About the opportunitySWCA Environmental Consultants is looking for a
Staff Biologist to support projects throughout Arizona, reporting to our Phoenix, AZ office. This office offers a unique work environment supporting renewable energy, transmission, mining, Federal and State regulatory work, and oil and gas clients. A key element of this job will be to work independently and in some cases to supervise an environmental survey crew in the field.
This is a full-time, hourly position, with benefits and is eligible for remote work from locations allowing reasonable access to projects in southern Arizona.
SWCA Environmental Consultants is a growing employee-owned firm with 1,650 employees, providing a full spectrum of environmental services. Our Vision (the North Star) is to make SWCA the best workplace and industry leader in sustainability, bringing sound science and creative solutions to global environmental challenges while maintaining a dedication to employee ownership. We live our core values: we collaborate as #OneSWCA; we are #AlwaysLearning, we #NeverSettle, and we #GiveBack.
Application deadline: Our team will begin reviewing applications immediately, and interviews will be scheduled with qualified candidates on a rolling basis. The application process will remain open until we have received a robust pool of qualified candidates. Once we have identified suitable individuals, we may close the application process without prior notice. We appreciate the time and effort invested by all applicants and will carefully consider each submission.
What you will accomplishThe position will be a mixture of field and office work depending on project type. However, it is expected that 80% of time will be related to fieldwork occurring primarily in Arizona, but includes travel to locations within and outside of Arizona for up to two weeks at a time. This position will assist with a variety of natural resource field studies, assessments, and surveys.
Primary Duties Include:
- Complete natural resource field surveys, with an emphasis on botany
- Organize and assist with QA/QC and analysis of field data
- Assist with completion of technical reports
- Use GIS applications, including ArcGIS Field Maps and ArcGIS Online to complete data collection in the field
- Safely operate 4-wheel drive vehicles to access remote locations
- Performs a broad range of tasks related to a variety of wildlife, plant, and aquatic resources
- Troubleshoots routine problems with oversight
Staff Biologist responsibilities also include:
- Supervising a small crew while conducting environmental fieldwork.
- Independently assigning and directing the activities of others on behalf of SWCA, often in remote areas without immediate guidance from senior managers, to ensure quality and on-time delivery.
- Ensuring that employees understand their responsibilities and delegated tasks and being held accountable if crew members under your supervision are not performing their activities correctly, productively, and safely.
- Serving as a conduit of communication between employees and senior managers, including communicating issues to relevant senior managers.
- Receiving and resolving complaints from employees in the field.
- Monitoring team productivity and offering timely performance guidance, including determining when correction action is needed and delivering appropriate feedback.
Experience and qualifications for successRequired
- Minimum of a bachelor's degree in Biology, Ecology, Environmental Science, Natural Resource Management, or related life sciences field.
- Two (2) years' experience completing environmental field-based work.
- Ability to walk and conduct fieldwork for long hours, sometimes in inclement weather and rugged terrain
- Ability to access projects throghout Arizona
- Ability to carry equipment and supplies weighing up to 40 pounds
- Ability to travel up to 80% of time
Preferred
- Demonstrated experience in one or more of the following:
- Avian species identification
- Plant species identification
- Wetland delineations
- Wildlife surveys
- Pollinator species surveyswith benefits
- SSS habitat assessments
- Technical writing skills
- Knowledge of Federal and State environmental regulations
We are
100% employee-owned, and we build our success together. With offices across the United States, SWCA is one of the largest environmental compliance firms and ranks among Engineering News-Record's
Top 200 Environmental Firms. We offer a supportive, team-oriented work environment and competitive wages and benefits, including an 100% employee stock ownership plan (retirement).
At SWCA, we support our team members in developing their careers to make them leaders in their industry. Our Career Landscape initiative is a process and guide designed to help develop chart rewarding career paths for employees at SWCA. We encourage professional conference attendance, internal and external professional development and training programs, education reimbursement, a Science and Leadership Program, and bonuses for publications meeting certain criteria. All regular status employees are eligible to participate in SWCA medical, dental, vision, employee assistance, wellness, life and disability plans, and are eligible to participate in the SWCA 401(k) Profit Sharing Plan and Trust.
If you would like to contact SWCA regarding the accessibility of our website or need assistance completing the online application process due to a disability, please email accommodations@swca.com or call 1-480-581-5378. This contact information is for disability accommodation requests only. All other inquiries will not receive a response.
EOE - women, minorities, individuals with disabilities and veterans are encouraged to apply. At SWCA Environmental Consultants, we celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive work environment. We strongly encourage candidates from all backgrounds, including those with diverse experiences and veterans, to apply. We believe that a diverse and inclusive workforce enhances creativity, innovation, and overall organizational success.
SWCA is committed to salary equity and salary transparency for all its employees. In alignment with this commitment, SWCA posts good faith pay ranges in all its advertised job postings to promote pay equity and transparency.
A Staff Biologist in this Phoenix based position can expect an
hourly rate of
$23 - $30/hr. Actual pay within this range may depend on experience, qualifications, geographic location, client requirements where applicable, and other factors permitted by law. Regular-status employees are also eligible for performance bonuses. Candidates are also encouraged to consider SWCA's Total Rewards package, which includes a competitive Benefits package, forward-thinking workplace flexibility, outstanding corporate culture, award-winning career development, and more.
SWCA continues to invest deeply in career development programs, delivering our award-winning Career Landscape support resources to accelerate the growth of our staff. We recognize the valuable skills and experiences our internal team members bring to SWCA's continued success. Qualified internal candidates are encouraged to apply and will be seriously considered for this position. We believe in promoting from within, where possible, providing our existing employees with compelling opportunities to advance their careers.