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Wildlife Ecologist

H. T. Harvey & Associates, an ecological consulting firm with four offices in Northern California and one in Hawaii, is looking for a wildlife ecologist for a position in our San Francisco Bay Area office (Los Gatos, Santa Clara County). This position offers significant opportunities for growth and leadership in the wildlife group.

What it’s like to work with us
H. T. Harvey & Associates has a reputation for deep scientific expertise and high-caliber work in pursuit of our mission to create ecologically sound solutions to our clients’ complex natural resource challenges. The new wildlife ecologist will become part of the firm’s 25-person wildlife ecology team which includes specialized experts in ornithology, herpetology, and mammalogy. Our San Francisco Bay Area team leaders have been performing research and working with clients in the Bay Area for more than three decades and have unparalleled expertise with the region’s species, habitats, regulatory environment, and habitat plans. You’ll have the opportunity to work with other wildlife ecologists as well as experts in botany, restoration ecology, aquatic ecology, landscape architecture, and Geographic Information Systems. Our project work is primarily throughout the Bay Area and central California coast, but occasionally will involve work in other parts of Northern California. 

Our ecologists spend time both in the field and in the office. When in the field you may conduct surveys and monitoring for special-status wildlife and plant species, complete habitat assessments, and assist with research and data collection. When not doing field work, you’ll contribute to biological resource reports, support processes to obtain regulatory permits, and build your project management skills and experience by collaborating with senior staff. 

What are some of the types of projects the Los Gatos wildlife team works on?
  • Collaborating with our firm’s landscape architecture studio to provide wildlife expertise for innovative business campus development along the shore of the San Francisco Bay
  • Assisting clients with development and implementation of bird-safe design, and monitoring of its effectiveness
  • Collaborating with land trusts to analyze amphibian and reptile habitat connectivity across a regionally important landscape linkage
  • Providing long-term biological support for the monitoring and management of a burrowing owl population
  • Preparing wildlife management plans, long-term management plans for conservation lands, and bank enabling documents for conservation bank entitlement projects
  • Deploying UAV (drone) technology to monitor trends in wetland and riparian habitat distribution
  • Leading survey and population monitoring projects for California red-legged frogs, California tiger salamanders, and bald and golden eagles 

Competencies, skills, and experience
We aim to hire team members who strive for excellence in their everyday work and who are interested in continually improving their scientific knowledge and collaborating with experts in other fields. The ideal candidate would have:
  • A degree in biological studies, natural resources, wildlife management, wildlife biology, or an equivalent subject (advanced degree preferred) 
  • A minimum of 2 years of applicable professional experience in biological/ecological consulting or with a regulatory agency, ideally in California
  • Exceptional technical writing ability, ideally with prior experience writing technical reports
  • Experience with the biology of special-status animals, especially those in the greater San Francisco Bay area 
  • A curiosity about the natural world that includes ongoing learning about local wildlife ecology and your field of expertise  

A few other nitty gritty details
This position requires the future employee to:
  • 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 tell us why you’re a strong candidate and provide any other information you’d like to us to know that isn’t obvious from your resume.

Ultimately, we’ll ask for references and potentially a work sample and academic transcripts, but if you don’t have them handy now, they can be submitted later. 

Please combine your cover letter and resume into one file and apply 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 and personal incentive bonus as well as a generous benefits package. 

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 an employer match (an especially high percentage for a company of our size!). The plan offers nearly 50 fund choices including a notable number of socially responsible investment fund options. 

Time off
In addition to paid time off, employees receive 10 more paid company holidays, including Martin Luther King Day for voluntary participation in a National Day of Service.

Professional development
We support ongoing professional development with peers and senior leadership and through external training. We encourage participation and membership in scientific and professional associations and 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 listed 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. This year we are celebrating more than 50 years of cultivating excellence in our staff and work in pursuit of our mission to create ecologically sound solutions to our clients’ complex natural resource challenges. 

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