Wetland Scientist/Lead Wetland Delineator

CIVIL & ENVIRONMENTAL PRACTICE

Michael Baker 's civil engineering professionals manage and staff active projects in over 40 countries on five continents. Services are provided for a broad range of projects and capabilities, including highways, airports, bridges, rail and transit systems, government and commercial facilities, water and wastewater infrastructure, oil and gas infrastructure, and commercial/urban development. Our fields of expertise span all areas of civil engineering and include an extensive variety of specialty disciplines, such as environmental compliance and restoration, coastal engineering, urban development, and mining.

DESCRIPTION

This Wetland Scientist/Lead Wetland Delineator will lead environmental studies, including wetland delineation, habitat assessments, preparation of NEPA documentation and permit applications. Support technical engineering projects in NJ and NY by leading environmental document preparation and applications for State (NJDEP – required; NYSDOT/NYSDEC - desirable) and Federal permitting.

RESPONSIBILITIES

You will also prepare applications for state agencies (NJ experience required, NY preferred) and federal permitting for transportation projects. You will leverage knowledge of NEPA regulations and the tenets of other environmental laws, rules and regulations to prepare technical reports and develop project proposal scopes and costs. You will use GIS software to prepare map products and represent the Environmental Group at public meetings for complex transportation related projects.

Environmental Specialists are an integral part of the team and work closely with planners and engineers through project scoping, design, construction and beyond. They provide technical guidance to junior environmental staff and assist and/or lead in proposal development, which includes developing environmental scopes, schedules and budgets. 

ROLE ACCOUNTABILITIES

• Identify potential permitting requirements and develop permitting strategy to provide guidance to internal and external teams and clients
• Use strong technical writing and communications skills to support the development of technical reports, work plans, memoranda, and other environmental documents necessary to develop permit applications and supporting materials for various regulatory agencies
• Support the preparation of permit applications and supporting materials in accordance with specific NJDEP and USACE regulatory requirements
• Conduct wetlands and waterbodies delineations, flora/fauna surveys, and/or threatened and endangered species field surveys in accordance with NJDEP and USACE regulatory requirements
• Support task management to assist with the growth of new and existing client relationships through delivery of quality work and data
• Hybrid work structure allowing remote and office work as needed
• Field assessments related to ecological aspects of projects, requiring knowledge of GPS systems and the ability to conduct fieldwork for long hours and in difficult terrain.
• Travel requirements for field assessments

 PROFESSIONAL REQUIREMENTS

• Bachelor’s degree in environmental science, biology, ecology or a related field
• 8+ years of related experience
• Relevant regional working knowledge and experience in supporting the preparation of permit applications and obtaining permits in New Jersey
• Experience working with interdisciplinary teams to support the development of comprehensive reports/permit applications
• Experience with NJDOT design process (e.g. preparation of Preliminary Engineering Technical Environmental Studies)
• Conduct environmental analyses for NEPA documents
• Knowledge of NEPA regulations and the tenets of other environmental laws, rules, and regulations
• Experience with transportation and non-transportation infrastructure and development project (e.g. highways, facilities, freight rail, transit, DOD, DOI, energy, land management) for private sector clients and public agencies is desirable
• Must be proficient with Esri, ArcGIS software as well as Microsoft Office
• Interest in and/or experience with evaluating project compliance with state and federal laws and environmental and regulatory processes such as NJDEP and USACE
• Proficiency with using hand-held Trimble GPS is a plus
• Proficiency with using MicroStation or AutoCAD is a plus
• Bat survey experience is a plus
• Professional Wetland Scientist or Wetland Professional in Training Certification is a plus

COMPENSATION

The approximate compensation range for this position is $120,000 - $135,000. This compensation range is a good faith estimate for the position at the time of posting. Actual compensation is dependent upon factors such as education, qualifications, experience, skillset, and physical work location.