ESA seeks a Mitigation Specialist (Biologist) with 10+ years of relevant experience in identifying, developing, and implementing mitigation solutions for projects in Northern California. Familiarity with relevant environmental regulations and regulatory agency permitting processes in California is strongly encouraged. Qualified candidates with 5+ years of experience will also be considered.

Who We Are

We are a 100% employee-owned environmental consulting firm who values diversity and inclusion and celebrate the differences that make each of us unique. Our culture is built on mutual respect, recognizing that our variety of backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives leads to better solutions, which fosters our continued success for our employee-owners and clients.

Who You Are

A mitigation specialist with a minimum of 10+ years of experience in identifying, developing, and implementing mitigation solutions for projects in Northern California. These mitigation solutions may have included one or more of: permittee-responsible mitigation solutions, turn-key solutions, mitigation/conservation banks, habitat conservation plans/natural community conservation plans, or in-lieu fee programs. You are known for preparing documents that are clear, concise, well-written and supported, and for your ability to communicate effectively with a diverse group of colleagues and stakeholders. You have led or supported regulatory agency consultations for compensatory mitigation approvals for impacts to listed species or regulated aquatic resources.

You have a solid foundational knowledge of relevant environmental regulations and regulatory agency permitting processes in California, particularly in Northern California. This includes experience with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers; U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and NOAA Fisheries; California Department of Fish and Wildlife; and Regional Water Quality Control Boards. Experience in conservation planning, environmental science, regulatory permitting, restoration, wildlife biology, botany, or aquatic sciences is desirable to supplement technical mitigation knowledge.

You are an effective team member who proactively identifies and contributes constructively to address project challenges. As a project manager or task lead you have demonstrated experience in successfully executing projects within scope, budget, and schedule. You are driven by delivering projects that benefit ecosystems and communities and demonstrate a commitment to justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion. You work well independently and under the direction of a principal and are experienced in successfully delivering projects with competing deadlines.

At minimum, you hold a Bachelor's degree with major course work in environmental science, ecology, natural resources, biology, or a related interdisciplinary field.

What You Will Do for ESA

As a Mitigation Specialist you will support an expert team in identifying lands for conservation and restoration; working with landowners to implement mitigation projects on their property(s); developing mitigation documents; and coordinating regulatory approvals. This work will involve working closely with biologists, wetland scientists, engineers, hydrologists, planners, GIS professionals, and other. You may serve as lead author or analyst in developing Habitat Mitigation and Monitoring Plans, market analyses, crediting proposals, mitigation bank entitlement documents, endowment cost estimates, Mitigation Credit Agreements, or other mitigation proposals or supporting documents.

You will thrive in a fast-paced, challenging, and highly rewarding environment by managing multiple responsibilities and deadlines, while working on a team or independently. You will serve as the lead projects of moderate complexity, delegating assignments and mentoring less experienced associates. Working under the direction of a Principal Specialist on more complex projects, you will be responsible for coordinating across disciplines. You will use your strong writing skills and technical knowledge to prepare documents that are clear, concise, and wellsupported. You may also support field data collection and resource surveys.

In all of your work, you will: demonstrate and perpetuate values of diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging in your interactions with other ESA employee-owners, clients, teaming partners, and vendors/contractors; treat others with respect, empathy, and dignity; continuously seek opportunities to increase personal awareness and deepen understanding and growth related to systemic inequities and the impact of biases and micro-aggressions in the work place; and commit to speaking up and/or addressing inappropriate or exclusionary behaviors.

What's Special About ESA

Joining ESA means becoming part of a close-knit team of environmental professionals who contribute to outstanding projects, improve environmental stewardship, and advance a more sustainable and resilient future for our communities and wild places.

At ESA, we provide benefits such as medical, dental, and vision insurance (paid at 70% for you AND your family), annual allocations of company shares through our ESOP, a 401(k) plan with company match, and paid vacation, sick leave, and holidays, to name a few.

We also provide specific programs whether you want to further your technical expertise, sharpen your business acumen, or help lead the next generation of employee-owners. We want to support you in reaching your career goals through tuition reimbursement, professional development bonuses, and attendance at conferences.

For this position with 5+ years of experience, the position range is $81,042 - $137,545 annually based on our anticipated hiring locations as noted in the above job details. If hired at a more advanced level with 10+ years of experience, the position range is $96,728 - $164,167 annually based on our anticipated hiring locations as noted in the above job details. Actual compensation is determined by a number of factors including but not limited to an individual's related experience, education, skills, and the city in which the applicant lives.

What's Special About Our Biological Resources and Land Management Team in Northern California

Protecting the environment while supporting local community needs is more important and challenging than ever. Our Biological Resources and Land Management (BRLM) Team uniquely partners across all of ESA's practices to deliver solutions to in the Natural Resources Management, Water, Transportation, Energy, Community Development and Airport sectors. Our biologists, botanists, wetland scientists, conservation planners, and regulatory specialists:

• survey landscapes to identify natural resources;

• inventory, research, and study species populations;

• identify ways to avoid, minimize, and mitigate project impacts;

• plan for regional conservation and restoration;

• help design and permit sustainable and resilient solutions;

• provide biological monitoring to protect sensitive resources during construction; and

• monitor the evolution of restored areas against site goals and objectives.

Our services help improve habitat and species conservation throughout Northern California.

We value creative thinking, teamwork, and multi-disciplinary and cross-disciplinary engagement and integration. To read about some of the exciting projects we have recently completed, check out ESA's project page:

In accordance with ESA's duty and responsibility to provide and maintain a safe workplace that is free of known hazards and to minimize the exposure to potential hazards, any employee who works from an ESA office or conducts any other in-person ESA work-related activity is required to submit their proof of vaccination status or have received an approved exemption and accommodation.

ESA is an Equal Opportunity Employer, committed to a diverse and inclusive work environment. (EOEM/V/F/D)