What are the responsibilities and job description for the Natural Resources Scientist position at Terracon?
General Responsibilities
Make a lasting impact on wetlands, natural resources, and environmental compliance across the Upper Midwest, while growing your career with a respected environmental consulting firm. This role offers the opportunity to work on diverse, meaningful projects throughout Illinois and Wisconsin, with a strong balance of fieldwork, project leadership, and client collaboration.
Location: Chicagoland OR Milwaukee area
Mid-Senior Level | Level Determined by Experience
Make a lasting impact on wetlands, natural resources, and environmental compliance across the Upper Midwest, while growing your career with a respected environmental consulting firm. This role offers the opportunity to work on diverse, meaningful projects throughout Illinois and Wisconsin, with a strong balance of fieldwork, project leadership, and client collaboration.
- Prepare permit applications, risk assessments, and technical documentation – including proposals, reports, and regulatory agency correspondence.
- Design environmental protection plans and support sustainable site development initiatives.
- Ecological and natural resource field surveys.
- Wetland and waters of the U.S. delineations, impact assessments, and permitting.
- Wetland mitigation.
- Stormwater management.
- Site planning and regulatory permitting.
- Habitat assessments and agency coordination.
- Exposure to high‑profile environmental and wetland projects throughout the Upper Midwest.
- The ability to shape project outcomes and client relationships.
- Clear pathways for technical advancement and leadership growth.
- A strong mix of fieldwork, analysis, and project management.
- Long‑term career development within a stable, well‑established firm.
- Plan, lead, and execute environmental and wetland projects of moderate to high complexity, from fieldwork through reporting.
- Perform and oversee wetland delineations, ecological field surveys, sampling, and scientific analyses.
- Ensure projects meet federal, state, and local regulatory requirements and quality standards.
- Serve as a technical resource and team lead, mentoring junior scientists and coordinating field staff.
- Develop and review technical reports, permit applications, and client proposals.
- Analyze and interpret complex field and laboratory data to support defensible conclusions.
- Collaborate directly with clients, regulators, and internal teams on project planning and delivery.
- Uphold safety, quality, and professional standards on all projects
- Progress toward Terracon Authorized Project Reviewer certification with structured mentoring.
Location: Chicagoland OR Milwaukee area
Mid-Senior Level | Level Determined by Experience
- Bachelor’s degree in Environmental Science, Biology, Ecology, Engineering, Geology, Archaeology, or related discipline. Master’s degree or PhD preferred.
- Minimum of 7 years’ related experience. Or, in lieu of a degree, a minimum of 11 years’ related experience.
- Demonstrated senior-level experience in waters of the U.S./permitting, listed species, or NEPA.
- Section 401/404 permitting and/or listed species experience needed.
- Valid driver’s license with acceptable violation history.
- Certification in the field of expertise required.
- Wisconsin DNR Assured wetland delineator credentials preferred.
- Illinois Lake County and DuPage County Wetland certification preferred.
- Knowledge of WDNR, IL state and local and USACE jurisdictional wetland regulations.
- Familiarity using Trimble and ESRI products.