Marine Ecologist

Marine Ecologist - Science Synthesis and Strategy Specialist  

Intermediate

Vancouver, BC

Full-Time

The Opportunity

Global perspectives on marine ecosystems are shifting towards a holistic view where these systems are regarded as integral to solving pressing environmental issues like climate change, social justice, and navigating trade-offs in cumulative multidimensional interactions. As an established marine ecologist specializing in science synthesis and strategy, you will work on projects at the nexus of coastal and marine conservation, marine spatial planning, cumulative effects assessment, climate change adaptation, monitoring, and decision-support systems. This work often involves supporting Indigenous clients and participants in collaborative and co-managed stewardship of marine ecosystems.

To be considered, your training and skills will include a (1) a strong pre-existing knowledge base related to marine and coastal socio-ecological systems and management issues (particularly in British Columbia, though knowledge of other temperate and tropical marine ecosystems is also an asset) and familiarity with contemporary literature on these topics; (2) exceptionally efficient organizational, research, critical thinking skills; (3) superb writing skills to harvest and mobilize knowledge from multiple sources to inform science syntheses (e.g., state of knowledge reports, risk and vulnerability assessments), deliver strategic advice (e.g., conservation, monitoring, and resource management plans), and co-author peer-reviewed manuscripts; (4) well-developed people skills and confidence in client-facing roles, including in Indigenous contexts, to assist in rightsholder and stakeholder engagement (e.g., via delivering presentations or facilitating meetings, interviews, and workshops) and (5) contribute to developing relationships and prospecting and developing new project opportunities with clients.

This is a full-time opportunity based in Vancouver . You will have access to our staff benefits, which offer competitive compensation, medical benefits, flexible working arrangements (hybrid workplace, temporary work abroad periods, and opportunities for future home office placement), support for professional development, interoffice travel support to visit colleagues outside of Vancouver and Ottawa, and three weeks of paid vacation plus paid time off between Christmas and New Year’s Day.

About Us

ESSA Technologies Ltd. (ESSA) is an employee-owned Canadian environmental consulting company with offices in British Columbia and Ontario. We envision a world where creativity, a focus on learning, and systems thinking are the foundation of innovative solutions to environmental challenges. Our corporate mission is to “bring together people, science and analytical tools to sustain healthy ecosystems and human communities”. We achieve this mission by helping clients deal with tough, emerging problems, applying a neutral, thorough evaluation of evidence, encouraging diverse participatory processes, and collaboratively guiding our clients to make informed decisions that are designed to learn over time. Learn more about us at

At ESSA, we are passionate about what we do and enjoy working with professionals who share our values and mission. ESSA’s staff are purpose-driven problem solvers, big-picture critical thinkers, evidence-driven and motivated by an aspiration to become trusted advisors to our clients and make a difference in the world. In pursuing our corporate mission, we are inclusive of a diversity of perspectives and ways of knowing among both our staff and our clients that may vary depending on experience, race, gender identity, age, disability status, sexual orientation, and religion amongst others.

As part of ESSA’s team, you will be surrounded by a rich intellectual inheritance, and colleagues committed to collaboration and team-building that are:

· Working on wide-ranging interdisciplinary problems focused on complex interactions in socio-ecological systems, taking a holistic rather than reductionist perspective in organizing and understanding knowledge and data,

· Delivering rigorous and clear advice to our clients and internally to our own staff, and

· Resolving scientific uncertainty by combining analytical methods and technical facilitation, often within an Adaptive Management mindset.

With offices in British Columbia and Ontario, we acknowledge that our offices are on the unceded territory of the Coast Salish People (the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish), and Sel̓íl̓witulh (Tsleil-Waututh) Nations) in Vancouver, and the unceded territory of the Algonquin Anishnaabeg People in Ottawa. We acknowledge that we also work in the territories of other Indigenous Nations across Canada and the world.

For more details on your responsibilities, requirements and how to apply visit: