Ecologist

GHD; Houston (TX); On-site; USD 70,000 - 100,000; Full time

Job summary

GHD in Houston, TX, is seeking a mid-level Ecologist to join the Natural Resources, Impact Assessment & Permitting team. The role focuses on field surveys, data collection, and preparing environmental reports and permit applications for federal, state, and local agencies.

The chosen candidate will lead field activities for wetlands and habitat assessments, work with regulatory bodies, and support cross-disciplinary environmental initiatives while traveling to job sites as needed.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Environmental Science, Environmental Management, Biology, Ecology or related field.
• Approximately 3–5 years in environmental consulting or similar.
• Experience with USACE Section 10/404, USFWS, TPWD, TCEQ permitting preferred.

Responsibilities

• Serve as a field lead for natural resource surveys, including wetland delineations and habitat assessments.
• Support the collection of biological, chemical, and ecological data to inform environmental assessments and risk projects.
• Prepare technical reports and permit applications for federal, state, and local agencies.
• Collaborate with regulatory bodies to ensure compliance with environmental regulations.
• Support permitting efforts for energy, transportation, water, land development, and manufacturing sectors; experience with maritime permitting is valued.
• Contribute to a multidisciplinary team and mentor junior staff.

Skills

Wetland delineations

Habitat assessments

Technical writing

Regulatory permitting

Field leadership

Education

Bachelor's/Master's in Environmental Science/Ecology/Biology/Environmental Management

Job description

Job Description

Join a global professional services leader! We are committed to solving the world’s biggest challenges in the areas of water, energy and urbanization. Our US Central Environmental business is looking for a mid-level Ecologist to join their Natural Resources, Impact Assessment & Permitting team based in Houston, TX. In this role you will join a growing team of ecologists/scientists, assist with the management of projects, assist in the collection of biological data and prepare environmental reports and permit applications for federal, state, and local government agencies. This role is ideal for a field‑savvy professional with strong technical writing and permitting experience, who thrives in dynamic outdoor environments and enjoys translating field data into meaningful regulatory documentation.

The selected candidate will serve as a field lead, demonstrating expertise in natural resource surveys such as wetland delineations and habitat assessments. Preference will be given to individuals who are adaptable, eager to expand their skill set, and capable of applying their field experience to support a diverse range of environmental teams and initiatives.

Responsibilities

• Serve as a field lead for natural resource surveys, including wetland delineations and habitat assessments for rare, threatened or endangered flora and fauna.
• Support the collection of biological, chemical, and ecological data to inform environmental assessments and/or to support risk assessment projects.
• Prepare technical reports and permit applications for federal, state, and local agencies.
• Collaborate with regulatory bodies to ensure compliance with environmental regulations.
• Apply your field expertise to support permitting efforts for a range of industries, including energy (pipelines, facilities, renewables), transportation, water infrastructure, land development, and manufacturing. Experience with public sector and maritime/coastal permitting is also highly valued.
• Contribute to a multidisciplinary team by sharing field insights and supporting junior staff development.
• Support existing GHD clients with the implementation of efficient and innovative solutions to address their project needs.
• Potential cross‑disciplinary support for other environmental service lines such as EHS compliance, emergency response, and contamination assessment & remediation.
• Personal Capability Building: Develop own capabilities by participating in assessment and development planning activities as well as formal and informal training and coaching; gain or maintain external professional accreditation, where relevant, to improve performance and fulfill personal potential. Maintain an understanding of relevant technology, external regulation, and industry best practices through ongoing education, attending conferences, and reading specialist media.
• Health, Safety, and Environment: Follow the organization’s health, safety, and environment (HSE) policies, procedures, and mandatory instructions to identify and mitigate environmental risks and risks to the well‑being of self and others in the workplace. Identify patterns of risky behaviour within the team and take appropriate action to resolve them, escalating serious issues as appropriate.
• Client & Customer Management (External): Manage relationships with small clients while also helping senior colleagues manage relationships with larger key clients and customers.
• Project Management: Work within an established project management plan to achieve specific goals.
• Bid Solicitation/Request for Proposal/Tender Preparation: Gather information and resources, and draft and complete standard requests for bid solicitation requests for proposal (RFP) and requests for tender (RFT) on the requester side.
• Community of Practice Management: Participate in a community of practice in a defined area of expertise or consulting to begin to build own expertise.
• Solutions Analysis: Analyze specific problems and issues to find the best solutions. Solutions could be technical or professional in nature.
• Insights and Reporting: Prepare and coordinate the completion of various data and analytics reports.

Education

• Bachelor’s and/or Master’s degree in Environmental Science, Environmental Management, Biology, Ecology or related field.

Experience

• Approximately three to five (3‑5) years of experience in environmental consulting or similar experience.
• Professional certification such as a Professional Wetland Scientist (PWS), Certified Wildlife Biologist (CWB), Certified Environmental Professional (CEP), or qualifications/willingness to obtain such certifications preferred.
• Expertise with local, state and federal environmental regulations and permitting requirements; particularly those associated with USACE Section 10/404, USFWS, TPWD, TCEQ.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills with the ability to work both within a team and independently.
• Excellent organizational skills with ability to prioritize projects and tasks in a fast‑paced environment.
• Able and willing to travel to job sites as needed for field activities.
• Able to lift 50 lbs, and work in potential inclement weather.

As a multicultural organization, we encourage individual achievement and recognize the strength of a diverse workforce. GHD is an equal opportunity employer. We provide equal employment opportunities to all qualified employees and applicants without regard to race, color, religion, genetic information, national origin, sex (including same sex), sexual orientation, gender identity, pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions, age, disability or handicap, citizenship status, service member status, or any other category protected by federal, state, or local law.