Senior Biologist & Field Lead, SoCal Permitting

Jacobs; San Diego (CA); Hybrid; USD 175,919,520 - 274,900,080; Full time

Job summary

Jacobs is seeking a Senior Biologist to lead and support biological resource and environmental compliance efforts across Southern California. You will apply technical and regulatory expertise to plan, lead, and execute biological surveys and environmental permitting for transportation, utilities, and other projects, balancing field leadership with office-based work.

Aligned with one of our Southern California offices (Irvine, San Diego, or Los Angeles), you will mentor staff, coordinate with

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Biology, Wildlife Biology, Ecology, Environmental Science, or a closely related field with a biological emphasis.
• Eight (8) or more years of progressively responsible experience as a professional biologist or environmental consultant.
• Permits or demonstrated experience with the following species and/or survey techniques.

Responsibilities

• Lead and participate in biological field surveys, impact assessments, and resource evaluations for a variety of projects throughout Southern California.
• Serve as a technical lead for projects involving federally and state-listed and protected species.
• Prepare and review technical deliverables, including biological survey reports, technical memoranda, mitigation and monitoring plans, and environmental compliance documents.
• Support environmental compliance efforts under CEQA, NEPA, California Fish and Wildlife Code, ESA sections 7 and 10, and local regulations.
• Coordinate directly with regulatory agencies such as USFWS, CDFW, and local jurisdictions.
• Develop avoidance, minimization, and mitigation strategies to support project planning and permitting success.
• Lead tasks, support project budgets and schedules, and contribute to client communication with project managers.
• Provide mentorship, training, and technical oversight to junior biologists and field staff.
• Support Jacobs’ safety culture by following safety procedures and field protocols.
• Act as a champion of Jacobs’ TogetherBeyond culture of inclusion, collaboration, and professional development.

Skills

Biology

Environmental permitting

Field surveys

Regulatory knowledge

Team leadership

Education

Bachelor's degree in Biology or related field

Job description

Jacobs is seeking a Senior Biologist to lead and support biological resource and environmental compliance efforts across Southern California. You will apply technical and regulatory expertise to plan, lead, and execute biological surveys and environmental permitting for transportation, utilities, and other projects, balancing field leadership with office-based work.

Aligned with one of our Southern California offices (Irvine, San Diego, or Los Angeles), you will mentor staff, coordinate with