ESA Regulatory Lead

Four Peaks Environmental Science & Data Solutions, LLC (Four Peaks) has an employment opportunity for a Endangered Species Act (ESA) regulatory lead to support our growing fisheries and water resources practices. This position will play a lead role in ESA consultations and provide technical and strategic support to other regulatory projects that have an ESA nexus. The ideal candidate will have an expert understanding of Section 7 regulations and subject matter expertise related directly to consultations conducted on projects involving ESA-listed fish species in the Pacific Northwest and California. Additionally, incumbent will have a strong technical background in fish ecology or fisheries management.

This is a senior-level position and requires regular interactions with clients and Four Peaks staff. 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. We are therefore looking for someone that is based out of either our Seattle, Wenatchee, or Hood River offices.

Summary of Duties

 The successful candidate will join our quantitative team and will focus on the following tasks and duties:  

• Provide expert level interpretation of ESA regulations
• Work effectively with representatives from NOAA Fisheries and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
• Support federal, state, Tribal, and municipal agencies and utilities with ESA compliance
• Successfully manage large-scale consultation efforts related to river restoration, hydropower, irrigation, and other project types
• Produce high quality written documents including reports and technical memoranda
• Conduct basic statistical analyses necessary to depict population trends and characterize project impacts
• Cultivate client relationships and identify future business development opportunities
• Support other fish ecology related projects on as needed basis
• Work effectively with other members of a multidisciplinary team

Summary of Employee Benefits

• 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

Qualifications

Minimum Qualifications

• Graduate degree (M.S. or Ph.D.) and 5 years of relevant industry or consulting experience. 10 years of professional experience with a bachelor’s degree will be considered in lieu of a graduate degree
• 5 years of direct experience working on ESA Section 7 consultations
• Experience working on complex and/or controversial projects
• Professional or academic training related to fisheries ecology, conservation biology, or fisheries management

Desired Experience

• Additional experience implementing or working with National Environmental Policy Act and Federal Energy Regulatory Commission hydroelectric project licensing/relicensing regulations
• Specific regulatory experience in the Pacific Northwest 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

About Us

Four Peaks is a growing environmental science and engineering firm serving public and private entities 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.

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.