Applied Ecology, Inc., a small environmental consulting business with a rapidly expanding footprint, is seeking a highly motivated and capable Mid-level Environmental Scientist to join our growing team. AEI has three offices located in Florida and is a regional leader in water resources, ecological and natural resources, geospatial, and environmental remediation and compliance services. As a small business, we are involved in diverse, yet challenging environmental projects that require innovative approaches and out of the box solutions. Our business model provides a great setting for an individual passionate about conducting research to solve real-world environmental problems while learning from a highly qualified team of scientists and engineers. This position is ideal for someone who enjoys a mixture of office and field work and prefers a high-energy environment working on diverse projects ranging from uplands to wetlands and freshwater to coastal systems.
Environmental Scientists at AEI apply their knowledge of natural resources to design studies, conduct research, and recommend policy and program solutions for environmental problems. Qualified candidates must have demonstrated experience and expertise in natural resources and ecological issues relevant to Florida and the southeastern US. Competency is desired in one or more areas including water quality, environmental compliance, coastal management, resiliency and adaptation planning, shoreline restoration and monitoring, environmental protection policies and programs, and/or permitting. In this role, the qualified candidate will have the opportunity to further develop both project management skills, interact with clients, and work on exciting small and large-scale projects. The ideal candidate has a minimum of 5 years of professional experience in environmental applications, solid technical writing skills, willingness to step into project management, and be a great communicator and collaborator.
Interested applicants, please submit a cover letter and resume addressed to Dr. Leesa Souto, Director of Operations, Applied Ecology, Inc.
Responsibilities
- Effectively organize, write, and edit technical reports, environmental assessments, data collection memos, and other documents.
- Conduct field work such as surface, stormwater, and groundwater sampling, soil and sediment sampling, and other environmental monitoring including vegetation and habitat data collection, listed species surveys, submerged aquatic vegetation surveys.
- Lead a field team and ensure safety and data collection protocols are strictly being enforced, including in terrestrial, marine, and lacustrine environments.
- Coordinate with a multidisciplinary team of scientists and engineers to design research and field sampling methods to solve real-world environmental problems.
- Collect elevation and location data of various assets and structures to measure erosion and accretion processes, sea level rise impacts, and increased flooding as part of coastal resiliency planning and vulnerability assessments.
- Work to avoid or minimize environmental impacts and develop permitting strategies for in-house and client restoration projects.
- Assist with permit applications and regulatory compliance.
- Support Sr. Project Managers by assisting with scopes of work and estimated costs, coordinating teams, and tracking tasks and budgets.
- Assist with development of proposal materials, including technical approach and capability statements.
- Recommend and evaluate various solutions to control, fix or prevent environmental problems.
- Advise governmental organizations, businesses and the public on potential environmental hazards and health risks.
- Present at public workshops and community forums as needed to gather input on policy recommendation, restoration activities, adaptation planning and other activities.
- Work on multiple projects and tasks to complete them within the budget and timeline.
- Effectively communicate with clients, regulatory agencies, and subcontractors.
Minimum Requirements
- B.S. or B.A. in Environmental Science, Biology, Sustainability, Geology, Fisheries and Wildlife, Ecology, or Natural Resources (Masters preferred).
- 5 years of progressive experience in environmental science and natural/water resources management.
- 2 years of experience in data analysis and/or technical reporting.
- Exposure to water quality monitoring and water quality issues in the State of Florida
- Fieldwork experience in Florida/Southeastern natural habitats
- Ability to work in the field in various types of weather, and the ability to lift heavy equipment (30 pounds) required, as well as stand, bend, twist, and walk for 8 hours a day.
- Excellent verbal, written and interpersonal communication and presentation skills.
- Experience trailering and handling small watercraft.
- Ability to swim and snorkel.
- Proficiency in using Microsoft Office suite.
- A valid Florida Driver’s license is required, and a clean driving record must be maintained.
- Must be able to pass drug testing and a background check.
- Ability to work on DOD contracts (US citizenship required).
Preferred Qualifications
- Groundwater, stormwater, soil, and sediment sampling experience.
- Stream Habitat Assessment, Stream Condition Index, Lake Vegetation Index and other aquatic vegetation certifications and experience.
- Wetland assessment and Section 404/401, state and local permitting experience.
- Expertise using Excel or Access.
- Scuba certification.
- GIS
Applied Ecology, Inc. is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Our firm is committed through responsible management policies to recruit, hire, promote, train, transfer, compensate, and administer all other personnel actions without regard to race, color, ethnicity, national origin, age, religion, disability, marital status, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, genetic information, status as a protected veteran and any other factor prohibited under applicable federal, state, and local civil rights laws, rules, and regulations.