Biologist III - AECOM

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AECOM is actively seeking a full-time Natural Resources Biologist III 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 any of our Southern California offices including San Diego, Los Angeles, Orange or Long Beach.

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.

Minimum Requirements:

• Bachelor’s Degree in related field (biology, ecology, project management/controls, etc.)
• 4 years of relevant experience or demonstrated equivalency of experience and/or education in natural resources project management focused on terrestrial biology, field experience with special status species of southern California, and knowledge of regulatory requirements.
• Occasional travel may be required.
• Valid driver license required and must be able to safely drive to job sites.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Master’s Degree in related field (biology, ecology, or project management/controls)
• 6+ years of experience in natural resources project management.
• Be in (or willingness to relocate to) the southern California area to serve clients throughout the region.
• Experience managing small and large-scale multi-disciplinary environmental projects, involving planning, permitting, compliance, and pre- and post-construction phases.
• Strong leadership and diplomacy skills.
• Thrives independently and as part of a team.
• Demonstrated successful marketing/business development experience.
• Experience with blue carbon/carbon sequestration quantification.
• Strong technical writing skills on environmental technical documents supporting project coverage under the ESA, CESA, CWA, NEPA, CEQA, etc.
• Strong organizational skills and proactive communicator.
• Candidate must be flexible and willing to support multiple projects as needed.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office: Word, Excel, and PowerPoint; Ability to create and maintain tracking spreadsheets and documents.

• Due to the nature of the work, US Citizenship is required.

About AECOM

AECOM is proud to offer a comprehensive benefits program to meet the diverse needs of our employees. Depending on your employment status, AECOM benefits may include medical, dental, vision, life, AD&D, disability benefits, paid time off, leaves of absence, voluntary benefits, perks, U.S. and global well-being programs, employee assistance program, business travel insurance, service recognition awards, retirement savings plan, and employee stock purchase plan.

AECOM is the world’s trusted infrastructure consulting firm, delivering professional services throughout the project lifecycle – from advisory, planning, design and engineering to program and construction management. On projects spanning transportation, buildings, water, new energy and the environment, our public- and private-sector clients trust us to solve their most complex challenges. Our teams are driven by a common purpose to deliver a better world through our unrivaled technical and digital expertise, a culture of equity, diversity and inclusion, and a commitment to environmental, social and governance priorities. AECOM is a Fortune 500 firm and its Professional Services business had revenue of $14.4 billion in fiscal year 2023. See how we are delivering sustainable legacies for generations to come at aecom.com and @AECOM.

Freedom to Grow in a World of Opportunity 

You will have the flexibility you need to do your best work with hybrid work options. Whether you’re working from an AECOM office, remote location or at a client site, you will be working in a dynamic environment where your integrity, entrepreneurial spirit and pioneering mindset are championed.

You will help us foster a culture of equity, diversity and inclusion – a safe and respectful workplace, where we invite everyone to bring their whole selves to work using their unique talents, backgrounds and expertise to create transformational outcomes for our clients.

AECOM provides a wide array of compensation and benefits programs to meet the diverse needs of our employees and their families. We also provide a robust global well-being program. We’re the world’s trusted global infrastructure firm, and we’re in this together – your growth and success are ours too.

Join us, and you’ll get all the benefits of being a part of a global, publicly traded firm – access to industry-leading technology and thinking and transformational work with big impact and work flexibility. As an Equal Opportunity Employer, we believe in each person’s potential, and we’ll help you reach yours.

All your information will be kept confidential according to EEO guidelines.