Wildlife Ecologists (Staff and Managerial Level)

H. T. Harvey & Associates, an ecological consulting firm with four offices in Northern California and one in Hawaii, is growing its San Joaquin Valley wildlife team. They are looking for staff-level and senior (project manager-level) wildlife ecologists with strong expertise in wildlife species and habitats of the Central Valley and/or Central Coast. The anticipated pay range for this position is $69,000―$109,500 annually plus a generous benefits and bonus program. 

What it’s like to work with us

H. T. Harvey & Associates has a reputation for deep scientific expertise and a high caliber of work in pursuit of our mission to create ecologically sound solutions to our clients’ complex natural resource challenges. The new wildlife ecologists will become part of the 12-person team and will work with other wildlife ecologists and experts in botany, land management, conservation planning, ecological restoration, and landscape architecture. The San Joaquin Valley office team has particular experience in projects pertaining to transportation (e.g., Caltrans and High Speed Rail); solar energy development; agricultural drainage issues; ESA and CESA permitting; endangered and threatened species surveys, assessments, and monitoring; and conservation land assessment, preservation, and management. 

Our staff-level ecologists spend time both in the field and in the office (whether physically in the office or working remotely). When in the field you may conduct surveys and monitoring for special-status wildlife and plant species, serve in the role of an agency-approved Designated Biologist for specific projects, complete habitat assessments, and assist with research and data collection. When not doing field work, you’ll contribute to biological resource reports, support processes to obtain regulatory permits, and build your consulting skills and experience by collaborating with senior staff. 

Project managers will have the opportunity to apply your expertise as the lead biologist on projects, helping to develop solutions to ecological challenges in the San Joaquin Valley as well as in the broader Central Coast and Sierra Nevada regions. The work will require local species expertise, a strong background in regulatory issues, and solid technical writing skills. Successful project managers possess a high level of personal organization and apply critical thinking to develop a project-specific approach. Many of our clients seek our expertise with the goal of going above and beyond project requirements, giving us the opportunity to contribute to projects that benefit the environment. Externally project managers serve as the liaison with clients, project team members, and agency contacts and work on proposals and business development efforts. 

What are some of the important types of projects and habitats we work on out of the San Joaquin Valley office? 

• Providing long term monitoring and supporting stewardship programs of conservation lands
• Supporting the development of renewable energy, energy infrastructure, and transportation projects
• Working on water projects related to drain water, conveyance, and groundwater storage
• Assessing meadows and watersheds in the Sierra Nevada 
• Developing and overseeing integrated invasive plant management programs
• Implementing the conservation programs of regional Habitat Conservation Plans and other large-scale habitat conservation programs 
• Conducting survey, population monitoring, and permitting projects involving Swainson’s hawk, burrowing owls, San Joaquin kit fox, kangaroo rat species, blunt-nosed leopard lizard, San Joaquin antelope squirrel, giant garter snake, Western pond turtle, golden eagles, California tiger salamanders, and vernal pool branchiopods 
• Working with large private landowners to develop mitigation and conservation banks 

Competencies, skills, and experience

We assume those who want to join our company as an ecologist have a strong and relevant academic background as well as prior applicable experience. We aim to hire team members who strive for excellence in their everyday work and who are interested in continually improving their scientific knowledge and collaborating with experts in other fields. 

In addition to having strong ecological training and experience, candidates applying for a staff-level position should have:

• 2–6 years of applicable professional experience
• Prior experience authoring and editing technical reports, with demonstrated exceptional writing ability (e.g., via transcripts, personal references, or a submitted writing sample)
• Ideal candidates would also have experience with a variety of special-status wildlife species and their habitats in the greater Central Valley and/ or Central Coast and the ability to serve as a Designated Biologist for projects in the region.

In addition to the skills listed above, the ideal candidates applying for a management-level position would have: 

• At least 4–8 years of applicable professional experience including at least 1 year of management experience
• Specialization in wildlife ecology 
• Prior experience with federal and state biological permitting processes, preferably in California
• Prior experience assessing project impacts within regulatory frameworks (CEQA and NEPA)
• Exceptional and proven technical writing ability
• Excellent communication and collaboration skills 
• Desire to learn and apply new skills
• Willingness to travel and work in a range of locations and terrains

If you don’t have all the items above, but have a good portion of them, we still welcome you to submit your application so we can learn more about you! 

Compensation

The anticipated pay range for a staff-level position is $67,000—$92,000 annually, and the anticipated pay range for a management-level position is $93,000—$109,500 annually, with a generous benefit package and bonus plan. Actual salary will depend on a range of factors including length, relevancy, and type of work experience, education, permits held, skill set, and competencies. More details on our employment package are included below. 

A few other nitty gritty details

This position requires the future employee to:

• Follow best practices for field safety
• Hold a valid driver’s license with no major traffic violations or multiple minor violations
• Walk over varied terrain for surveys and work in inclement weather

How to apply

To start the application process, please submit your resume and a cover letter through our applicant portal. In your cover letter please:

• tell us about your strengths, including specialized area(s) of expertise  
• what you hope to get from your next position
• whatever else you’d like to share that isn’t obvious from your resume

Ultimately, we’ll ask candidates who move forward in the process for references and a work sample and potentially academic transcripts, but if you don’t have them handy now, they can be submitted later. 

Please combine your cover letter and resume into one file. 

Employment Package, Benefits, and Work Culture

We strive to support employees' career goals and their health and wellness. Our employment package includes a competitive salary, a generous benefits package, and a bonus program.

Health insurance

H. T. Harvey & Associates has always placed a strong emphasis on health and wellness. At the center of these offerings is our top-notch medical coverage (Cigna PPO and Kaiser Permanente HMO plans) along with Health Savings Account (HSA) and Flexible Savings Account (FSA) options. For full-time employees who opt in to one of our plans, we cover 100% of the premiums for that employee. Additional options include 50% premium coverage for spouses, domestic partners, and children. The package also includes dental and vision coverage at no cost to the employee. Pro-rated plan options are available for those who work at least 50% time. 

Retirement benefits

We offer a 401(k) plan with a 33% employer match. The plan offers nearly 50 fund choices including a notable number of socially responsible investment fund options. 

Time off

Employees accrue paid vacation, personal days, and sick leave time. Additionally, full-time employees receive 5 personal days and 10 company holidays annually, including Martin Luther King, Jr. Day for voluntary participation in a National Day of Service.

Professional development

In addition to having a core value of ongoing development of scientific and professional expertise, we support participation in external training and certification programs, attendance at conferences and workshops, and membership in and engagement with scientific and professional associations. We also offer presentation, poster, and publication bonuses. 

Flexible work arrangements

We offer flexible schedule options during the work week, with employees working from both company and home offices. Our goal is to facilitate collaboration and accommodate business needs while providing flexibility to employees. 

About H. T. Harvey & Associates 

H. T. Harvey & Associates is an ecological consulting firm based in the San Francisco Bay Area, with four offices in California and one in Hawaii. The Los Gatos headquarters office is proudly certified as a Santa Clara County Green Business. Our core areas of expertise are wildlife ecology, plant ecology, aquatic ecology, restoration ecology, and landscape architecture. We hire people who strive to be the best in their fields and provide training, support, and work opportunities to grow their expertise. We have been cultivating excellence in our staff and work in pursuit of our mission to create ecologically sound solutions to our clients’ complex natural resource challenges for more than 54 years. 

H. T. Harvey & Associates is an Equal Employment Opportunity employer. We encourage people of all backgrounds and abilities to apply. We do not discriminate based on race, religion, color, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, age, veteran status, disability status, or any other applicable characteristics protected by law.