Project Restoration Ecologist

SWCA Environmental Consultants is seeking an on-call Project Restoration Ecologist to contribute to the growth of our ecological restoration practice within our Rocky Mountain Plains subregion. The ideal candidate will be interested in developing a long-term consulting career that combines high-level technical expertise with commercial acumen and leadership.

Prior experience is necessary in the planning, design, and implementation of invasive plant management programs in upland and wetland environments; hiking trail construction; lake and pond assessment and management; habitat conservation planning and restoration; and the implementation of ecological restoration in wetland or other sensitive resource areas for public and private clients.

This is an on-call, hourly, non-exempt position reporting to the Ecological Restoration Team Lead based in Sheridan, WY. As an on-call employee, you'll enjoy flexible hours-averaging fewer than 19 hours per week-with the potential to transition into a full-time, regular position depending on project demands and business needs.

Application deadline: Our team will begin reviewing applications immediately, and interviews will be scheduled with qualified candidates on a rolling basis. The application process will close on May 8th, 2025.

Client Relations

• Develop strong relationships with existing clients while executing strategic analysis, marketing, and sales for new clients.
• Network within industry organizations to establish and expand the regional client base and revenue in the areas of invasive plant management, and broad-based ecological restoration services.
• Identify and qualify sales opportunities (prospects and proposals), manage opportunities, and make recommendations to the Ecological Restoration Team Lead.
• Support regional proposal efforts for large or strategic ecological and invasive plant planning opportunities.

Project Management and Business Operations

• Assist in the management of projects throughout the project management life cycle, ensuring adherence to project scope, schedule, and budget.
• Ensure professional and technical excellence, and quality through project staffing and QA/QC assignments.
• Help develop additional QA/QC processes and systems where needed
• Promote culture of accountability, budget and cost control, value creation and return on investment, and profit optimization.

Leadership

• Guide team members within invasive plant management projects.
• Assist in the management of individual projects as well as assisting with team scheduling.
• Meet with Management regularly to discuss project specific tasks.
• Takes responsibility for team safety, developing safety plans (when applicable), and anticipating potential safety hazards.

Minimum qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree in environmental science, Ecology, Natural Resource Management, or a related field.
• Seven (7) years of experience in ecological restoration, habitat management, or natural resource consulting.
• Expertise in invasive species management, wetland restoration, and native plant establishment.
• Experience with ecological assessments, restoration planning, and regulatory compliance.
• Proficiency in GIS, Collector software, and Microsoft Office Suite.
• Certified Ecological Restoration Practitioner (CERP) or ability to obtain certification.
• Experience supporting large-scale restoration projects and field crews.
• Familiarity with permit applications and regulatory coordination (e.g., Article 10 Permits, Joint Application Forms).
• Applicants must have valid driver's license and be able to meet SWCA's driver requirement.

Preferred qualifications:

• Two (2) years of Project management experience which may include: trail construction, roadway projects, invasive plant management, wetland mitigation, or stream bank restoration.
• Cost proposal development experience for ecological restoration projects.

Why Work at SWCA:

SWCA Environmental Consultants is a growing employee-owned firm, providing a full-spectrum of environmental services. Our Vision (the North Star) is to make SWCA the best workplace and industry leader in sustainability, bringing sound science and creative solutions to global environmental challenges while maintaining a dedication to employee-ownership. We live our core values: we collaborate as #OneSWCA; we are #AlwaysLearning, we #NeverSettle, and we #GiveBack.

We are 100% employee-owned, and we build our success together. With offices across the United States, SWCA is one of the largest environmental compliance firms and ranks among Engineering News-Record's Top 200 Environmental Firms. We offer a supportive, team-oriented work environment and competitive wages and benefits, including an 100% employee stock ownership plan (retirement).

At SWCA, we support our team members in developing their careers to make them leaders in their industry. Our Career Landscape initiative is a process and guide designed to help develop chart rewarding career paths for employees at SWCA. We encourage professional conference attendance, internal and external professional development and training programs, education reimbursement, a Science and Leadership Program, and bonuses for publications meeting certain criteria. All regular status employees are eligible to participate in SWCA medical, dental, vision, employee assistance, wellness, life and disability plans, and are eligible to participate in the SWCA 401(k) Profit Sharing Plan and Trust.

If you need assistance accessing SWCA's website, completing the online application, or require accommodations at any point during the hiring process due to a disability, please contact us at accommodations@swca.com or call 1-480-581-5378. We're committed to providing an inclusive and supportive experience for all candidates. This contact information is specifically for accommodation requests; other inquiries will not receive a response.

EOE - women, minorities, individuals with disabilities and veterans are encouraged to apply. At SWCA Environmental Consultants, we celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive work environment. We strongly encourage candidates from all backgrounds, including those with diverse experiences and veterans, to apply. We believe that a diverse and inclusive workforce enhances creativity, innovation, and overall organizational success.

SWCA is committed to salary equity and salary transparency for all its employees. In alignment with this commitment, SWCA posts good faith pay ranges in all its advertised job postings to promote pay equity and transparency.

An on-call Project Restoration Ecologist in this Sheridan, WY-based position can expect an hourly rate of $34.25/hr. - $44.03/hr. Actual pay within this range may depend on experience, qualifications, geographic location, client requirements where applicable, and other factors permitted by law. Regular-status employees are also eligible for performance bonuses. Candidates are also encouraged to consider SWCA's Total Rewards package, which includes a competitive Benefits package, forward-thinking workplace flexibility, outstanding corporate culture, award-winning career development, and more.

SWCA continues to invest deeply in career development programs, delivering our award-winning Career Landscape support resources to accelerate the growth of our staff. We recognize the valuable skills and experiences our internal team members bring to SWCA's continued success. Qualified internal candidates are encouraged to apply and will be seriously considered for this position. We believe in promoting from within, where possible, providing our existing employees with compelling opportunities to advance their careers.