Ecological Restoration / Natural Resources Specialist at Fuss & O'Neill New Haven, CT

Fuss & O'Neill is hiring an Ecological Restoration / Natural Resources Specialist in New Haven, CT, to enhance their ecological restoration and climate resilience practice. The role involves assessing, designing, and permitting projects related to flood resilience, wetland delineation, and habitat assessments. Candidates should have a degree in environmental science or related fields and experience in wetland science and environmental regulations. Mentoring junior staff is also a key responsibility.
Ecological Restoration / Natural Resources Specialist job at Fuss & O'Neill. New Haven, CT.

Fuss & O’Neill is currently seeking an Ecological Restoration / Natural Resources Specialist to join our growing ecological restoration and climate resilience practice in Connecticut and throughout the Northeast. This position will be within our Water and Natural Resources (WNR) practice and support the assessment, design, and permitting of restoration and climate adaptation projects in Connecticut and our other New England offices.

Our WNR practice specializes in riverine flood resilience and restoration, green stormwater infrastructure and drainage-related flood resilience, culvert replacement for resilience and aquatic organism passage, dam removal, stream and floodplain restoration, and coastal flood resilience and restoration. The WNR team is looking to expand and strengthen our ecological restoration and natural resources expertise to support these and related project types.

The ideal candidate for this position is a mid- to senior-level professional with strong mentoring skills and a sound knowledge base in one or more of the following: wetland science, delineation, and restoration; aquatic and/or terrestrial rare, threatened, and endangered species identification and surveys; stream geomorphology, hydrology, and hydraulics; stream channel and floodplain restoration; bank/shoreline stabilization; habitat and habitat connectivity assessment; invasive species management; environmental impact assessment (CEPA and NEPA); and state and federal (i.e., CTDEEP and US Army Corps of Engineers) environmental regulations and permitting.
Key Responsibilities

Contribute to developing and growing an ecological restoration practice in CT
Contribute to ecological restoration and resiliency/adaptation projects from concept to completion
Conduct and/or support wetland delineations and prepare state and federal environmental permit applications for projects in Connecticut
Experience delineating wetlands and an understanding of the applicable wetland related regulations and delineation protocols in other New England states is a plus
Have experience delineating wetlands and other regulated resources according to the US Army Corps of Engineers (Corps) Wetlands Delineation Manual and Regional Supplement
Assess wildlife habitat, functions, values, and biodiversity in wetland systems
Develop site maps and wetland/site impact plans in ArcGIS Pro and/or AutoCAD Civil 3D
Identify invasive species at project sites and develop invasive species management plans
Provide research, calculations, graphics, technical summaries, etc. for feasibility assessments and engineering design reports
Present field data and analyses at public meetings and client-facing project check-ins
Work efficiently and safely alone or with field teams and participate in other tasks, such as reporting, permitting support, and communication with project management, clients, and regulators
Mentor junior staff toward independence in wetland delineation and natural resource assessment

Skills, Knowledge and Expertise

Bachelor’s or master’s degree in environmental science, ecology, biology, water resources, restoration or related field
Professional Wetland Scientist (PWS) or other natural resource/restoration certifications strongly preferred
Minimum of 5+ years’ work experience or an equivalent combination of education (e.g., advanced degree) and experience.
Strong understanding of wetland hydrology, ecology, and plant identification
Familiarity with process-based ecological restoration
Inland and coastal resource delineations pursuant to the requirements of CT State regulations, as well as Section 404/401 of the Federal Clean Water Act
Knowledge of state and federal regulations and permitting processes
Experience preparing state and federal (CEPA and NEPA) environmental impact assessment documents a plus
Experience with stream hydrology/hydraulics (H&H) and H&H modelling software a plus
Commitment to collaborative problem-solving, innovation, and high-quality work products
Interacting and communicating effectively with multi-disciplinary teams, regulators, and/or clients

Tagged as: Conservation