VHBÔÇÖs South Burlington, VT office, consistently named one of the Best Places to Work by Vermont Business Magazine, is seeking an experienced Environmental Scientist/Ecologist to join our Natural Sciences and Energy team based in our Rutland, VT location. Our diverse and challenging professional portfolio in Vermont includes projects for utilities, renewable energy development, ski resorts, transportation infrastructure, municipalities, and real estate development. This position will involve both field and office-related work, conducting a variety of field natural resources surveys, producing technical reports, regulatory product development, as well as some work scope development, project, and task management. This position may involve working in remote field locations, temporary assignments in other regions where VHB operates. This could include extended hours and/or weekend/overnight travel shifts and will require the ability to navigate and physically work in challenging mountainous terrain and weather conditions.
Responsibilities
Collaborate with a team of professionals to develop work approach, schedule, and execute a variety of natural resource assessments for a multitude of environmental, energy, land development and water resources projects primarily in Vermont and the northern New England/upstate New York region.
Lead fieldwork in natural resource assessments including, but not limited to, botanical surveys, wildlife surveys, habitat evaluations, and rare, threatened and endangered species surveys, and may review the work of others to ensure accuracy and consistency.
Act as a field mentor and may manage field staff conducting the field surveys.
Participates or leads regulatory agency field reviews and/or project pre-application meetings.
Prepare technical reports or provides technical reviews to present the methods/results of natural resources assessments, primarily to support Projects seeking a Vermont Act 250 Land Use Permit or authorization under Vermont Section 248 Energy Siting Law.
Assist with preparation of state, federal, and local permitting applications.
Skills and Attributes
Ability to work independently with minimal supervision, and collaboratively in a team.
Strong work ethic, and excellent verbal, technical writing, organization, responsiveness, coordination, and interpersonal skills.
Ability to understand the role of an environmental consultant and communicate between team members, clients, and state/federal officials.
Self-motivated and enthusiastic about natural ecology and/or environmental law/policy with a demonstrated ability to produce quality work and grow professionally.
Experience perfoming field work/surveys in varied terrain and weather conditions.
Natural community and wildlife habitat assessments, stream habitat and flow assessment, floristic inventory, and RTE plant surveys.
Experience conducting, defending, and reporting the results of field studies preferred.
Experience with ArcGIS, ArcGIS Online and Collector or Field Maps, and the suite of Microsoft Office platforms preferred.
Qualifications
B.S. in Environmental Science, Ecology, or Natural Resources related field.
3-5 years of natural resources fieldwork experience required.
5-8 years of natural resources fieldwork experience preferred.
Field experience performing plant and wildlife identification required.
Ability and willingness to travel in VT region for up to 30% – 50% of working time; overnights may also be required for approximately 10% of working time.
Must have a valid driverÔÇÖs license and pass a DMV check.
