Job Description

Environmental Scientist III/IV

Otak is hiring an Environmental Scientist III/IV to join our growing Water and Natural Resources team in Puget Sound. This role serves as a technical lead for wetland and stream delineations and wildlife assessments, manages environmental projects and tasks, and prepares environmental permit applications for public and private clients. Responsibilities include preparing and reviewing high-quality technical documents such as wetland delineation reports, critical area reports, jurisdictional determinations, mitigation plans, HPAs, and Section 404/401 permit applications. Experience with Biological Assessments and Endangered Species compliance is a plus. You will serve as a primary liaison with federal, state, and local agencies on environmental permitting and compliance matters, and lead impact analyses to inform project design and regulatory compliance. You will collaborate with Otak's multidisciplinary teams to support mitigation planning, design, and installation. Project work includes fish passage restoration, transportation, third-party peer reviews, linear utilities, parks and trails, and policy analysis. Project locations span rural and suburban or urban areas, road corridors, and agricultural lands throughout the Pacific Northwest. This position includes a mix of field work and hybrid remote and in-office work, and is based out of our Redmond or Everett, Washington office. Travel to Southwest Washington and Oregon is expected on a project-by-project basis.

What You'll Do:

• Manage environmental tasks and projects in freshwater and shoreline environments.
• Lead wetland and stream OHWM delineations using the USACE 1987 Manual and applicable Regional Supplements, complete wetland ratings and functional assessments, and prepare associated reports.
• Conduct OHWM delineations in both marine and freshwater systems.
• Prepare wetlands, streams, and Fish and Wildlife Habitat Conservation Areas (FWHCA) critical areas reports for compliance with local Washington codes.
• Develop regulatory compliance strategies for projects and permit applications (e.g., JARPA, SEPA, Shoreline), including use of streamlined permitting processes.
• Prepare Biological Assessments to support Section 7 ESA compliance.
• Support ecological restoration and mitigation planning and design.
• Prepare SEPA Checklists and NEPA Categorical Exclusion documentation.
• Provide technical expertise in aquatic and terrestrial wildlife ecology, including fieldwork for wildlife habitat assessments and report preparation. This may include stream habitat monitoring, fish passage assessments, water quality analysis, impact analyses, and restoration design.
• Lead post-construction performance monitoring for fish passage, wetlands, and vegetation, and prepare annual monitoring reports.

What You Bring:

• Bachelor's degree in Biology, Wildlife or Fisheries, Ecology, or a related field; Master's degree preferred.
• Professional Wetland Scientist (PWS) certification preferred.
• 5-10 years of professional experience in wetlands, including working knowledge of salmonid ecology in freshwater and estuarine environments in the Pacific Northwest and Puget Sound region. Time spent in a Master's degree program may be included toward total experience.
• Demonstrated ability to prioritize, manage, and deliver multiple projects with concurrent deadlines.
• Professional experience supporting aquatic restoration projects, including design, implementation, and performance monitoring.
• Strong understanding of federal and Washington State regulatory compliance processes, including preparation of JARPAs for USACE and WDFW permitting.
• Experience completing wildlife habitat

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