Principal Ecologist – Energy

SLR Consulting; Houston (TX); Hybrid; USD 144,000 - 176,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, dental, orthodontia, vision

FSA/HSA

PTO accrual with 10 holidays

401(k) with company match

Life insurance

Short & long-term disability

Employee assistance program

Job summary

SLR Consulting (Americas) is seeking a Principal Ecologist to lead business development, client management, and delivery of complex ecological projects in the energy sector across North America. The role emphasizes regulatory navigation, technical leadership, and cross-disciplinary teamwork within the Ecology & Biodiversity practice.

The ideal candidate has 10–15 years in ecological sciences, strong client relationships in oil & gas and power, and a degree in biology or ecology.

Qualifications

• 10-15 years in ecological sciences with 5+ years in environmental consulting.
• Established energy sector relationships and ability to develop client opportunities.
• Experience in natural resource assessments, EIAs, mitigation plans, and regulatory approvals.
• Strong knowledge of environmental legislation and agency requirements.
• Commitment to excellent client service and building trusted relationships.
• Ability to work with multi-disciplinary teams across North America.
• Excellent communication with senior staff, disciplines, and clients.
• Degree in Biology, Ecology or Natural Sciences; MS is an asset.

Responsibilities

• Establish relationships with new energy-sector clients and maintain relationships with regulators and contractors.
• Identify, evaluate, and pursue opportunities; develop proposals and budgets.
• Manage complex projects with input and senior reviews of reports across sectors.
• Provide on-site technical expertise and fieldwork as needed during growth.
• Support technical disciplines within SLR and cross-team collaboration.

Skills

Client relationships

Business development

Regulatory knowledge

Team collaboration

Communication skills

Education

B.S. in Biology/Ecology/Natural Sciences

M.S. (asset)

Job description

Experience as a principal ecologist in the environmental consulting industry, with a focus on the energy sector including both oil & gas and power. Based in the Gulf Region, with flexible work options available. We are SLR Consulting (Americas), a 1500+ team of advisory, environmental, engineering, and regulatory professionals across Canada, the United States, and LATAM. We deliver environmental and sustainability services to our clients through the integration of over 30 advisory, technical environmental, and engineering disciplines to help clients address some of their most complex challenges around sustainability. We are Making Sustainability Happen. As a growing company, we’re always seeking to hire highly motivated and engaged professionals who are eager to help facilitate that growth. As our new Principal Ecologist, you will play an important role on a team whose work is essential to achieving this goal. You will take on business development, client management, technical leadership, and delivery of projects. You will contribute to our growth within the SLR business as well as our Ecology and Biodiversity team. We’ll look to you to bring in-depth ecological knowledge, with strengths in impact assessment, municipal, state, and federal regulatory frameworks, particularly as they relate to the energy sector. Additional knowledge of a wide range of business sectors would be a great asset, as you will assist with business development initiatives to help strategically grow the Ecology & Biodiversity practice.

Key responsibilities include:

• Establishing relationships with new clients in the energy sector and maintaining positive relationships with existing clients, regulatory agencies and contractors
• Identification, evaluation and ultimate pursuit of opportunities.
• Developing proposals and budgets with the financial acumen to ensure projects are delivered on time and on budget
• Managing complex projects, including management of input and senior review of technical reports across a variety of business sectors
• Performing on-site technical expertise and/or fieldwork; particularly during this growth phase of Ecology & Biodiversity in the Gulf Region.
• Providing technical expertise to other technical disciplines within SLR

Qualifications

• 10-15 years of experience in ecological sciences, with at least 5+ years in environmental consulting
• Established relationships and professional networks within the energy sector, with demonstrated ability to develop client relationships, identify opportunities and support business development
• Experience in natural resource assessments and inventories, environmental impact assessment, development and administration of mitigation plans, and obtaining regulatory approvals
• Strong knowledge of relevant environmental legislation, regulatory frameworks and agency requirements
• Demonstrated commitment to excellent client service and ability to build and maintain trusted client relationships.
• Ability to work effectively with multi-disciplinary teams across North America
• Excellent communication skills with the ability to interact with senior level staff, other technical disciplines and clients
• Degree (B.S.), in Biology, Ecology or Natural Sciences (M.S. is considered an asset)

Artificial intelligence is not being used to screen, assess, or select applicants.

SLR strives to build diverse teams that reflect the communities we work in, and encourages applications from traditionally underrepresented groups including women, visible minorities, Indigenous peoples, people identifying as 2SLGBTQI+, veterans, and people with disabilities.

We’re Making Sustainability Happen. We don’t have all the answers to the complex sustainability challenges faced by humanity today. But we’re working on it. We are a consultancy with 4,500+ employees, working on projects in over 125 countries around the world. When you join SLR, you’ll work alongside some of the world’s leading advisors and technicians on projects of global importance in the environmental space. We know sustainability starts from within. And no matter how good we are today, we can always do better. We continually work on our internal ethics to set the standard for organisations and reflect the advice we give to clients.

Here’s what else you’ll enjoy as part of our team:

• Competitive total compensation package including medical, dental, orthodontia, vision, FSA/HSA, generous PTO accrual, 10 paid holidays, 401(k) retirement account with company matching program, company paid life insurance, short- & long-term disability insurance, and employee assistance program.
• The salary range for this position is $160,000+ depending on the candidate’s experience, qualifications, and overall fit for the role.
• Full-time, permanent role with opportunities for professional growth and advancement.