Environmental Biologists

Environmental Biologists

Requirements

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in biology or related field, or equivalent technical field.
• 4+ years of experience in performing fixed-laboratory and field-based biological testing on hazardous waste, water, soil, sediment, tissue, vegetation and other media using a range of techniques in accordance with relevant EPA and industry methods.
• Familiarity and experience with biological test organisms such as Ceriodaphnia dubia, Chironomus tentans, Hyallela azeteca, Pimephales promelas (fathead minnow), Oncorhynchus mykiss (rainbow trout), other fish species, and various plant species.
• Experience preparing and reviewing ecological and human health risk assessments at Superfund and other contaminated sites.
• Ability to adhere to strict standard operating procedures, health and safety policies and practices, and quality control requirements.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills with an ability to accurately and effectively express results of analyses to technical and non-technical audiences, sometimes in stressful and contentious settings.
• Team player with demonstrated task and project management skills including the ability to work in a fast-paced environment.
• Demonstrated ability to effectively engage with clients.
• OSHA 40-Hour HAZWOPER certification.
• Ability to obtain authorization for access to Federal facilities.

Responsibilities

• Participate in planning activities, including meetings, conference calls, and/or site visits to support the development of project objectives, study designs, and schedules.
• Prepare project-specific work plans, SAPs, and QAPPs in adherence with relevant EPA guidance.
• Research and review applicable regulations, guidance documents, data calculations, species-specific reference toxicity values, literature, and database references, as well as perform statistical analysis of data.
• Perform biological testing on hazardous waste, water, soil, sediment, tissue, vegetation, and other media, employing a range of techniques including aquatic and sediment toxicity testing, bioaccumulation, seed germination, microbial, viral, and other biological tests. Conduct reference toxicity testing simultaneously with site-specific toxicity testing.
• Conduct other biological sampling and perform biological assessments (e.g., biodiversity studies, bioaccumulation studies, immunoassays and gene expression studies, toxic algae surveys, sediment oxygen demand studies, biological toxicity testing, specimen preparation and examinations, biological and ecological risk assessments, bacterial and viral assessments and Microtox testing).
• Support the preparation and/or review biological and human health data and assessments, including ecological risk assessments, human health risk assessments, biodiversity assessments, and endangered species assessments.

Preferred Qualifications

• Advanced degree (Master’s or PhD) in biology or related technical field.
• Experience with biological testing, human health, and ecological risk assessments at former mining sites and sites with emerging contaminants (e.g., Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances [PFAS]).
• Strong analytical skills and experience conducting quantitative analyses using risk assessment-related GIS tools and applications, Monte Carlo and other risk simulation and modeling tools, as well as other applications and tools which advance the capabilities and cost effectiveness of the Regional risk assessment program.
• Team leadership skills: Set high personal performance and quality standards and work in a team environment; view all team members as critical and treat team members with respect and professionalism; ability to collaborate and leverage team member strengths.
• Experience working at Federal facilities.