Senior Natural Resources Team Lead

About the opportunity

SWCA Environmental Consultants is seeking a Senior Natural Resources Team Lead to join our Natural Resources Program in Half Moon Bay, California. In this role, you will provide leadership for multidisciplinary natural resources projects with a focus on wildlife biology, botany, aquatic resources and waters permitting, environmental compliance, and resource management throughout the San Francisco Bay Area and Northern California.

You will guide project strategy and delivery across a diverse portfolio of infrastructure, restoration, utility, transportation, renewable energy, and land development projects while supporting regulatory permitting and environmental compliance objectives. As a senior leader within the program, you will oversee staff, projects, and client relationships while driving business development, project performance, and operational success.

The successful candidate will have a demonstrated track record of developing new business opportunities, managing complex natural resources and permitting projects, achieving financial goals, and mentoring high-performing teams. This role offers the opportunity to shape the continued growth of SWCA's Half Moon Bay Natural Resources Program while advancing strategic client partnerships and technical excellence throughout the region.

This is a full-time, regular (with benefits), salaried/exempt, hybrid-based opportunity out of our Half Moon Bay, CA office. You will work closely with the Northern California Natural Resources Director, project managers, and technical specialists to support project execution, client engagement, and regional growth initiatives.

Qualified candidates must submit a Letter of Interest along with a current resume to be considered for the position.

Application Deadline: Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis, and interviews may be scheduled as qualified candidates are identified. This position may close without prior notice once a strong candidate pool is established.

About SWCA

SWCA Environmental Consultants is a 100% employee-owned environmental consulting firm providing full spectrum environmental services across the United States. Our North Star is to be the best place to work and a leader in sustainability, delivering sound science and creative solutions to complex environmental challenges.

We are guided by our core values every day. We collaborate as #OneSWCA, we are #AlwaysLearning, we #NeverSettle, and we #GiveBack to our communities. With offices nationwide, SWCA offers a collaborative, team focused environment where employees can build meaningful and long-term careers.

What you will accomplish

• Team Leadership: Manages team operations to enhance efficiency and productivity, identifying and implementing process improvements. Attracts, recruits, develops, and retains top talent, focusing on staff development and mentoring. Tracks and manages workload distribution and productivity, making staffing adjustments in collaboration with other leads. Ensures accountability and clearly communicates the team's vision and priorities.
• Strategic Project Leadership: Strategically consults on and leads complex projects in pursuit of client objectives, overseeing the technical approach and ensuring quality assurance and quality control.
• Organizational Expertise: Supports innovation of standards and practices to enhance the quality and efficiency of client projects and outcomes, ensuring alignment with industry and regulatory standards. Serves as a go-to technical expert and consultant, providing novel project strategies and applying technical excellence that considers client needs to meet project requirements.
• Project Accountability: Continuously guides projects, executing accountability for the performance of projects or delegated tasks and ensuring that project milestones are met and outcomes align with SWCA’s values and client expectations. Assesses risks and implements strategies for problem-solving. Revises or suggests revisions to project scopes, schedules, and budgets as necessary to meet evolving project requirements and ensure successful outcomes.
• Business Growth & Innovation: Drives business growth and client success through technical excellence, innovation, and development of new methods and standards that advance SWCA's technical reputation. Contributes to SWCA's strategic planning.
• Cross-Disciplinary Collaboration: Champions cross-disciplinary collaboration, working closely with specialists to provide comprehensive technical support for projects.
• Relationship Management: Establishes and grows effective consultative relationships with external and internal clients and/or agency regulators and industry partners (if applicable) to support successful projects.
• Follows applicable federal, Tribal, state, local, industry, contractual, and company regulations, standards, and specifications.
• Performs related work as assigned.

Additional Job-Specific Responsibilities

• Lead the preparation and review of biological resources reports, biological assessments, wetland delineation reports, and biological resource sections of NEPA and CEQA documents.
• Develop survey protocols and oversee field surveys for sensitive habitats and species, including focused, protocol-level, and pre-construction surveys.
• Prepare and review permitting, compliance, and planning documentation associated with the National Environmental Policy Act, California Environmental Quality Act, Endangered Species Act, and Clean Water Act.
• Partner with the Northern California Natural Resources Director and regional staff to support Natural Resources team planning, growth, and operational objectives across the region.
• Provide project-specific technical direction and mentorship to natural resources project managers, technical staff, and field personnel.
• Serve as a liaison between Natural Resources staff, regional leadership, other technical teams, and corporate support functions to promote effective communication and coordination.
• Support team readiness by coordinating resources related to safety, equipment, training opportunities, and regulatory or research updates.
• Lead proposal development efforts and evaluate business development opportunities in support of regional growth objectives.
• Represent the organization through participation in industry organizations and professional networks to expand client relationships and market presence.

