Environmental Scientist III

Dewberry; Virginia (MN); On-site; USD 81,000 - 104,000; Full time

Job summary

Dewberry, in Richmond, VA, seeks an Environmental Scientist to lead field efforts for wetlands delineations, habitat surveys, and stream assessments. You will work with professionals to secure federal, state, and local permits under CWA 404/401, ESA 7, and NHPA 106, mentoring entry-level staff and coordinating field work with project managers.

Ideal candidates have 5–10 years of experience, strong report writing skills, and knowledge of Virginia environmental regulations, with travel to support

Qualifications

• Bachelor of Science in Environmental Science, Biology, Ecology, Environmental Studies, Forestry, Wildlife Biology, or related field is required. An advanced degree (Master’s) is a plus.

Responsibilities

• Serve as Technical field lead for wetland delineations, habitat assessments, soil assessments, and vegetation inventories.
• Coordinate field visits with staff, clients, and regulatory agencies.
• Prepare environmental permit applications and post-permit compliance monitoring.
• Document and summarize results of field investigations, and develop project execution plans.
• Provide client and regulatory agency coordination and mentor field staff.

Skills

Team leadership

Field coordination

Written & verbal comms

Travel ability

Education

BS in Environmental Science or related field

MS in Biology/Environmental Science (plus)

Tools

ArcGIS Pro

Field Maps

Survey 123

Microsoft Office

Job description

Dewberry is currently seeking an Environmental Scientist to join our Richmond office. The individual will be responsible for leading field efforts for wetland delineations, habitat assessments/surveys for threatened and endangered species, stream assessments, and various other ecological field work as necessary. The candidate will work with a team of environmental professionals and engineers to secure federal, state, and local environmental permits for clients. As such, candidates should have experience working with and permitting projects under the CWA Section 404/401, Endangered Species Act Section 7, and Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA). The individual we seek for this position will serve as a mentor for entry level environmental field staff and will assist Project Managers with coordinating field work and completing environmental report writing. This candidate should possess a working knowledge of the flora and fauna of the mid-Atlantic region.

Dewberry is a leading, market-facing professional services firm with more than 60 locations and 2,500 professionals nationwide. What sets us apart from our competitors is our people. At Dewberry, we seek out exceptional talent and strive to deliver the highest quality of services to our clients. Whether you’re an experienced professional or a new graduate, you’ll have the chance to collaborate with the best and brightest and work on innovative and complex projects at the forefront of the industry. Our commitment to excellence stems from our personal integrity and from other defining attributes, which we call “Dewberry at Work,” that have inspired our employees to be successful for more than a half-century.

Responsibilities

• Serve as a Technical field lead for Wetland Delineations, T&E habitat assessments and surveys, soil assessments, hydrology and vegetation inventories, and various other site assessments.
• Coordinate field visits with staff, clients, and regulatory agencies.
• Evaluate site conditions and select wetlands identification, mitigation and regulatory approval strategies.
• Prepare environmental permit applications for Federal, State and Local agencies. Complete post permit compliance monitoring.
• Document and summarize results of field investigations and analyses.
• Prepare plans, specifications, maps, exhibits and supporting documentation for client and regulatory approvals.
• Provide client and regulatory agency coordination.
• Support proposal preparation, contract execution, and budget/schedule adherence.
• Perform technical work and develop project execution strategies.Serve as technical lead and mentor for entry level field staff.
• Technical report writing.
• QAQC.

Required Skills & Experience

• A Bachelor of Science in Environmental Science, Biology, Ecology, Environmental Studies, Forestry, Wildlife Biology, or related field is required. An advanced degree (Master’s) in Biology, Botany, Conservation Biology, Environmental Science & Policy, Hydrogeology or related field is a plus.
• 5-10 years of work experience is required.
• Capability to execute and coordinate environmental permitting and environmental assessment activities with internal/external clients and regulatory agencies.
• Proficiency with ESRI Products (ArcGIS Pro, Field Maps, Survey 123) is preferred.
• Knowledge of Virginia environmental regulations and permitting, 1987 U.S. Army Corps of Engineer’s Wetland Delineation Manual and Piedmont/Coastal Plain Supplements, Unified Stream Assessment (USM) Tool for Stream Mitigation Credit determination, Perennial Flow Determinations, and Chesapeake Bay Act Resources and Identification.
• VDEQ Professional Wetland Delineator/Virginia Surface Water Delineator (PWD/VSWD) required, or with ability to obtain within one year of employment.
• Sediment and Erosion Control Inspector and/or natural stream restoration design certification (Rosgen) is a plus. Specific species experience (i.e. Small Whorled Pogonia) a plus.

Additional Requirements

• Ability to work in a team environment.
• Regular field work in a variety of seasonal conditions.
• Proficient in Microsoft Office Suite.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Local and occasional statewide travel is required (70/30 split between field and office).
• At this time, Dewberry will not sponsor a new applicant for work authorization.
• Dewberry is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability, protected veteran status, gender identity or sexual orientation.
• Only recipients of an offer of employment from Dewberry, will be required to submit to a background screening which may include, but is not limited to, employment verification, educational and other credential verification, driving record check, criminal background check, and an investigative consumer report. These screenings will be conducted by Dewberry’s background vendor of choice and will be conducted in compliance with all applicable federal, state, and local law.

Salary Range

The projected range for this position is $81,000-$104,000 annually in our Richmond, VA office. Depending upon other factors, i.e., skills, experience, location, market conditions, the range may vary slightly.