Senior Field Hydrologist

Environmental Science Associates (ESA) is a 100% employee-owned environmental consulting firm. We plan design permit mitigate and restore for projects across our communities infrastructure systems open spaces and wildlands. We are 50 years strong in 21 offices across California the Pacific Northwest and the Southeastern United States.

ESA is seeking a highly motivated Senior Field Hydrologistto join our team of hydrologists geomorphologists ecologists and engineers in the Northern California region. We are looking for a dedicated and enthusiastic team member with 10years of work experience a passion for ecosystem restoration working outdoors and the desire to learn and grow. This is an exempt full-time salary role with flexible hybrid expectations. Qualified candidates must be able and willing to work hybrid from one of our Northern CA ESA office locations as needed. Preference given to candidates within a commutable distance to our following ESA Office locations: Sacramento Oakland San Francisco or Petaluma. This role will involve some travel for site visits projects and in-person team collaboration as needed.

Work samples may be requested as a step in the interview process.

Who You Are

• You must have proficient working knowledge in MATLAB or Python preferred. Candidates with experience in R will also be considered.
• You must have prior professional working experience with topo-bathymetric surveys (Hypack) OR continuous monitoring networks
• You must have experience with ArcGIS
• You must have experience with QA/QC of scientific datasets
• You enjoy working outdoors and you have 10 years of professional work experience in scientific data collection and quality control (possibly including topographic and/or bathymetric surveying UAV sidescan sonar ADCP stream gauging sediment studies water quality monitoring and sampling or other related skills) including project management experience.
• The ideal candidate has extensive professional experience with continuous hydrodynamic and water quality data collection and telemetered data delivery systems.
• You hold a Bachelors and/or Masters degree in Civil/Environmental Engineering Hydrology Land Surveying Water Quality or a related field.
• You are an effective team member with excellent oral and written communication skills who can work independently and collaboratively in a multi-disciplinary environment.
• You can communicate technical information clearly and concisely to individuals and groups.
• You are comfortable working in and around water and you have experience working with tools and on boats.
• Preference given to qualified candidates with any of the following skillsets: Certified/Trained Boat Operator Sidescan Sonar skills FAA Certified Drone Pilot w/ LiDAR Estuarine Water Quality Analysis Certified Hydrographer or Professional land surveyor
• You enjoy fieldwork and can walk long distances carrying a backpack; andare able to lift at least 50 pounds. You are confident working outside in remote and rural settings as well as in urban environments. Physical outdoor work may include but may not be limited to work in all types of weather traversing uneven ground and sometimes steep terrain in vegetated environments agricultural fields arid lands and along stream banks. You may be exposed to inclement weather and uncomfortable working conditions. Some early morning late night and/or weekend work as well as long hours may be required.

What You Will Do for ESA

• You will plan schedule and execute field data collection quality control and analysis in support of ecosystem restoration flood management fish passage and other water resources and environmental engineering projects.
• You will plan for and execute the deployment and maintenance of instrumentation topographic and bathymetric surveys geomorphic discharge sediment transport and wave studies and construction and post-construction monitoring activities.
• You will apply Python Matlab ArcGIS AutoCAD HYPACK Aquarius and other tools to process data develop basemaps evaluate discharge tide and water quality conditions monitor channel and vegetation development calculate sedimentation rates and other tasks.
• You will write technical reports describing data collection methods and results. You will develop and adhere to data collection and quality control procedures.
• You will work at your desk and outdoors on the coast in estuaries and salt marshes in streams and rivers and on boats. You will manage projects and tasks independently and supervise others in executing work assignments.
• While consistently demonstrating solid data collection analysis and writing skills you thrive in a fast-paced challenging environment and are able to balance multiple responsibilities and deadlines both when working on a team or independently.
• Other ad-hoc tasks as needed

Whats Special About Our Team

Our Environmental Hydrology and Design team includes engineers hydrologists geomorphologists and landscape architects. Much of our work is oriented toward the restoration of habitat and ecosystem function often as part of multi-benefit projects. As a highly integrated team we value creative thinking teamwork and multi-disciplinary and cross-disciplinary engagement and integration.

To read about some of our exciting projects check out these links:

has established multiple pay ranges tailored to the economic factors in the geographies in which ESA staff reside. For this position the range is approximately as listed based on our anticipated hiring locations as noted in the above job details. Actual compensation is determined by several factors including but not limited to an individuals related experience education skills and the city in which the applicant lives.