Minimum Qualifications

Knowledge normally obtained through a bachelor's degree. Eight years of relevant, progressively responsible experience, including some experience managing others. Ten years of related experience is preferred; or any equivalent combination of experience, performance, training, and/or education.

Experience and qualifications for success

• Bachelor’s degree in Natural Resource Management, Biology, Environmental Science, Fish and Wildlife Science, Ecology, or a related field.
• Eight (8) years of progressively responsible experience in biological fieldwork, environmental consulting, and project management, including development and management of project budgets, schedules, and scopes of work from project initiation through final deliverables.
• Demonstrated experience authoring or contributing to natural resources technical reports and environmental documentation for a variety of projects, agencies, and jurisdictions.
• Demonstrated technical expertise in biological resource studies, habitat assessments, special-status species surveys, or related natural resources disciplines.
• Knowledge of applicable federal, state, and local environmental regulations, including the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), and Endangered Species Act (ESA).
• Demonstrated experience supervising, mentoring, or providing technical direction to professional staff.
• Demonstrated ability to manage competing priorities, solve complex problems, exercise sound judgment, and drive projects to successful completion.
• Ability to learn and apply company procedures, adapt to changing project needs, and implement new approaches or techniques as appropriate.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Master’s degree in Natural Resource Management, Biology, Environmental Science, Fish and Wildlife Science, Ecology, or a related field.
• Ten (10) years of progressively responsible experience.
• Advanced expertise in one or more specialized biological resource disciplines, such as rare plant identification, protocol-level special-status species surveys, or sensitive habitat assessments.
• Experience preparing environmental documentation and permitting materials under NEPA, CEQA, the Endangered Species Act, Clean Water Act, or related regulatory programs.
• Experience with transportation, water, and land development projects.
• Demonstrated success in business development, including client relationship management, proposal development, and identification of new project opportunities.
• Established professional relationships and experience working with federal, state, and local regulatory agencies and clients within California and the Western United States.

Other Job Conditions

When drug testing is required

Applicants must be willing to participate in drug and alcohol screening as part of the pre-employment process, when required by project or client requirements.

When driving is required

Applicants must possess a valid driver's license and meet SWCA's driver requirements.

When traveling is required

This position may require domestic travel, including travel by commercial airline. Candidates must be able to obtain and maintain all valid travel documents and identification required for work-related travel throughout the duration of employment.

Safety Expectations

Lead level: Drives compliance of safety policies and reporting requirements to ensure overall team safety.

Pay Range

SWCA is committed to salary equity and transparency. The expected pay range for this Half Moon Bay, CA- based position is $111,621.12 to $145,367.04 per year. Actual pay may vary based on experience, qualifications, geographic location, and other factors permitted by law. Eligible employees may also receive performance-based bonuses.

As a 100% employee-owned company, we invest in your future. Our Total Rewards package includes an Employee Stock Ownership Plan, 401(k) with profit sharing, medical, dental, and vision coverage, paid time off, wellness programs, and professional development opportunities.

Closing

If you need accommodation due to a disability, please contact HRConfidential@swca.com.

If you require assistance with the application process, please contact recruiting@swca.com.

Use of Technology in Hiring

SWCA may use approved technology, including AI-assisted tools, to support parts of the application and recruiting process. All selection and hiring decisions are made by SWCA employees, and candidates are not selected or rejected by automated systems. We are committed to a fair, transparent, and human-centered hiring experience.

Candidate Use of AI

Candidates may use AI tools to help prepare application materials and interviews. However, all application materials, assessments, and interview responses must accurately reflect their own experience, skills, and qualifications. AI must not be used to fabricate experience, complete assessments on their behalf, or otherwise misrepresent their background or abilities.

Equal Opportunity Employer

SWCA Environmental Consultants is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We encourage applications from women, minorities, veterans, and individuals with disabilities. We are committed to creating an inclusive workplace where all employees can thrive.

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.

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