Ecologist

AECOM is actively seeking an experienced Ecologist III/Statistician to join our California Natural Resources Group.  This is a full-time, remote position that can be based anywhere within the Western Region of the U.S. and will report directly to our Southern California NR team.This position would support numerous natural resource projects throughout the western United states, including California, the Great Basin region, and the southwest. There may be the potential for occasional field work through the western United States. Primary duties will be threefold: 1) eagle and listed species impact assessments and permitting, 2) statistics and modeling, 3) raptor studies. The position will lead complex permitting and compliance projects focused on Golden and Bald Eagles, federally listed species covered under the Endangered Species Act and state-sensitive species.Responsibilities will require a working knowledge of leading impact assessments and developing permitting strategies, preparing permit applications and background technical materials, maintaining permit compliance, and performing associated task/client management duties. The position will require a strong background in ecological statistics and modeling including proficiency with statistical software (e.g., R, SAS, SPSS) and modeling approaches such as general linear and Bayesian models. Responsibilities will also include directing raptor studies such as nest monitoring, avian use surveys, post-construction mortality monitoring, and protocol surveys for such species as Swainson’s Hawk, Golden and Bald Eagles, and Burrowing Owls. Other focuses may include supporting development of Resource Conservation Plans, Eagle Conservation Plans, Habitat Conservation Plans, and Bird Bat Conservation Strategies. Candidate will coordinate with clients and resource agency staff, lead complex permitting projects involving eagles and other listed species and participate in public review processes.Projects and clients can include renewable energy, transportation, and energy transmission sectors, with an emphasis on clients in the public sector such as federal and municipal entities.Responsibilities include but are not limited to:Manages projects with complex permitting needs and large-scale field effortsOversees or authors advanced technical documents such as Eagle Conservation Plans, Habitat Conservation Plans, Biological Assessments, Bird Bat Conservation Strategies, Incidental Take Permit Applications, etc.Develops monitoring plans, avoidance/minimization strategies and adaptive management approaches for eagles, other raptors, and listed wildlife speciesDevelops electronic data collection protocols and effectively manages large volumes of dataEstablishes and oversees robust QA/QC protocolsConducts modeling and analyses on large datasets to inform impact analyses and mitigation approaches, particularly for raptor impacts, and ultimately permitting approachesDirects a large team to complete field studies for raptorsTracks project financial performance and identify trends and deviations to project team with recommended corrective courses of actionOperates as primary point of contact for clients and resource agencies on projectsPerforms client management duties such as recurring status meetings, milestone check ins, and day-to-day interfacingCandidate will contribute to growth of department through marketing pursuits including proposal preparation, interviews, and business developmentPerforms project management duties such as forecasting, tracking, accounting updates, invoicing, progress reports, and schedulingDevelops work breakdown structure for control and integrity of work to be performed as and defined by the contractAbout 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 span a variety of market sectors and geographies and require innovative technical solutions to solve wide-ranging environmental problems.