Associate Restoration Ecologist – (1617)

Description: The successful candidate will be an independent, self-motivated individual with relevant experience and knowledge in restoration and revegetation planning, baseline plant community mapping, and vegetation/soil sampling. The successful candidate will have strong botanical skills and will be part of a team responsible for supporting our Biodiversity Enhancement and Ecosystem Services.  The ideal candidate will be comfortable working in the field in various weather conditions and terrains and have a passion for the outdoors. This role has an emphasis on restoration of solar energy projects in the Pacific Northwest (Washington, Oregon) and Western/Southwestern regions of the United States (Idaho, California, and Nevada), with additional projects in the Rocky Mountain (Colorado, Utah, Wyoming, and Montana) region.

Responsibilities: Support WEST’s Project Managers (PM) and Consulting Restoration Ecologists in the energy industry (primarily solar) to help develop ecologically minded site restoration specifications, seed mixes, biodiversity enhancements, monitoring protocols, and vegetation management plans for use during a project’s planning, construction, and operations phases.

Conduct ecological restoration-related fieldwork, including natural vegetation community and noxious weed mapping, restoration monitoring, natural resource assessments, and soil sampling.

Draft technical memos and reports, and other project support materials as needed.

Communicate effectively regarding the scope and schedule of work performed.

Assist PMs with the monitoring of project schedule, progress, and other tasks as needed.

Assist the broader WEST services group with desktop- and field-based habitat (biological and water resources) site assessments, wetland delineations, rare plant surveys, and/or wildlife surveys (based on interest and qualifications)

Work with distributed teams in multiple locations in United States and Canada using company tools for teleconferencing, and videoconferencing. Will be expected to organize conference calls with project team members, track action items and notes, and facilitate resolution and follow up actions as needed within the project team.

Help maintain WEST’s position as thought leaders in the energy-environmental consulting market.

Qualifications: Minimum of a bachelor’s degree in restoration ecology, natural resource management, environmental science, conservation biology, ecology, or related field of study.

Previous experience conducting botany-related surveys such as vegetation sampling and/or monitoring, plant community mapping, wetland delineations, and rare plant surveys. Restoration ecology is the primary area of technical expertise sought, but other areas of expertise, including biodiversity mapping and monitoring, knowledge of pollinators, landscape ecology, and/or rangeland management will also be considered.

Solid working knowledge of Microsoft Office and other project management tools.

Strong technical skills and experience working with spreadsheets and scientific data.

Strong writing skills with the ability to pay close attention to detail and accurately report scientific methods and results of desktop reviews and field studies.

GIS and field data collection, entering, and organizing field data experience is preferred but not required.

Strong interpersonal and communication skills.

Must be able to work independently and interact professionally and respectfully with project managers and other project staff, clients, landowners, and agency personnel.

Strong time management, planning, and organizational skills with the ability to work well under time constraints, multitask, and meet deliverable targets and deadlines.

Experience working in the solar industry with an emphasis on solar vegetation management planning is preferred but not required.

Occasional travel and overnight stays will be required. Out-of-town travel typically three to five days per trip.

Learn more and apply here.