Avila and Associates is seeking a Biologist I, Biologist II, and/or Biologist III to participate in a wide variety of field work, environmental planning, and management activities in the greater Bay Area. Avila and Associates is a small, woman-owned business, primarily working on restoration and mitigation sites for public agencies. The environmental services group is a small, tight-knit team of biologists who work collaboratively to deliver high-quality work that impacts client decisions about how to best manage sensitive resources and habitats. The successful candidate will have the biological, wildlife, botanical, and ecological skill-set required and be excited to work on a dynamic, supportive team where collaborative decision-making is the norm.

This position will be responsible for and work with a team of other consultants and clients to

• Perform biological monitoring such as nesting bird, bat roost, invasive plant, and rare plant surveys ahead of and during projects
• Perform reconnaissance level botanical surveys and implement monitoring plans
• Contribute to technical reports and memoranda
• Contribute to the documents required to obtain permits and agreements required by local, state and federal regulatory agencies
• Assist in field studies, small projects, or portions of larger projects as part of a group
• Provide quality checks and oversee subcontractor performance on small projects
• Provide support to project leads

Required Knowledge, Skills and Abilities for All Positions

• Experience identifying common native and introduced plants in a wide variety of habitats in the San Francisco Bay Area of California.
• Keep detailed and accurate field records. Comfort with ESRI Field Maps, Microsoft Suite, and Google Suite
• Comfort working around heavy machinery such as chainsaws, chippers, excavators, and skidsteers.
• Participate in field activities often under inclement conditions – drizzle, cold, and extreme heat are common.
• Make sounds field decisions. Keeps in contact with supervisor and field team.
• Communicate clearly, concisely, and effectively, both orally and in writing.
• Establish and maintain effective working relationships with those contacted in the course of the work.
• Communicate effectively with diverse stakeholders including the public and regulatory agency staff.
• Work collaboratively with Avila staff and with diverse and multi-disciplinary teams and resolve differences effectively.
• Ability to be a self-starter and work independently.

Biologist I Position

All of the above and:

• Knowledge of Bay Area special status flora and fauna species. Able to identify common California native and introduced species.
• Support all field surveys and occasionally lead survey days as needed.
• Ability to conduct the worker environmental awareness training to construction and other work crews.
• Comfort leading contract crews in habitat restoration activities. Willingness to learn on the job and grow leadership skills.
• Collect, organize, synthesize, and analyze data in the field or office.
• Perform record and data management, data analyses, QA/QC, and maintain data integrity.
• Supports biological and environmental projects as needed and commensurate with their skills and abilities.
• Possession of baccalaureate degree from an accredited college or university with a major in a biological science or related field (example degrees include botany, wildlife biology, fisheries biology, marine biology, aquatic biology, limnology, etc.). In some instances, comparable work experience demonstrating understanding of basic scientific and biological principles on-par with a four-year degree may be accepted.

Biologist II Position

All of the above and:

• Some experience with Bay Area special status flora and fauna species.
• Ability to confidently identify California native and non-native plant species.
• Lead field surveys and crews of biologists as needed.
• Drafts technical memorandum and contributes to technical reports and deliverables.
• Experience planning for and conducting construction monitoring and environmental awareness training for sensitive species. Demonstrated ability to lead crews.
• Knowledge of principles and practices of environmental planning, habitat restoration, natural resources management, conservation planning, methods and techniques of biological resource assessments, mitigation, monitoring, development and tracking of success criteria, and reporting.
• Knowledge of principles and practices of planning, organizing, and managing biological investigations and research.
• Ability to analyze and evaluate basic biological data and reports in order to make recommendations based on results and findings.
• At least two years of related experience. This position requires possession of baccalaureate degree from an accredited college or university with a major in a biological science or related field (example degrees include botany, wildlife biology, fisheries biology, marine biology, aquatic biology, limnology, etc.). Four years of comparable work experience demonstrating understanding of basic scientific and biological principles on a par with a four-year degree may be accepted.

Biologist III Position

All of the above and:

• Demonstrated experience with Bay Area special status species. Obtained or working to obtain Scientific Collection and 10(a)1(a) permits to work with specific species. Strong preference for San Francisco Bay Area species such as California red-legged frog, foothill yellow-legged frog, Alameda whipsnake, California tiger salamander, San Francisco garter snake, and salt marsh harvest mouse.
• Ability to confidently identify and document incipient non-native plant species to a project area.
• Lead new projects as needed. Track budget and staff in concert with Avila supervisors.
• Provides technical and biological expertise on a wide array of projects; research permits, agreements, and other regulatory documents; provides assessments of potential effects of new regulatory obligations in compliance with state and federal regulations.
• Knowledge of specific quantitative techniques and protocols to evaluate resource functions and values such as releve’, rapid assessment, and point intercept.
• Knowledge of methods and techniques of environmental impact assessment, mitigation, monitoring, development and tracking of success criteria, and reporting.
• Ability to analyze and evaluate complex biological data and technical reports in order to make recommendations based on results and findings.
• Assist in drafting contract amendments and other administrative paperwork related to projects.

Other Qualifications

• Possession of, or ability to obtain, valid California driver’s license.
• Use of personal vehicle for work will be required.

Environmental & Physical Conditions (for all positions)

Office and field environments; Travel to work sites, typically within California; exposure to inclement weather; work in or with water, or on slippery or uneven surfaces.

Essential functions may require maintaining physical condition necessary for sitting, walking and standing for prolonged periods of time, and ability to walk and work in rugged dry and wet terrain while carrying light to moderate equipment and material of up to 50 pounds.

Compensation & Benefits

All positions are full-time, salaried, and exempt positions. Benefits include 100% employer paid health care, paid vacation, sick leave, and holidays, and a generous 401k employer match. The annual salary range for the Biologist I position is $55,000-$70,000. The annual salary range for the Biologist II position is $68,000- $92,000 The annual salary range for the Biologist III position is $90,000 to $107,000. Level of experience determines salary.

This position is based out of our Pleasanton, CA office and on-site at various field sites in California, though most work is in the San Francisco Bay Area. These positions will be required to work at our Concord or Pleasanton office periodically, but will otherwise work from home when not in the field. Work laptop will be provided.