Director Biological Jobs (NOW HIRING)

The Biological Resources Team Lead at Sapphos Environmental Inc. (SEI) works under the direction of the Biological Resources Manager or Director to provide oversight and leadership to Biological Resources Team members. The Biological Resources Team Lead focuses on leading teams of three to seven people to implement substantial work efforts to support preparation of Biological Resources Technical Reports, jurisdictional delineations, biological resources and wetland input to environmental documents, pre-construction surveys for biological resources, and construction monitoring for biological resources. The Biological Resources Team Lead should have demonstrated competency in Biological Resources management: state and Federal Endangered Species Acts, California Fish and Game Code, natural resources databases, survey techniques, southern California plant communities, and identification of plant and wildlife resources. Must also have a working knowledge of CEQA, NEPA and other applicable federal, state and local statutes and regulations. The Biological Resources Team Lead oversees and mentors a group of biologists in their performance of managing clients, projects, contracts, deliverables, and components of multi-disciplinary work efforts. The Biological Resources Team Lead facilitates people, projects and components of projects with related responsibilities in seven core competencies: leadership and collaboration, business acumen, marketing focus, technical proficiency, firm-focused behaviors, emotional intelligence, and safety. Versatile and proven team player with demonstrated competency in relation to SEI Right Attitudes. The Biological Resources Team Lead is normally responsible for overseeing up to seven people assigned to completion of a specific task. These work efforts may be undertaken in diverse environments and may require being deployed to offsite locations for extended periods of time.

Responsibilities

• Monitor the assigned Biological Resources Team members’ performance in support of project tasks.
• Monitor contract compliance consistent with Kantata Project Management Information Software (PMIS). Understand and articulate the status of all projects and contracts under the assigned Biological Resources Team section.
• Available to serve as a project manager for work efforts (tasks) assigned to the Biological Resources Team (e.g., biological input to California High-Speed Rail projects) and independently lead and prepare deliverables for multiple projects, including the coordination and scheduling of personnel, deliverables, and project budgets.
• Write, for Supervisor or Manager review, technically and procedurally adequate, legally defensible, organized, accurate, and grammatically correct technical documents.
• Support development and scripting of Worker Education and Awareness Programs.
• Attend meetings with clients consistent with the requirements of the work efforts to provide expertise related to biological resources.
• Advise and assist coworkers regarding biological resources issues.
• Effectively delegate to and empower Biological Resources Team members as appropriate.
• Coordinate and facilitate preparation of and review work products by Biological Resources Team Coordinators, Analysts, Interns, and Subconsultants.
• Under direction of Biological Resources Supervisor or Manager, develop and/or refine templates for biological resources technical documents procedures for biological resources investigations.
• Effectively use Kantata, including resource management, project scope, controls, and delivery for assigned work efforts and work efforts assigned to the Biological Resources Team.
• Oversight of assigned Biological Resources Team members including:
• Technical onboarding of Biological Resources Team members on technical procedures and policies.
• Mentor and develop Biological Resources Team staff.
• Provide input to evaluations, conducted by a Supervisor or above, including development of professional and education goals.
• Review work products prepared by Biological Resources Team members for presentation to a Supervisor, Manager, or Director.
• Participate in invoicing and project kickoff/closeout procedures of Biological ResourcesTeam members.
• Write, for Supervisor or Manager review, scopes of service, cost estimates, and schedules for statements of qualifications, proposals and contract amendments, and sub-contract agreements (consistent with marketing procedure in terms of approval authority) for work efforts up to $450,000.
• As required by the project scope, make competent, accurate, well-prepared, and illustrated public presentations related to biological resources and participate in project-related public meetings (scoping, public review, and certification).
• Develop and maintain professional business relationships, participate in business outreach, participate in company and department presentations, and secure contract work.
• Provide input to go/no-go decisions as appropriate.
• Develop and manage key client relationships, as assigned in the business and marketing plan.
• Develop Safety Plans for projects.
• Ensure Biological Resources Team members are provided with appropriate equipment within authorized spending limit and requisition when in excess of authorized spending limit.
• Prepare and present training sessions.

Required Qualifications

• Master’s degree, or bachelor’s degree and 3 years of relevant experience in Biology, Botany, Environmental Sciences, Ecology, or other related field.
• 4+ years of biological fieldwork experience in California.
• Must have achieved the majority of the core competency skills specified for a Biological Coordinator and 75% of the core competency skills for the Biological Resources Team Lead or Specialist.
• Design and implementation of field investigations in accordance with at least two guidance documents for biological resource investigations:
• California Native Plant Society (CNPS) CNPS Botanical Surveys or California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) Survey Protocols
• USFWS or CDFW Species-specific Survey Protocols for special-status wildlife species
• U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) 1987 COE Wetland Delineation Manual
• CDFW Lake and Streambed Alteration application guidance
• City and County guidance documents for resources protected by Ordinance; and conservation plans for regional wildlife and wildlife movement
• Strong technical writing and technical verbal communication skills.
• Competency in using company PMIS for budget, resource, and schedule tracking.
• California regulatory compliance and oversight experience.
• Demonstrated experience in project management.
• Knowledge of California plant and wildlife communities, in at least one of the provinces in California.
• Experience with CEQA and NEPA regulatory compliance.
• Stakeholder relationship building, coordination and cooperation experience.
• Experience in determining the appropriate field investigations to be undertaken to support preparation of a Biological Resources Technical Report, or field studies required to support local environmental permits.
• Ability to independently complete work efforts and work products valued up to $100,000.
• Demonstrated knowledge in two of the three key biological resource categories required: jurisdictional wetlands, sensitive plants, entomology, birds, herpetofauna, or mammals, or multiple listed species in one biological resource category.
• Experience in organizing, executing, and documenting internal staff and external client meetings.
• Dispute resolution and problem-solving skills that can be applied to team oversight and guidance, particularly in the field.
• Ability to lead 3–7 biologists to complete a field investigation or construction monitoring.
• Understanding of the basic regulatory framework for protection of biological resources.
• Ability to define work efforts, work products, estimated cost, and schedule for work efforts up to $450,000.
• Support respectful relationships with coworkers, clients and agency personnel to sustain long-term client relationships and repeat business.
• Successfully complete mandatory Anti-Harassment Workplace Violence Prevention, and First Aid/CPR trainings, and conduct themselves in accordance with the training.
• Use company resources in accordance with Standard Operation Procedures, including Company Safety Plan and project-specific Safety Plans.