Entry Level Ecological Design Jobs (NOW HIRING)

ESA seeks a highly motivated entry-level Engineer with 0-3 years' experience to join our team of engineers, hydrologists, geomorphologists, and landscape architects in Sacramento. This position will support a variety of creek, river, floodplain, and wetland projects in the Central Valley, Sacramento/San Joaquin Delta and throughout California. We are looking for a dedicated and enthusiastic team member with a passion for ecosystem restoration and nature-based solutions, and the desire to learn and grow. This is a full-time salary exempt role with hybrid work expectations. Candidates must be able to work in-office/hybrid from the Sacramento office location and be available to travel to other ESA office locations as needed for in-person team collaboration.

Who You Are 

• You have a Bachelor's degree in Civil or Environmental Engineering or a related degree and directly relevant qualifications, and EIT certification or the ability to obtain it within one year.
• You have education, training, and/or work experience in hydrologic and hydraulic analyses and modeling software (e.g. HEC-RAS, HEC-HMS, TUFLOW) and geographic information systems software (ArcGIS).
• Education, training, and/or work experience in the following is desirable but not required: AutoCAD Civil 3D; preparation of engineering plans, specifications, and cost estimates; river and wetland sciences (such as hydrology, geomorphology, and/or ecology).
• You are a capable problem solver who can work independently and collaboratively in a multi-disciplinary environment.
• You are an effective communicator with excellent oral and writing skills who can convey basic technical information clearly and concisely to individuals and small groups.
• You are a collaborative team member able to use various communication tools to effectively combine in-person and remote teamwork.

What You Will Do for ESA

Support design, analysis, engineering, and drafting for creek, river, floodplain, and wetland restoration, engineering with nature, climate change resilience, flood risk management, and other water resources and civil engineering projects under direct supervision of a senior engineer or hydrologist. Thrive in a fast-paced, challenging environment and be able to balance multiple responsibilities and deadlines, while working on a team or independently. Provided the appropriate direction, resources and support, you will independently solve simple to complex problems.

Primary duties will be to apply hydrologic and hydraulic models, GIS, and other analytical methods and tools to support multi-benefit projects. You will also have the opportunity to assist in the preparation of design plan sets, specifications, cost estimates, figures, and documentation, collect field data, and provide engineering support during project construction. 

Please note, as a part of the interview process you may be asked to prepare a presentation and/or provide a writing sample.

What's Special About Our Environmental Hydrology and Design Team in Northern CA

Our EH&D team includes engineers, engineers, hydrologists, geomorphologists and landscape architects. Much of our work is oriented toward the restoration of habitat and ecosystem function, often as part of multi-benefit projects. As a highly-integrated team, we value creative thinking, teamwork, and multi-disciplinary and cross-disciplinary engagement and integration. 

To read about some of our exciting projects, check out these links Dutch Slough, Lower Walnut Creek, Heron's Head Park Shoreline Resilience, Tomales Bay Living Shoreline, and Surfers' Point. 

What's Special About ESA

Joining ESA means becoming part of a close-knit team of environmental professionals who contribute to outstanding projects, improve environmental stewardship, and advance a more sustainable and resilient future for our communities and wild places.

At ESA, we provide benefits such as medical, dental, and vision insurance (paid at 70% for you AND your family), annual allocations of company share through our ESOP, a 401(k) plan with company match, and paid vacation, sick leave, and holidays, to name a few.

We also provide specific programs whether you want to further your technical expertise, sharpen your business acumen, or help lead the next generation of employee-owners. We want to support you in reaching your career goals through tuition reimbursement, professional development bonuses, and attendance at conferences.