Ecologist Specialist

Morrison Hershfield, now Stantec, is a leading provider of engineering, planning, environmental services, and sustainable design. We are committed to providing flexible work arrangements to support our employees' multiple responsibilities at work, at home, and in the community.

As an Ecologist II, you will work under the Ecology Team Lead in our Ottawa Office and have experience with field investigations, environmental impact studies, natural heritage evaluations, environmental assessments, and other natural environment-related deliverables. You will develop a thorough understanding of key environmental legislation in relation to various projects, typically related to construction, infrastructure, and transportation.

Key Responsibilities:

• Providing technical expertise with a strong, well-rounded field background in ecological land classification and plant inventories, wetland function and delineation, invasive species identification and delineation, significant wildlife and species at risk habitat assessments, breeding bird surveys, fish community sampling, and fish habitat characterization.
• Coordinating and conducting desktop background research and data collection, as well as preparation of general permit applications for field studies.
• Working with senior biologists to plan and conduct field surveys for habitat classification, species at risk, vegetation, wetlands, wildlife, as well as fish and fish habitat.
• Maintaining and organizing accurate and detailed field notes as well as photo documentation records.
• Inputting, maintaining, and summarizing data and information in databases.
• Preparing reports and technical memorandums to document the results of existing conditions and impact assessments.
• Identifying constraints to construction and mitigation and approval requirements.
• Working with peers across various environmental and engineering disciplines.
• Assisting with construction inspection and oversight where species at risk or migratory bird monitoring is required.

Qualifications:

• University degree with a major in biology or environmental studies or college diploma with a focus on fish and wildlife.
• Minimum 2 years of diversified experience in wildlife biology, botany, terrestrial ecology, and aquatic ecosystems.
• Consulting experience working with various levels of government and the private sector.
• Strong knowledge of the Ontario/Federal environmental regulatory and approvals regime associated with, but not limited to, the and.
• Direct experience working within the regulatory authorities in Ontario.
• Applied experience with identification of plant and tree species, amphibians, reptiles, bats, birds, and fish, and their associated habitats.
• Working knowledge and experience with the Ecological Land Classification protocol for Southern Ontario, and the Ontario Wetland Evaluation System is an asset.
• Ability to conduct nest inventories and breeding bird surveys.
• Previous electrofishing and/or fisheries experience, including watercourse habitat assessments. Experience with MTO fisheries guidelines/protocols is an asset.
• Experience with impact assessment and development of mitigation measures.
• Prior experience with environmental inspection during construction is an asset.
• Must have strong technical report writing skills and the ability to compile field data into summary reports.
• Experience being responsible for multiple projects while maintaining a high degree of attention to detail in a demanding consulting environment.
• Proficient with MS Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, Teams).
• Strong interpersonal, verbal, and written communication, and organizational skills.
• Valid Ontario driver's license and access to a vehicle.
• Valid First Aid and CPR certification is an asset.

Job Type: Regular

Job Profile: For internal use

Attention Staffing & Recruitment Agencies: Morrison Hershfield, now Stantec, will not pay fees for recruitment activities related to the hiring of a candidate unless a written service agreement has been established between a duly authorized representative of our Corporate Human Resources department and the recruitment/placement firm. In addition, in order to qualify for recruitment fees, all candidate resumes must be submitted to Morrison Hershfield, now Stantec, through our Corporate Human Resources department. Resumes and profiles sent to our managers without the express agreement of our Corporate Human Resources department will not be eligible for a fee.