Wildlife Ecologist, San Joaquin Valley (Full-time)

H. T. Harvey & Associates, an ecological consulting firm with four offices in Northern California and one in Hawaii, is looking for an experienced ecologist for a full-time position in our San Joaquin Valley office. The anticipated pay range for this position is $67,000―$90,000 annually plus an incentive bonus plan and a generous benefits package and participation in an annual incentive bonus program. Actual compensation will be commensurate with experience and qualifications.

What it’s like to work with us
H. T. Harvey & Associates has a reputation for deep scientific expertise and a high caliber of work in pursuit of our mission to create ecologically sound solutions to our clients’ complex natural resource challenges. As a new team member, you’ll become part of the 11-person Fresno office and report to an experienced senior ecologist and project manager. You'll work collaboratively with other wildlife ecologists as well as experts in botany, land management, conservation planning, ecological restoration, and landscape architecture. Our projects are in the San Joaquin Valley as well as in the broader Central Coast and Sierra Nevada regions. The San Joaquin Valley office team has particular experience in projects pertaining to transportation (e.g., Caltrans and High Speed Rail); solar energy development; agricultural drainage issues; ESA and CESA permitting; endangered and threatened species surveys, assessments, and monitoring; and conservation land assessment, preservation, and management. 

Our ecologists spend time both in the field and in the office. When in the field you might work on special-status population surveys and monitoring, impact analyses, or habitat assessments. When not doing field work, you’ll prepare permit applications, biological resource reports, and natural resource management plans. 

What are some of the important types of projects and habitats we work on out of the San Joaquin Valley office? 

• Providing long term monitoring and supporting stewardship programs of conservation lands 
• Supporting the development of renewable energy, energy infrastructure, and transportation projects
• Working on water projects related to drain water, conveyance, and groundwater storage
• Assessing meadows and watersheds in the Sierra Nevada 
• Developing and overseeing integrated invasive plant management programs 
• Implementing the conservation programs of regional Habitat Conservation Plans and other large-scale habitat conservation programs 
• Conducting survey, population monitoring, and permitting projects involving Swainson’s hawks, burrowing owls, San Joaquin kit fox, kangaroo rat species, blunt-nosed leopard lizard, San Joaquin antelope squirrel, giant garter snakes, western pond turtle, golden eagles, California tiger salamanders, and vernal pool branchiopods 
• Working with large private landowners to develop mitigation and conservation banks 

Competencies, skills, and experience
We assume those who want to join our company as an ecologist have a strong and relevant academic background as well as prior applicable experience. We aim to hire team members who strive for excellence in their everyday work and who are interested in continually improving their scientific knowledge and collaborating with experts in other fields. In addition to having strong ecological expertise, the ideal candidate should have a combination of some or all of the following:

• Specialization in at least one ecological domain (wildlife or plant ecology) 
• Prior experience with federal and state biological permitting processes, ideally in California
• Exceptional and proven technical writing ability
• Excellent communication and collaboration skills 
• Desire to learn and apply new skills
• Willingness to travel and work in diverse environments

If you don’t have all the items above, but have a good portion of them, we still welcome you to submit your application so we can learn more about you! 

A few other nitty gritty details

This position requires the future employee to:

• Follow best practices for field safety
• Hold a valid driver’s license with no major traffic violations or multiple minor violations
• Walk over varied terrain for surveys and work in inclement weather

How to apply
To start the application process, please submit your resume and a cover letter through our applicant portal. In your cover letter please:

• tell us about your strengths, including specialized area(s) of expertise  
• what you hope to get from your next position
• whatever else you’d like to share that isn’t obvious from your resume

Ultimately, we’ll ask for references and a work sample and potentially academic transcripts, but if you don’t have them handy now, they can be submitted later. 

Please combine your cover letter and resume into one file and apply here. 
 
H. T. Harvey & Associates Employment Package, Benefits, and Work Culture
We strive to support employees' career goals and their health and wellness. Our employment package includes a competitive salary and a generous benefits package. 

Health insurance
H. T. Harvey & Associates has always placed a strong emphasis on health and wellness. At the center of these offerings is our top-notch medical coverage (Cigna PPO and Kaiser Permanente HMO plans) along with Health Savings Account (HSA) and Flexible Savings Account (FSA) options. For full-time employees who opt in to one of our plans, we cover 100% of the premiums for that employee. Additional options include 50% premium coverage for spouses, domestic partners, and children. The package also includes dental and vision coverage at no cost to the employee. Pro-rated plan options are available for those who work at least 50% time. 

Retirement benefits
We offer a 401(k) plan with an employer match (an especially high percentage for a company of our size!). The plan offers nearly 50 fund choices including a notable number of socially responsible investment fund options. 

Time off
In addition to paid time off, employees receive 10 more paid company holidays, including Martin Luther King Day for voluntary participation in a National Day of Service.

Professional development
We support ongoing professional development with peers and senior leadership and through external training. We encourage participation and membership in scientific and professional associations and offer presentation, poster, and publication bonuses. 

Flexible work arrangements
We offer flexible scheduling options during the work week, with employees working from both company and home offices. Our goal is to facilitate collaboration and accommodate business needs while providing flexibility to employees. 

About H. T. Harvey & Associates 
H. T. Harvey & Associates is an ecological consulting firm based in the San Francisco Bay Area, with four offices in California and one in Hawaii. The Los Gatos headquarters office is listed as a Santa Clara County Green Business. Our core areas of expertise are wildlife ecology, plant ecology, aquatic ecology, restoration ecology, and landscape architecture. We hire people who strive to be the best in their fields and provide training, support, and work opportunities to grow their expertise. This year we are celebrating more than 50 years of cultivating excellence in our staff and work in pursuit of our mission to create ecologically sound solutions to our clients’ complex natural resource challenges. 

H. T. Harvey & Associates is an Equal Employment Opportunity employer. We do not discriminate based on race, religion, color, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, age, veteran status, disability status, or any other applicable characteristics protected by law. We encourage people of all backgrounds and abilities to apply.