Restoration Ecologist

Westervelt Ecological Services (WES), is a national leader in mitigation and conservation. We are a private company established in 2006 that provides conservation and restoration solutions that we design and manage to help meet local, State and Federal compliance requirements for impacts to streams, wetlands, and wildlife.  Our professional staff contributed to over 30,000 acres of habitat nationwide, implementing restoration projects protecting and restoring vital natural resources. We challenge ourselves to develop big, complex projects, that maximize local benefits beyond habitat restoration to flood management, water quality, and climate change; we are dedicated to implementing restoration projects that provide long-lasting benefits for future generations Our comprehensive and complex mitigation projects require a highly skilled multi-disciplinary team so we have assembled a team that is considered “Best of Class” in their respective areas of expertise – come join us.

The Restoration Ecologist works collaboratively within a multi-disciplinary team in the planning, design, and execution of habitat restoration for Westervelt Ecological Services’ Southeast Region projects including conducting site investigations, collecting baseline data, design development, and construction oversight.  The Restoration Ecologist prepares documents (e.g., management plans, monitoring reports) that convey the conservation value and/or restoration potential of proposed projects to both internal and external parties. Successful candidates in this position will oversee projects during development, construction, and performance monitoring. This position provides a unique opportunity to remain involved in a restoration or conservation project from concept to completion.  

Primary Duties and Responsibilities: 

• With other WES team members, and technical consultants, assist in the site selection process for new WES restoration project sites to meet Clean Water Act Section 404, Endangered Species Act, and other federal, State, or local regulatory requirements.
• Assist or lead in the development and implementation of restoration activities including development of short- and long-term management plans, grazing and noxious weed management plans, success and performance criteria, planting plans, seed mixes, and wetland/stream hydrology studies.
• With other WES team members, develop a restoration vision and concept design. The Restoration Ecologist must understand and possess the ability to convey to others the ecological framework that supports proposed restoration activities and projected outcomes.
• Develop documentation and convey information to Resource Agencies necessary for project implementation and demonstration of success and performance criteria.
• Assist or lead in the formulation of success and monitoring techniques.
• Coordinate baseline studies, installation of monitoring wells, test plots, or other efforts associated with site due diligence.
• Coordinate and/or perform data collection and analysis in collaboration with field crews, consultant teams, and designers/engineers.
• Participate with other team members in ongoing communication and site visits, as needed, with the resource agencies on success, management, and maintenance of the site.
• Other duties and responsibilities as assigned.

Required Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in Ecology, Biology, Wetland Science, Hydrology, Restoration Ecology or related field
• Five years experience with implementation oversight and monitoring of habitat restoration projects, including wetland and stream re-establishment and revegetation
• High level of knowledge of wetland native plant species and communities and wetland types
• Experience with Microsoft Office products including Word, PowerPoint, and Excel
• Excellent communication skills
• Data analysis experience
• Understanding of the ecological and political environments that lead to project success

Preferred:

• Master’s degree
• Direct experience with mitigation projects
• Training in Stream SOPs/SQTs or HGM approach
• GIS experience