Mid-level Wetland Scientist

Would you like to have a job that makes a direct, positive impact on local ecosystems? Our Ecology team in Richmond, Virginia is looking for a Mid-Level Wetland Scientist with 5+ years of experience.

The mission: You will play a pivotal role in leading and mentoring our Richmond ecology team, which comprises over five members. Your responsibilities will extend to overseeing project delivery within our Ecology division. Additionally, you’ll serve as an internal authority on current best practices and regulatory guidelines, offering valuable technical guidance on wetland delineations and ecological monitoring practices.

The ideal candidate will possess demonstrated technical expertise and a track record of delivering high-quality projects. Management skills would be beneficial as you will be tasked with mentoring junior team members in wetland delineations and mitigation monitoring events, with potential managerial responsibilities.

This role entails a balanced split between field and office work, with approximately 50% of time spent in each setting. Occasional overnight travel within the state of Virginia is expected, averaging around four weeks per year, with RES providing accommodation and meals. A natural curiosity about ecology and a genuine passion for ecological restoration are essential. Additionally, the ability to traverse 2 to 5 miles outdoors across various wetland and rugged terrains is required.

What your day-to-day might look like?

Our team’s workload is diverse and varies seasonally, but is roughly 50% field work, 50% office time and includes:

• 25% Consulting services related to CWA 404 permitting including wetland delineations, Virginia state waters delineations, perennial flow determinations, USM forms, endangered species and habitat surveys, and other environmental site assessments. You will also be preparing pre-JD applications, reports about the establishment and monitoring of mitigation sites, and other regulatory submittals.
• 25% Mitigation monitoring, focusing on collecting detailed tabular and geospatial data on restored vegetation communities as well as occasional in-stream monitoring work and groundwater well data collection in our restored wetlands.
• 25% Staff training, management, and QAQC.
• 25% other tasks, including but not limited to invasive species mapping, restoration feasibility site visits, technical input on restoration projects, assisting in team scheduling, and other administrative duties associated with team leadership.

Please note that this is not an exhaustive list of responsibilities that this position entails.

Qualifications

We would like to talk to you if you have many of the following:

• 5+ of experience in ecological consulting services
• 3+ years of leading Waters of the U.S. delineations
• A bachelor’s degree in ecology, botany, forestry, or other natural science.
• Staff supervision experience
• Strong working knowledge of plant identification, vegetation surveys, and soil descriptions in the Mid-Atlantic region.
• Basic understanding of stream and wetland restoration design principles
• Experience working with federal and state resource and regulatory agency personnel and various permitting processes.

What will make you stand out:

• Certifications such as PWD, PWS, VSWD, or permits for endangered species collection.
• MS in an applicable environmental science field.
• Experience with HOBOware and well monitoring.
• Experience with Trimble GPS units, ArcGIS, and/or other ESRI data collection software.

VEVRAA Federal Contractor 

RES is an equal opportunity employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.