Botanist jobs in San Jose, CA

H. T. Harvey & Associates, an ecological consulting firm with four offices in Northern California and one in Hawaii, is looking for an experienced senior botanist and/or wetlands ecologist with a background in wetland delineation and experience in regulatory permitting for a full-time managerial position in the botany group in our San Francisco Bay Area office (Los Gatos, Santa Clara County). This position offers significant opportunities for growth and potential leadership within the botany team and the Bay Area office. The anticipated pay range for this position is $91,500 - $117,000 annually. Actual compensation within the range will be commensurate with experience and qualifications.

What it’s like to work with us

H. T. Harvey & Associates has a strong reputation for deep scientific expertise and a high caliber of work. When joining the company, new employees become part of a well-respected team of ecologists with unparalleled expertise with the region’s species, habitats, regulatory environment, and habitat plans. As a member of the botany group, you’ll work closely with Dr. Kelly Hardwicke, principal of the group, and have opportunities to lead projects and be part of multidisciplinary project teams with wildlife and restoration ecologists as well as landscape architects. 

Our scientists spend time both in the field and in the office (Los Gatos office and home offices). When in the field, you might work on plant community mapping, conduct focused or protocol rare plant surveys and wetland assessments and delineations, assess impacted ecosystems, and identify opportunities for restoration. You may also implement monitoring plans for mitigation sites and preserves, including riparian and wetland mitigation, monitoring, and long term management plans. When not doing field work, you will contribute to and write biological resource reports; prepare or assist in the preparation of mitigation, monitoring, and management plans; prepare or assist in the preparation of habitat restoration plans; and develop regulatory agency permit application packages. In addition to the tasks above, project managers and senior staff will coordinate with clients and regulatory agencies, steward acquisition of regulatory permits, and manage project staff and budgets.

What are some of the important types of projects and habitats the botany group works on?

• Providing botany expertise to large scale conservation projects, including in the Santa Cruz Mountains and the Coyote Valley  
• Performing rare plant work in serpentine habitats, oak woodlands, riparian corridors, and the marshlands of the San Francisco Bay
• Assisting with complex ecological restoration projects along the San Francisco Bay shoreline and throughout the region
• Contributing to open space, park, trail, and campus habitat planning 
• Minimizing ecological impact of redevelopment projects and creating new habitats to support native species
• Developing native habitat and pollinator guidelines
• Supporting renewable energy projects 

Competencies, skills, and experience

We aim to hire team members who strive for excellence in their everyday work and who are interested in continually improving their scientific knowledge and collaborating with experts in other fields of ecology. Those who want to join our company at the managerial level should have both a strong relevant scientific background and prior applicable experience. Other core competencies include curiosity and a commitment to continual learning. 

In addition to strong technical expertise, we seek team members with a combination of some or all of the following:

• A bachelor’s degree combined with sufficient directly relevant experience (advanced degree preferred)
• Strong scientific background with emphasis in botany and/or plant ecology 
• Exceptional and demonstrated technical writing ability
• Excellent communication and collaboration skills 
• Experience in some or most of the following areas: California flora and plant identification, quantitative field surveys, plant community/association mapping, wetland delineation, environmental impact analysis, regulatory permit preparation, GPS usage, and general GIS, Google Earth, and/or ArcMap familiarity
• Completion of, or interest in taking, a 40-hour wetland delineation course or equivalent experience
• Understanding of CEQA/NEPA and regulatory agency permitting
• Experience and/or ability to conduct formal USACE wetland delineations and regulated habitats mapping for Regional Water Quality Control Board, California Department of Fish and Wildlife, Bay Conservation and Development Commission, and California Coastal Commission
• For management positions, prior project management or junior project management experience, and  prior consulting experience with NEPA/CEQA analysis and regulatory permitting

If you don’t have all the items above, but have experience with a good portion of them, we still welcome you to submit your application so we can learn more about you and see if it’s a good fit! 

A few other nitty gritty details

This position requires the future employee to:

• Follow best practices for field safety
• Hold a valid driver’s license with no major traffic violations or multiple minor violations
• Walk over varied terrain for surveys and work in inclement weather

How to apply

To start the application process, please submit your resume and a cover letter through our applicant portal. In your cover letter please share your thoughts about what gets you blooming about plants, why you want to work for us, or what you want to get out of your next position, or whatever else you’d like to share that isn’t obvious from your resume.

Ultimately, we’ll ask for references and potentially a work sample and academic transcripts, but if you don’t have them handy now, they can be submitted later. 

Please combine your cover letter and resume into one file.

Employment Package, Benefits, and Work Culture

We strive to support employees' career goals and their health and wellness. Our employment package includes a competitive salary and a generous benefits package. Project managers and other senior staff are part of a robust managerial bonus program.

Health insurance

H. T. Harvey & Associates has always placed a strong emphasis on health and wellness. At the center of these offerings is our top-notch medical coverage (Cigna PPO and Kaiser Permanente HMO plans) along with Health Savings Account (HSA) and Flexible Savings Account (FSA) options. For full-time employees who opt in to one of our plans, we cover 100% of the premiums for that employee. Additional options include 50% premium coverage for spouses, domestic partners, and children. The package also includes dental and vision coverage at no cost to the employee. Pro-rated plan options are available for those who work at least 50% time. 

Retirement benefits

We offer a 401(k) plan with a 33% employer match. The plan offers nearly 50 fund choices including a notable number of socially responsible investment fund options. 

Time off

Employees accrue paid vacation, personal days, and sick leave time. Additionally, full-time employees receive 5 additional personal days annually and 10 company holidays off, including Martin Luther King, Jr. Day for voluntary participation in a National Day of Service.

Professional development

In addition to having a core value of ongoing development of scientific and professional expertise, we support participation in external training and certification programs, attendance at conferences and workshops, and membership in and engagement with scientific and professional associations. We also offer presentation, poster, and publication bonuses. 

Flexible work arrangements

We offer flexible scheduling options during the work week, with employees working from both company and home offices. Our goal is to facilitate collaboration and accommodate business needs while providing flexibility to employees. 

About H. T. Harvey & Associates 

H. T. Harvey & Associates is an ecological consulting firm based in the San Francisco Bay Area, with four offices in California and one in Hawaii. The Los Gatos headquarters office is proudly certified as a Santa Clara County Green Business. Our core areas of expertise are wildlife ecology, plant ecology, aquatic ecology, restoration ecology, and landscape architecture. We hire people who strive to be the best in their fields and provide training, support, and work opportunities to grow their expertise. We have been cultivating excellence in our staff and work in pursuit of our mission to create ecologically sound solutions to our clients’ complex natural resource challenges for more than 54 years. 

H. T. Harvey & Associates is an Equal Employment Opportunity employer. We encourage people of all backgrounds and abilities to apply. We do not discriminate based on race, religion, color, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, age, veteran status, disability status, or any other applicable characteristics protected by law.