Aquatic Habitat Biologist

Four Peaks Environmental Science & Data Solutions (Four Peaks) is a growing environmental science and engineering firm serving public and private entities mainly in the Pacific Northwest. We help clients solve challenges in the aquatic environment requiring expertise in aquatic research, water resource management, data science, and regulatory compliance. Our mission is to provide data-driven, cost-effective solutions, and the highest level of customer service to our clients.

The Opportunity

Four Peaks is seeking a mid-level staff scientist specializing in Aquatic Habitat Biology to join our team. This position will play a support role in ongoing Endangered Species Act (ESA) consultations. The ideal candidate will have an expert understanding of techniques for field sampling and modeling instream and riparian habitat related directly to consultations conducted on projects involving ESA-listed fish species in the Pacific Northwest and California. Additionally, the incumbent will have a strong technical background in fish ecology or fisheries management.

Key Responsibilities

• Conduct field surveys to assess aquatic and riparian habitat conditions, including stream morphology, channel substrate composition, mesohabitat composition, and riparian vegetation community structure.
• Use remote sensing techniques to gather spatial data on aquatic and riparian habitats, such as satellite imagery and aerial photography, including drone footage.
• Analyze data collected from field surveys and remote sensing to characterize aquatic and riparian habitat quality and identify potential stressors.
• Develop and implement habitat suitability models to assess the effects of flow dynamics on fish habitat quantity and quality.
• Conduct statistical analyses to summarize habitat status and trends and to estimate effects of actions.
• Collaborate with interdisciplinary teams to integrate habitat biology findings into broader environmental assessments and management plans.
• Provide technical and strategic support to other company projects that have an aquatic or riparian habitat component.
• Prepare technical reports and presentations summarizing research findings and recommendations for clients and stakeholders.
• Interacting with clients and Four Peaks staff; Note: Four Peaks encourages a hybrid working environment but the incumbent is expected to attend in-person meetings and contribute to a team-focused working environment.

Required Qualifications

• Minimum of a graduate degree (MS or PhD) in Aquatic Ecology, Fisheries Biology, Environmental Science, or related field plus 3-5 years of experience in aquatic habitat biology, with a focus on stream habitat assessment and modeling. Ten years of professional experience with a bachelor’s degree will be considered in lieu of a graduate degree.
• Proficiency in field survey techniques for assessing aquatic habitats, including experience with habitat sampling protocols and data collection methods
• Familiarity with remote sensing tools and software for analyzing spatial data, such as GIS and image processing software
• Experience developing and applying habitat suitability models to assess the effects of flow on fish habitat
• Experience integrating hydrodynamic model output (e.g., from models like HEC) with habitat simulation models (e.g., S3, PHABSIM)
• Strong analytical and quantitative skills, with the ability to interpret complex data sets and communicate findings effectively
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to prepare technical reports and present findings to diverse audiences

Desired Experience

• Additional experience implementing or working with National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) hydroelectric project licensing/relicensing regulations
• Specific regulatory experience in PNW and California
• Previous consulting experience
• Experience managing fishery resources, particularly salmonids
• Publishing peer-reviewed journal articles related to fish biology, ecology, conservation biology, or other related disciplines

Location

This position will, ideally, be located in our Hood River, Oregon office, but we will consider candidates who are located near our Seattle, Wenatchee, or North Bonneville, Washington offices as well.

Four Peaks Employee Benefits

Four Peaks is committed to ensuring a diverse, equitable, and inclusive community. You’ll be joining a team committed to positively impact our local, regional, national, and global communities—those same communities in which we operate. We live our commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion at Four Peaks as core values through how we hire, promote, and develop our team. We are determined to pursue these values to build a more diverse, equitable, and inclusive day-to-day workplace and company culture.

Our salary and benefits package includes:

• Performance-based incentive compensation
• Employer-sponsored medical, dental, and vision insurance
• 401k program with employer match
• 10 paid holidays and a generous paid time off program
• Cell phone allowance
• Annual profit and performance-based bonus