Senior Consultant, Permitted Bat Biologist, Natural Resources

ERM is seeking an experienced Senior Consultant, Permitted Bat Biologist, Natural Resources to play a key role in growing our business in our Overland Park, KS office.

The ideal candidate will have experience leading bat presence/absence mist-netting survey tasks related to renewable energy, transmission, pipelines, or other capital project developments.

Applicants must have a valid USFWS Section 10 permit to conduct bat mist netting surveys in the Great Plains and Midwest.

This is an excellent opportunity to advance your career with ERM’s experienced consulting teams in renewable energy permitting, with additional opportunities to contribute to onshore wind, electrical transmission, oil & gas, and technology infrastructure projects.

As a bat biologist, you will manage bat related tasks including development of proposal scope and budgets, task management, lead field survey efforts, development of survey protocols and level of effort, in-office data analysis, report writing, and quality control.

You will also be part of teams conducting National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) compliance, Endangered Species Act (ESA) Section 7 & 10, state-level equivalent reviews, and environmental permitting for large-scale capital projects in the Great Plains, Midwest, and beyond. 

This position will include opportunities for both field and office work in the Heartland Region (Arkansas, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, and Oklahoma) and potentially elsewhere in the United States.

RESPONSIBILITIES:


* Lead mist-netting and radio-telemetry surveys for protected bat species.


* Oversee acoustic bat surveys and review acoustic data.


* Perform background data and desktop site reviews.


* Submit environmental permit applications.


* Review endangered bat species resource records.


* Support GPS data collection and mapping.


* Record, enter, organize, manage, and analyze data.


* Lead and/or prepare portions written reports, tables, spreadsheets, databases, and maps for client and regulatory agency review.


* Complete quality control review for bat data and reports.

REQUIREMENTS: 


* A bachelor’s degree in an environmental (biology, ecology, natural resources, soil science, or related field) discipline.

Or equivalent experience. 


* Master’s degree in biology or related field from an accredited institution is a plus.


* 4+ years of related experience.


* USFWS Collection Permit for protected bat species.


* Experience conducting bat surveys in Arkansas, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, and/or Oklahoma.


* Experience with bat radio telemetry and roost emergence counts.


* Familiarity with acoustic bat surveys and associated software.


* Comfortable with ArcGIS field maps and GPS-based survey equipment.


* Knowledge, understanding, and use of statistical analysis a plus.


* Experience working well both in a team setting and independently.


* Technical writing skills are necessary for t...