Plant Ecologist / Botanist
H. T. Harvey & Associates, an ecological consulting firm based in Northern California, is looking for an exceptional botanist for a full time position in the plant ecology group in our San Francisco Bay Area office (Los Gatos, Santa Clara County).
What you’ll do
Our scientists spend time both in the field and in the office with the firm’s team of highly trained professionals. Field work includes plant community mapping, rare plant surveys, and wetland assessments and delineations. H. T. Harvey & Associates botanists contribute to and write biological resource reports and natural resource management plans, and work on resource agency permit applications, guided by the expertise and training of senior team staff, and often in collaboration with our other groups (wildlife, restoration, fish and aquatic ecology, landscape architecture, and more).
What are some of the important projects that the botany group works on?
Our mission is to help clients address their complex ecological challenges. This is not to say every project is glamorous and exciting, but because of our 50 year history in the region and our recognized local expertise, we get to do some pretty interesting things! For example, we:
- Are uniquely positioned to work on some of the Bay Area’s large scale conservation projects, including in the Santa Cruz Mountains and in the Coyote Valley.
- Perform a fair bit of rare plant work in serpentine habitats, oak woodlands and the marshlands of the San Francisco Bay.
- Frequently work on “one of a kind” projects with unique challenges.
Who works at H. T. Harvey & Associates?
Our botany team leaders have been researching and working in the San Francisco Bay Area for more than two decades and have unparalleled expertise with the region’s species, habitats, regulatory environment, and habitat plans. A position working for H. T. Harvey & Associates is not for everyone–it is for those who strive for excellence in their everyday work, their science, and their long term careers and for those who are interested in continually improving their scientific knowledge, learning from others, and collaborating with experts in other fields of ecology.
If that sounds like you and you meet the requirements below, we look forward to learning more about your ecological interests and skills during the application process!
Required experience
- Strong academic background with emphasis in botany and/or plant ecology
- Experience in some or most of the following areas: plant identification, quantitative field surveys, plant community/association mapping, wetland delineation, environmental impact analysis, regulatory permit preparation, GPS usage, and general GIS, Google Earth, and/or ArcMap familiarity
- Exceptional and demonstrated technical writing ability
- Good organizational and data handling skills
- Excellent communication and collaboration skills
Most successful candidates for this staff level have a relevant M.S. or higher graduate degree, but applicants having a B.S. or B.A. combined with sufficient directly relevant experience will absolutely be considered.
Desired qualifications
- California flora identification skills
- Prior work at an ecological consulting firm
- Understanding of and experience with California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA)
- Experience with regulatory agency permitting
- Familiarity with the Santa Clara Valley Habitat Plan
- Completion of a 40-hour wetland delineation course or equivalent experience
- Some background in rangeland management
This position requires the future employee to:
- Hold a valid driver’s license with no major traffic violations or multiple minor violations
- Work occasionally on nights, weekends, and early morning hours
- Walk over varied terrain for surveys
- Work in inclement weather
- Lift and carry equipment weighing up to 50 pounds.
- Follow best practices for field safety
How to apply
First and foremost we will evaluate your technical skills and experience, and your communications skills are a close second. We ask for your academic transcripts, your resume, a cover letter, references, and a technical writing sample. In your cover letter we’d appreciate it if you share some thoughts about what you love about botany or what you are looking to get out of your next position. We really do read your cover letters–it’s an opportunity to share with us some of the things that might not come through in a traditional resume.