Senior Environmental Coordinator

BC Hydro is seeking a Senior Environmental Coordinator in Vancouver, BC, to assess aquatic ecosystems related to a hydroelectric facility. The role involves collaboration with various stakeholders, including Indigenous Nations, to design and oversee fish habitat mitigation and monitoring programs. Key responsibilities include managing environmental risks, ensuring regulatory compliance, and synthesizing data across programs. Candidates should have expertise in fisheries biology and environmental management.
Job Location: Vancouver, BC

Employment type: Permanent

Hours of work: Full-time (37.5 hrs/week)

Annual Salary: $ 107,000.00 - 135,300.00

No. of positions: 1

Closing date: February 13, 2025

About the job:

What you’ll do

This unique, once-in-a-career opportunity allows you to assess the response of an aquatic ecosystem to a new hydroelectric facility and reservoir environment, and evaluate the effectiveness of Canada’s largest habitat offsets in the reservoir and Peace River.

Reporting to BC Hydro’s Environment group, the Site C Clean Energy Project’s (the Project) Fish and Aquatic Team seeks an experienced professional with a strong technical background in fisheries biology, effects assessment, effectiveness monitoring and facilitation. This role involves collaborating with BC Hydro staff, consultants, regulatory agencies, construction contractors and Treaty 8 First Nations of Dunne Zaa, Cree and Tse'khene cultural descent to design and oversee fish and aquatic habitat mitigation, fish passage management and monitoring programs. These programs support compliance with the Project’s permits, approvals and authorizations for fish and fish habitat.

The successful candidate will:
• Serve as a subject matter expert for the Project’s diverse fish and aquatic programs recognizing environmental risks, regulatory compliance, business requirements, and opportunities.
• Implement a strategic approach for planning, delivering and communicating programs to demonstrate compliance with fish abundance-based targets as required by the Project’s Fisheries Act authorization and related permits and approvals.
• Synthesize data and information across the fish and aquatic program, the largest effectiveness monitoring undertaken by BC Hydro at a generating station.
• Lead and facilitate external committees with multiple stakeholders to advance program activities.
• Engage with Indigenous Nations on programs and support their participation in the programs. Create meaningful space for traditional knowledge and western science in the implementation and outcomes of programs.
• Maintain strong working relationships with regulatory agencies and communicate monitoring results in the context of regulatory compliance.
• Support the construction and maintenance of habitat offsets in the reservoir and Peace River.
• Manage environmental risks during construction activities, including in-river work.
• Manage consultant contracts, including developing terms of reference, monitoring plans, evaluating proposals, and overseeing budgets and deliverables to meet the project timelines.
• Collaborate with other teams at BC Hydro (e.g., Indigenous Relations, Engineering, Construction Management, Generation System Operations) to effectively plan program activities.

The successful candidate will have experience in the following key areas:
• Environmental management, including fisheries biology with emphasis on freshwater populations of resident species, preferably those in northeastern British Columbia (e.g., Bull Trout, Mountain Whitefish, Kokanee).
• Assessing and managing the effects of hydroelectric developments and operations on fish and aquatic ecosystems. Experience with limnology and monitoring aquatic communities in lakes and reservoirs is an asset.
• Managing compliance with Fisheries Act authorizations.
• Assessing, managing, and clearly communicating risk and complex technical topics to diverse, internal and external audiences and decision makers.
• Designing and implementing adaptive mitigation and monitoring programs focusing on the effects of hydroelectric developments on fish and fish habitat, including the productivity of aquatic and riparian ecosystems.
• Contract and project management, quality assurance.
• Working with regulatory agencies, Indigenous Nations, and academia to facilitate partnerships and agreements.
• Facilitating and leading committees and multi-disciplinary teams.

What you bring
• A graduate degree relevant to biology, ecology, environmental engineering, or natural resource management (or an equivalent combination of qualifications and experience).
• Must be eligible for designation as a Registered Professional Biologist in the British Columbia College of Applied Biologists.
• Minimum of eight (8) years of relevant subject matter experience, which may include: fisheries assessment and management related to hydroelectric developments, environmental mitigation program design and implementation, environmental monitoring program design and implementation, federal and provincial environmental assessment and permitting.
• Additional relevant experience may include: water quality and aquatic productivity assessments, fish population modelling, project management, contract management, engagement with Indigenous Nations, and environmental management of construction.
• Technical skills and experience may include specialized software skills (e.g., database management, statistical analysis), regulatory permitting, contract management, technical writing and editing.
• Must be available for travel.
• Strong technical communication, research, writing and editing skills.
• A valid driver's license with no restrictions.

What we offer

- A comprehensive benefits package

- A minimum of 15 paid vacation days

- A lifetime pension

- Flexible work model, depending on your role type

- Training and development courses

For more information on the benefits we offer, visit bchydro.com/benefits.

What else you should know
• This is a Full-Time Permanent (FTR) P3 M&P opportunity with the team.
• The preferred headquarter location for this position is the BC Hydro Dunsmuir office (Vancouver, BC). However, alternative headquarters may be considered pending the required business approvals and workspace availability. The successful candidate must also be able to conform to BC Hydro’s hybrid flexible work role, requiring employees to work from headquarters a minimum of 2 days per week.
• Regular travel is required to the Site in Fort St. John, estimated to be at least one trip every three months.
• A condition of employment for this job is that you maintain your Class 5 Driver's License in good standing.
• Please be advised that this role has been assessed as safety sensitive and pre-qualification alcohol and drug testing will be required as a pre-condition to employment.
• As part of the selection process, applicants may be required to take a written test/assessment or do a presentation.

Don't forget to update your Candidate Profile with your current resume and copies of your certifications. If applicable, include your Trades Qualification. This will ensure we have all the necessary information to assess your application without any delays.

Location: Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, V6B 5R3.

How to apply –

Interested candidates should submit their applications online at https://app.bchydro.com/careers/current_opp.html or click ‘Apply’

You must use a supported browser, such as Firefox, Internet Explorer, Google Chrome or Safari. Your pop up blocker will also need to be disabled for the BC Hydro Careers site.

On the BC Hydro Careers site, click on the Apply button in order to complete the steps to apply for this job. Please be sure to update your Candidate Profile with your current resume and include copies of your certifications, if applicable.