Authorized Desert Tortoise Biologist - (on-call)

Work with Us. Change the World. At AECOM, we're delivering a better world. Whether improving your commute, keeping the lights on, providing access to clean water, or transforming skylines, our work helps people and communities thrive. We are the world's trusted infrastructure consulting firm, partnering with clients to solve the world’s most complex challenges and build legacies for future generations. There has never been a better time to be at AECOM. With accelerating infrastructure investment worldwide, our services are in great demand. We invite you to bring your bold ideas and big dreams and become part of a global team of over 50,000 planners, designers, engineers, scientists, digital innovators, program and construction managers and other professionals delivering projects that create a positive and tangible impact around the world. We're one global team driven by our common purpose to deliver a better world. Join us. AECOM is seeking an experienced Authorized Desert Tortoise Field Biologist in the southern/central California desert regions. This is a field-based, fully remote, on-call position requiring the ability to be local on field assignments for extended periods but linked to a Southern California-based office. This position would support numerous natural resource projects with a focus on biological surveys and regulatory compliance monitoring primarily for desert tortoise and/or burrowing owl, with potential to assist with vegetation mapping, wildlife assessments, habitat restoration, and/or permitting implementation with support from junior biologists. The responsibilities of this position could include a subset of those listed below based on relevant experience: - Lead protocol and pre-construction desert tortoise surveys and monitoring. Including handling, rehydration, health assessment experience. - Lead and conduct focused burrowing owl surveys and monitoring, including passive relocation. - Lead and conduct focused American badger and desert kit fox surveys and monitoring. - Conduct general wildlife and/or botanical surveys, including vegetation and habitat mapping.

- Identify and record native and non-native fauna and/or flora in the field. - Conduct other special-status species surveys, following established protocols or guidelines as relevant. - Conduct avian species nesting surveys and avian mortality monitoring. - Support project execution, including pre-construction surveys and construction monitoring. - Assist with environmental compliance monitoring. - Provide oversight of restoration crew work and restoration vegetation performance monitoring. - Perform other related duties assigned, such as coordination with team members, scheduling of work, etc. - Utilize electronic data collection methods in the field; manage, interpret, and analyze data, as needed. - Conduct monitoring and survey fieldwork as part of a team and independently in inland and desert environments, which can include rugged terrain. - Work under the supervision of a senior project manager or senior-level team member. - Ensure assigned tasks stay on schedule and budget. - Elevate compliance concerns to project or construction managers. - Provide clarification of resource project requirements to the compliance and construction teams. - Promote safety culture and adherence to Safe Work Plans. - Willingness to temporarily relocate to the California Desert region (including Blythe, El Centro, Palm Springs, Barstow, etc. ), based on assignment. Authorized Desert Tortoise Biologist: To be approved by the USFWS to conduct activities that may result in “take” of the desert tortoise, an authorized biologist should have thorough knowledge of desert tortoise behavior, natural history, and ecology, and demonstrate substantial field experience and training to successfully: - Locate, identify, and report all forms of desert tortoise sign in accordance with approved protocols. - Handle and temporarily hold desert tortoises.