Biologist

WHO WE ARE
Supported by more than 3,400 employees in nearly 100 locations across the United States, we provide a full continuum of engineering and consulting services, including design, planning, architectural, environmental, construction and program management. Our clients include U.S. federal, state and municipal governments, foreign allied governments, and a wide range of commercial clients. Michael Baker is committed to delivering a standard of excellence that fosters a culture of innovation, collaboration and technological advancement to help solve our clients' complex challenges.

PLANNING PRACTICE
We create, integrate, visualize and communicate planning concepts as they move from the initial vision through implementation. Our planning professionals build strong client partnerships, working with residents, businesses, developers, educational and medical organizations, state and local governments, the military and other federal agencies to successfully plan the future of their communities or institutions. At Michael Baker International, we focus on people and places, improving communities and creating more sustainable, convenient, equitable, healthful, efficient, and attractive places.

DESCRIPTION
Michael Baker is seeking a highly motivated Candidate with the ability to complete biological tasks for various types of projects in the southern California region, specifically Riverside, San Bernardino, and Imperial counties. The ideal Candidate would have a strong working knowledge of survey and reporting standards, compliance regulations, land use planning, and regulatory permitting. Experience conducting and managing the following tasks through completion is required: general biological resource field surveys, vegetation community mapping, focused botanical and wildlife surveys, aquatic resources delineations, and construction monitoring. Additionally, the position requires coordination and preparation of environmental review documents, coordination with agency staff and clients, preparation of proposals, critical thinking and solution-oriented approaches to problems, daily planning of assignments and tasks, and additional duties as assigned.

RESPONSIBILITIES

The successful candidate would be part of a team that services a variety of projects associated with land development (e.g., residential, commercial), public works (e.g., flood control, transportation, water resource), habitat restoration, and other market sectors. Responsibilities would include leading day-to-day biological services at the direction of the Natural Resources Manager in the Temecula office and working collaboratively with Michael Baker's extensive network of in-house professionals including other natural resource experts, environmental planners, land development specialists, regulatory specialists, engineers, hydrologists, and GIS analysts. A balance of field survey days and WFH/office days will vary from week-to-week and seasonally.

Typical tasks may include, but not be limited to:

• Lead local and regional field survey efforts
• Conduct stream/wetland mapping and prepare regulatory agency permit applications
• Compliance coordination and monitoring during the construction phase of a project
• Technical research and report writing (e.g., general biological resources reports, focused survey reports, mitigation plans, technical memos, MSHCP consistency analyses, etc.)
• Train and mentor internal staff on environmental requirements at the project and technical study level
• Manage personal workload and coordinate schedule with group manager
• Manage task orders and budgets
• Participate in business development and marketing efforts, as needed
• Prepare proposals, interact with clients, and participate in contract interviews

QUALIFICATIONS

• Bachelor's degree in Biology, Botany, Ecology, Resource Management, or related field
• Applicable advanced degrees and permits/MOUs from the USFWS or CDFW for plant voucher collecting and wildlife species surveys are beneficial
• 5+ years of experience with biological services-oriented work including involvement and proficiency with regulatory permitting and compliance per CEQA, NEPA, CWA, MBTA, CFGC, FESA, and CESA
• Strong background in botany and identification of southern California plants
• Experience leading and conducting biology surveys, including vegetation mapping and focused species surveys
• Experience leading and managing compliance programs for the construction and implementation phase of projects
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills to articulate technical knowledge and analyses in reports, team meetings, and client interactions
• Knowledge of the Western Riverside MSHCP and Coachella Valley MSHCP
• Strong computer skills using the Microsoft Office Suite
• Working knowledge of ArcGIS tools and search functions

COMPENSATION
The salary range for this position is $79,000 - $119,000. This will be dependent on the experience and expertise of the incoming candidate.

BENEFITS
We offer a comprehensive benefits package including:

• Medical, dental, vision insurance
• 401K Retirement Plan
• Health Savings Account (HSA)
• Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA)
• Life, AD&D, short-term and long-term disability
• Professional and personal development
• Generous paid time off
• Commuter and wellness benefits
• Workplace Flexibility: Whether you want to work in the office, at home, or in a hybrid model, we accommodate a variety of preferences. We recognize our employees face many factors when it comes to selecting the best work location, and we are passionate about providing options and flexibility.