Part Time Forest Ecologist Jobs (NOW HIRING)

Johnson, Mirmiran & Thompson is a dynamic, 100% employee-owned consulting firm with more than 2,800 professionals, providing a full range of multidisciplinary engineering, architecture, information technology, and related services to public agencies and private clients throughout the United States. JMT is currently ranked #45 on Engineering News-Record’s list of the Top 500 Design Firms.

Position Summary: Responsible for conducting various environmental investigations, performing wetland impact analyses and permitting, and supporting ecological assessment and/or restoration projects, while applying knowledge of ecological principles, environmental practices, and federal, state, and local regulations. Some project management and business development activities are also required.

Immigration sponsorship or support (e.g. H1B, F-1 CPT/OPT/STEM OPT) is not available for this position, except for qualified candidates eligible for the TN visa classification.

Essential Functions and Responsibilities

• Characterizes and assesses various environmental resources including surface waters, wetlands, forests, streams, soils, plants, and wildlife
• Collects resource data, samples during field investigations
• Analyzes and manages data collected during field investigations
• Determines the location, scale, scope, condition of, and impacts to, natural resources
• Collects field location data using GPS; and creates maps and other graphic materials using GIS software
• Collects water quality, vegetation, fish, macroinvertebrate (plankton, benthic) and sediment samples
• Documents methodologies and findings of research and field investigations
• Writes natural environmental technical reports, field delineation reports, impact assessments, environmental inspection reports, and similar reports with supervisory input and oversight
• Assists and/or manages (with supervisory oversight) various state, federal, and local regulatory permit application processes, such as those for Clean Water Act Section 404/401, and provides documentation as necessary for coordination of compliance with the U.S. Endangered Species Act, Rivers and Harbors Act, Magnuson–Stevens Act, etc.
• Supports preparation of NEPA documents, including writing environmental setting and impact analyses sections
• Assists in the preparation of scopes of work, fee proposals, and responses to RFPs
• Manages projects

Nonessential Functions and Responsibilities

• Performs other related duties as assigned

• Master’s degree in natural resource management, environmental or natural science, biology, marine science, ecology, or a related field
• History of managing environmental aspects of transportation and other infrastructure projects, including permitting and agency coordination
• Experience with environmental requirements of Florida DOT projects and coordination with FDOT
• Experience preparing proposals, scopes of work, and fees
• Florida wetland plant and soil identification skills
• Proficiency in Microsoft 365
• Proficiency in ArcGIS

Preferred Experience

• Experience with wetland/forest/stream delineation and assessment, wildlife surveys & protected species consultation, data collection and analysis, report writing and editing
• Advanced wetland delineation and/or hydric soils training
• Experience with Gopher Tortoise and other protected species surveys
• 10+ years of consulting, natural resource investigation, and/or regulatory experience

Working Conditions

 Work is performed within a general office environment approximately 60% of the time. Office work is generally sedentary in nature but may require occasional standing and walking. Office work is performed with adequate lighting and temperature, with no hazardous or unpleasant conditions caused by noise, dust, etc. 

Field work is required approximately 30% of the time and is conducted outdoors in sometimes extreme heat/cold and/or wet/humid conditions. Field work will require walking and carrying field equipment over typical outdoor terrain. Some lifting (up to 35 lbs) may be required as needed. Travel is required, and could occur throughout the southeast U.S., e.g., South Carolina, Georgia, Alabama, and Florida.

Other work outside the office requires travel (10%) for business development purposes.

Qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, protected veteran status or any other characteristic protected by state or federal law.