Field or Staff-Level Restoration Ecologist, San Francisco Bay Area (Full-time, hybrid-remote)

H. T. Harvey & Associates, an ecological consulting firm based in Northern California, is looking for a field- or staff-level ecologist for a full-time position in the restoration ecology group in our San Francisco Bay Area office (Los Gatos, Santa Clara County). 

The anticipated pay range for these field and staff-level restoration ecology position is $67,000 to $81,000 annually plus a generous benefits package and participation in an annual incentive bonus program. The ultimate job title and associated compensation within the range will be commensurate with experience and qualifications.

About the H. T. Harvey & Associates restoration ecology team

Our ecologists have been working on restoration projects in the San Francisco Bay Area for decades and have unparalleled expertise with the region’s habitats, species, and regulatory environment. We are a highly-collaborative group that provides training and mentorship and actively encourages professional growth opportunities. Most projects involve cooperative work with experts in our wildlife, plant and wetland, and aquatic ecology teams as well as with our landscape architecture studio and GIS group. Additional staff expertise includes rangeland management, restoration soil ecology, and arboriculture. Much of our work involves close collaboration with project team partners such as restoration hydrologists, engineers, and restoration contractors, and our team members have the opportunity to interact with a range of experts outside the firm as well as internally. 

What are some of the important projects that the H. T. Harvey & Associates restoration group works on in the San Francisco Bay Area?

Our company’s mission is to help clients address their complex ecological challenges. As a result of our long history in the region and the recognized local and unique expertise of our staff, our restoration group works on a variety of interesting and challenging projects. For example, we are: 

• At the cutting edge of designing ecosystem adaptations to sea level rise throughout the San Francisco Bay, working on multi-benefit projects that restore Bayland habitats for threatened and endangered species, and assisting with the integration of Bayland habitat restoration with flood protection. 
• Playing a key role in ecological contaminant quality assurance project planning (QAPP) for San Francisco Bay-related work. This involves contaminant screening of potential borrow soil/sediment sites for beneficial reuse in tidal marsh restoration. 
• Working on riparian/river restoration projects, including restoration design and research on the vulnerable Sycamore Alluvial Woodland habitat in the Bay Area, as well as creative integration of riparian forest restoration with flood protection projects.
• Designing freshwater and pond restoration projects to provide habitat for the federal and state threatened California tiger salamander and for the federal threatened California red-legged frog.
• Developing innovative techniques for integrating large scale habitat restoration into urban development projects, such as tech campuses.

What it’s like to work with us

Over the course of a typical week, H. T. Harvey & Associates restoration field biologists primarily spend time in the field and some at their desks (in-office or home). Field work includes: collecting baseline information to support restoration planning; performing field monitoring and monitoring of restoration maintenance activities; and conducting post-construction restoration monitoring. In the office, our restoration field biologists analyze, contribute to, and write restoration plan documents; participate in multi-disciplinary restoration planning meetings with senior staff; craft restoration site maintenance recommendations; analyze post-restoration ecological monitoring data; and contribute to annual long-term monitoring reports. Our team members are interested in continually improving their scientific knowledge, learning from others, and collaborating with experts in other fields of ecology.  

Focus of this role and ideal competencies, skills, and experience

We’re looking for a candidate to join our team to contribute to restoration planning and monitoring projects and play a substantial role in our QAPP work. This will include: conducting data analysis to ensure that soils/sediments for beneficial reuse in wetland restoration are protective of aquatic receptors; performing field monitoring of QAPP excavation and beneficial reuse sites; analyzing chemistry data for QAPP beneficial reuse; and providing other QAPP project support. To thrive in this role, our new team member ideally will have:

• A B.S or M.S. (preferred)
• Training and experience in some or all of the following: environmental chemistry; habitat restoration design; plant ecology and taxonomy; soil science; wetland and riparian ecology; hydrology; and/or statistical design and analysis
• Data handling and analysis experience (At a minimum, spreadsheet-based data analysis)
• Strong communication and collaboration skills 
• A knack for being organized 
• The ability to make field visits to project areas on short notice 

We aim to hire team members who strive for excellence in their everyday work, in their ecological science expertise, and for their long-term careers. If you do not have all the items above, but have experience with a good portion of them, we still welcome you to submit your application so we can learn more about you and see if it is a good fit.

A few other nitty gritty details

This position requires the future employee to: 

• Travel frequently for fieldwork at restoration sites, primarily but not limited to, within the Greater San Francisco Bay Area, sometimes on short notice 
• Occasionally work from our Los Gatos office 
• Conduct field work and 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 share your thoughts about why you are applying for a restoration field biologist position, why you want to work for us, or what you want to get out of your next position, or whatever else you would like to share that is not obvious from your resume.

Ultimately, we will ask for references, a work sample, and academic transcripts, but if you do not have them handy now, they can be submitted later.

Please combine your cover letter and resume into one file and apply through our applicant portal here.

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, a generous benefits package, and a bonus program. 

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 a 33% employer match. The plan offers nearly 50 fund choices including a notable number of socially responsible investment fund options.  

Time off

Employees accrue paid vacation, personal days, and sick leave time. Additionally, full-time employees receive 5 personal days and 9 company holidays annually, including Martin Luther King, Jr. Day for voluntary participation in a National Day of Service. 

Professional development

In addition to having a core value of ongoing development of scientific and professional expertise, we support participation in external training and certification programs, attendance at conferences and workshops, and membership in and engagement with scientific and professional associations. We also 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 proudly certified 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. We have been cultivating excellence in our staff and work in pursuit of our mission to create ecologically sound solutions to our clients’ complex natural resource challenges for more than 54 years.  

H. T. Harvey & Associates is an Equal Employment Opportunity employer. We encourage people of all backgrounds and abilities to apply. 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.