Entry Level Environmental Scientist / Ecologist
Terracon · Savannah, Georgia, United States · onsite
Terracon's Savannah Environmental Planning team is seeking an Environmental Scientist/Ecologist to support a variety of natural resource, environmental permitting, and ecological consulting projects throughout Georgia and the southeastern United States. This position provides hands-on experience conducting wetland delineations, protected species assessments, environmental permitting, mitigation planning, and ecological field investigations while working alongside experienced environmental professionals. Project assignments may involve coastal wetlands, longleaf pine ecosystems, gopher tortoise habitat, agency coordination, wetland and stream restoration/mitigation projects, a variety of state and/or federally protected species, and other natural resource investigations throughout the Southeast. This role offers a balance of field work, technical report preparation, agency coordination, client interfacing, and opportunities for professional growth within a collaborative team environment.
We are seeking candidates who enjoy field-based scientific work, have strong organizational and technical writing skills, work effectively as part of a team, and are eager to learn and develop professionally. Successful candidates will have an interest in wetlands, ecology, environmental permitting, and natural resource management. This position is designed to provide training and mentorship in wetland science, natural resource permitting, protected species assessments, and environmental consulting practices. This position provides opportunities to develop technical expertise, obtain professional certifications, build client-facing experience, and advance within Terracon's environmental consulting practice.
The ideal candidate will be able to provide support and assistance for consulting services for a broad array of projects and clients. This may include performing and/or assisting in field investigations, and the writing, preparation, and review of related reports for the services provided. You will be trained in conducting wetland determinations to identify the boundaries of areas subject to regulation by the US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) pursuant to Section 404 of the Clean Water Act and Section 10 of the Rivers and Harbors Act. Typical project assignments include wetland/stream delineation, permitting for proposed development impacts to aquatic resources, wetland/stream mitigation banking, biological and hydrologic data collection/analysis, and threatened/endangered species surveys and assessments. The position will include a combination of office work, in addition to field work, where extreme heat, bugs, dense vegetation, uneven terrain, and generally harsh field conditions are often encountered. Experience with GIS, GPS-based field data collection, ArcGIS applications, AutoCAD, drone-based data collection, or related geospatial technologies is preferred.
The position will apply sound scientific principles and be able to communicate with team members daily on diverse project/client portfolios. Typical client base includes public works, transportation, commercial, communications, energy, and/or industrial sectors.
- Follow safety rules, guidelines and standards for all projects. Participate in pre-task planning. Report any safety issues or concerns to management.
- Be responsible for maintaining quality standards on all projects.
- Perform site visits, field observations and field data collection or assignments.
- Participates with senior scientists/engineers on large, more complex projects.
- Performs fieldwork including wetland/stream delineation, listed species surveys, wetland/stream mitigation assessment, vegetative sampling, hydrologic monitoring, water quality testing, and benthic macroinvertebrate sampling
- Assists with state and federal environmental permitting applications.
- Assists with periodic stream and/or wetland mitigation monitoring activities.
- Conducts data entry and helps to assemble in written reports.
- Assists with drafting written proposals to clients for small projects and may assist with portions of proposals on larger projects.
- May have limited client contact pertaining to specific projects/tasks.
- Bachelor's and/or master’s degree in Natural Resources, Botany, Biology, Ecology, Environmental Science, Soils Science, or other relevant field of study
- Ability to work outdoors on potentially difficult terrain and during adverse weather conditions on field assignments ranging from one day to several days or weeks at a time.
- Occasional overnight travel throughout the southeastern United States may be required.
- Willingness to learn, Federal, State, and local environmental regulations and permitting requirements (e.g., Clean Water Act, Endangered Species Act, National Environmental Policy Act, local & state requirements).
- Attention to detail, ability to work independently and with a team, and strong written and oral communication skills are essential.
- Experience in use of GIS and Microsoft Office software, including electronic document preparation is desirable.
- Valid driver’s license with acceptable violation history