terrain, lifting and carrying equipment up to 25–50 pounds, and working in varying/extreme weather conditions. Employees may be exposed to vegetation, wildlife, insects, dust, chemicals, sharp or heavy tools, and other environmental conditions while following required safety procedures. 

SWCA is committed to salary equity and transparency. The expected pay range for this Half Moon Bay, CA-based position is $85,662.72 to $110,323.20 per year. Actual pay may vary based on experience, qualifications, geographic location, and other factors permitted by law. Eligible employees may also receive performance-based bonuses.

As a 100% employee owned company, we invest in your future. Our Total Rewards package includes an Employee Stock Ownership Plan, 401(k) with profit sharing, medical, dental, and vision coverage, paid time off, wellness programs, and professional development opportunities. 

SWCA continues to invest deeply in career development programs, delivering our award-winning Career Landscape support resources to accelerate the growth of our staff. We recognize the valuable skills and experiences our internal team members bring to SWCA’s continued success. Qualified internal candidates are encouraged to apply and will be seriously considered for this position. We believe in promoting from within, where possible, providing our existing employees with compelling opportunities to advance their careers.

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