Lead Biologist — Hybrid/Remote with Mentorship & Strategy

SWCA, Incorporated; Half Moon Bay (CA); Hybrid; USD 120,000 - 190,000; Full time

Job summary

SWCA Environmental Consultants is seeking a Lead, Senior, or Principal Biologist for our Half Moon Bay, CA office. The role blends high-level biology expertise with leadership, project management, and business development, with opportunities for mentorship and staff coordination.

This is a full-time, salaried position that can operate in a hybrid or remote capacity from most locations in the San Francisco Bay area. The pay is competitive and benefits include an ESOP retirement plan.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in biology, ecology, environmental science, or a related field.
• Six (6) years of experience in biological surveys and resource management.
• Familiarity with Endangered Species Act, CEQA, NEPA, and related permitting and strategy.
• Experience coordinating with scientists, planners, engineers, contractors, and agency specialists.
• Experience managing subcontractors and writing technical reports.

Responsibilities

• Strategic project leadership, overseeing technical approach, QA/QC.
• Lead and mentor staff, coach on technical excellence and strategy.
• Coordinate cross-disciplinary collaboration and client relationships.
• Identify and pursue new business opportunities and project scopes.
• Prepare and present scientific findings and regulatory reports.

Skills

Project management

Mentorship

Leadership

Communication skills

Report writing

Education

Bachelor's degree in biology, ecology, environmental science, or related field

Master's degree in biology, ecology, environmental science, or related field

Job description

About the opportunity

SWCA Environmental Consultants is seeking a Lead, Senior, or Principal Biologist with experience in natural resource management and biological studies for our Half Moon Bay, CA office. We are seeking a candidate who is looking to develop or continue a long-term consulting career that combines high-level technical expertise, business acumen, and the potential for leadership. Responsibilities may include project management, business development, natural resource planning, leading surveys, and staff coordination. An important aspect of the work will involve staff mentorship and technical review of reports.

This position is a regular, full-time, salaried/exempt position and can be worked in a hybrid or remote capacity from most locations in the San Francisco Bay area. Pay rate will be competitive, based on individual qualifications and experience. SWCA offers a team-oriented work environment, competitive salaries, and a competitive benefits package, including an employee stock ownership retirement plan (ESOP).

We are considering candidates for the below levels:

• Lead Biologist – Typically with at least six (6) years of relevant experience and expertise
• Senior Biologist – Typically with at least eight (8) years of relevant experience and expertise
• Principal Biologist - Typically with at least ten (10) years of relevant experience and expertise

Application Deadline: Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis, and interviews may be scheduled as qualified candidates areidentified.Thisposition may close without prior notice once a strong candidate pool isestablished.

What you will accomplish

• Strategic Project Leadership: Strategically consults on and leads complex projects in pursuit of client objectives, overseeing the technical approach and ensuring quality assurance and quality control.
• Exemplary Leadership: Leads by example in both technical and soft skills, navigating client and team priorities to deliver projects that meet professional and oversight agency standards.
• Technical Expertise & Innovation: Innovates standards and practices to enhance the quality and efficiency of client projects and outcomes, ensuring alignment with industry and regulatory standards. Serves as a go-to technical expert and consultant, providing novel project strategies and applying technical excellence that considers client needs to meet project requirements.
• Project Accountability: Continuously guides projects, executing accountability for the performance of projects or delegated tasks and ensuring that project milestones are met and outcomes align with SWCA's values and client expectations. Assesses risks and implements strategies for problem-solving. Revises or suggests revisions to project scopes, schedules, and budgets as necessary to meet evolving project requirements and ensure successful outcomes.
• Business Growth & Innovation: Drives business growth and client success through technical excellence, innovation, and development of new methods and standards that advance SWCA's technical reputation. Contributes to SWCA's strategic planning.
• Cross-Disciplinary Collaboration: Champions cross-disciplinary collaboration, working closely with specialists to provide comprehensive technical support for projects.
• Mentorship & Team Development: Mentors staff for impactful influence, coaching others in technical excellence, leadership, and strategy, and also develops specialized programs and protocols. Fosters team development and cross-training, modeling and promoting knowledge sharing and collaboration among team members to enhance project outcomes, as well as team depth and redundancy.
• Relationship Management: Establishes and grows effective consultative relationships with external and internal clients and/or agency regulators and industry partners (if applicable) to support successful projects.
• Publishes and Presents Findings: Leads the preparation and presentation of scientific and regulatory findings, contributing to the body of knowledge and enhancing SWCA's reputation in the field.
• Follows applicable federal, Tribal, state, local, industry, contractual, and company regulations, standards, and specifications.
• Performs related work as assigned.

Additional Job-Specific Responsibilities

Job responsibilities for Senior/Principal levels will involve leading more complicated, larger and potentially multi-disciplinary projects and pursuits.

• Serve as project manager or technical lead on a variety of biological resource projects.
• Identify and pursue new business opportunities.
• Take initiative and resolve issues to assure client needs are addressed.
• Coordinate and/or lead biological survey and reporting efforts, including jurisdictional waters permitting.
• Work closely with SWCA’s other resource scientists, planners, on natural and cultural resource projects throughout the company.
• Work closely with a project team to develop innovative approaches to resource assessment that meet client needs and can withstand agency and public scrutiny.

Experience and qualifications for success

• Bachelor’s degree in biology, ecology, environmental science, or a related field
• Six (6) years of experience in biological surveys and resource management in either the public or private sector.
• Wildlife and/or plant identification skills; familiarity with the federal and state Endangered Species Act, California Environmental Quality Act, National Environmental Policy Act, state and federal jurisdictional waters permitting and strategy, and excellent writing skills required.
• Experience of working with scientists, planners, engineers, contractors, and agency specialists.
• Experience managing subcontractors and ensuring technical excellence.
• Experience in writing technical reports.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Masters degree in biology, ecology, environmental science, or a related field highly preferred
• Twelve (12) years of experience in biological surveys and resource management in either the public or private sector.
• The ideal candidate will also possess strong wildlife and/or plant identification skills; familiarity with the federal and state Endangered Species Act, California Environmental Quality Act, National Environmental Policy Act, state and federal jurisdictional waters permitting and strategy, and excellent writing skills required.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

• Ability to promote SWCAs services internally and externally.
• Ability to take initiative, resolve problems and ensure tasks are completed in the most effective manner.
• Ability to work as member of a team and independently to make decisions and complete tasks in the most effective manner. Willingness to learn and grow into increased project-management and supervisorial responsibilities