Current Opening:
Terrestrial Ecologist
The Company:
Founded in 2013, Chu Cho Environmental (CCE) is a 100% Tsay Keh Dene Nation owned company, established under the Nation’s Economic Development Corporation. As an Indigenous-owned business, CCE reflects the values of the Nation and delivers high-quality environmental services rooted in respect for community and territory.
As a for-profit social enterprise, CCE creates employment, builds local capacity, and supports economic growth for Tsay Keh Dene Nation. Our mission is to build a resilient, skilled, and multidisciplinary team that delivers professional environmental services across northern British Columbia.
CCE provides a wide range of environmental services, including baseline studies, regulatory support, environmental research, and long-term monitoring for resource development projects. Our multidisciplinary team brings expertise in botany, reclamation, atmospheric science, fisheries, wildlife, data science and GIS. Here are a few example projects within the Terrestrial team:
Chase Caribou Road Restoration Program (YouTube)
See the Chu Cho Environmental YouTube, Instagram or LinkedIn pages for more content focused on our work.
Position Summary:
Chu Cho Environmental is seeking a Terrestrial Ecologist to help lead our Terrestrial Ecology team and lead a diverse portfolio of projects from proposal development through field execution and final reporting. Working alongside another experienced team lead, the successful candidate will supervise a team of ecologists, botanists, and soils specialists, and help set the technical direction of the discipline. They will hold a Registered Professional Biologist (R.P.Bio.) or Professional Agrologist (P.Ag.) designation and have demonstrated scientific, technical, project management, team leadership, and business development experience.
This is a leadership role. It requires the ability to build and lead an established high performing team in partnership with another senior staff, technical expertise in soils, reclamation science, and vegetation, and a commitment to relationship building and professionalism in interactions with clients, regulatory agencies, and First Nations.
Key Responsibilities:
Team Leadership & Development
Help lead the established Terrestrial Ecology team, setting its technical direction, priorities, and growth plans with senior colleagues and the General Manager
Directly supervise assigned team members: assign and balance workloads, set annual goals, conduct performance reviews, and address performance concerns
Provide technical leadership and mentorship a team of intermediate and junior staff
Identify and organize professional development opportunities for the team
Foster a culture of professionalism, collaboration, learning, and accountability
Contribute to building a resilient, multidisciplinary team aligned with organizational values
Coordinate with other discipline leads within CCE, external companies, and Tsay Keh Dene Nation
Implement Integrated Project Development, Fieldwork and Reporting
Lead and oversee multidisciplinary terrestrial ecology and environmental (soils, reclamation, vegetation) consulting and monitoring projects from proposal development through execution and final reporting
Implement fieldwork on select projects (25%), oversee staff implementing fieldwork (75%)
Coordinate data management, complete statistical analyses, technical reporting and present on results to decision makers
Provide expert technical review and professional sign-off on baseline studies, monitoring programs, site pre-disturbance assessments, and reports
Client & Community Engagement
Cultivate respectful, collaborative relationships with project partners, clients, governments, and Tsay Keh Dene Nation citizens
Complete regular community engagement to ensure alignment between community priorities and Chu Cho Environmental projects
Ensure projects and services reflect the values, priorities, and interests of Tsay Keh Dene Nation
Conduct work in a manner rooted in respect for community, culture, and territory
Business Development
Build and maintain strong relationships with clients, including government agencies, industry, and developers.
Operations & Project Delivery
Plan, schedule, budget, and manage projects to ensure on-time and on-budget delivery
Coordinate with partner organizations and professionals
Lead proposal development and submission, including scope development, costing, and scheduling
Collaborate with your own team, as well as our teams of wildlife biologists, fisheries biologists, and regulatory specialists to deliver projects
Ensure all work meets regulatory requirements, professional standards (e.g., R.P.Bio., P.Ag.), and internal QA/QC processes
Stay current with environmental legislation, permitting requirements, and industry trends
Key Performance Indicators (KPIs):
Technical Implementation
High quality written and communication products
On-time and on-budget project delivery
Compliance with regulatory and professional standards
Client & Community Engagement
Strength and growth of client relationships
Contribution to employment of Tsay Keh Dene community members
Team Leadership & Organizational Development
Terrestrial team satisfaction, retention, and professional growth
Effective team leadership: balanced workloads, clear goals, and annual performance reviews completed on time
Qualifications:
Education & Experience
Registered Professional Biologist (R.P.Bio.) or Professional Agrologist (P.Ag.) designation or immediately eligible (required)
Master’s degree in discipline related to Terrestrial Ecology (soil science, reclamation science, ecosystem mapping, botany, or related terrestrial ecology disciplines) (preferred)
Bachelor’s degree in environmental science or a related discipline (required)
6 or more years experience in the field of terrestrial ecology, including environmental consulting with project management and team leadership as primary responsibilities (required)
Strong knowledge of environmental legislation, permitting, impact assessment, and sustainability standards (required)
Experience conducting remote fieldwork in challenging environments (required)
Demonstrated experience leading and directly supervising a technical team, including workload planning, performance reviews, and staff development (required)
Technical & Professional Skills
Excellent communication, and writing skills at the level of peer-reviewed publications (required)
Ability to translate complex technical information into clear recommendations to decision makers (required)
Experience using the Canadian systems of soil classification and Field Manual for Describing Terrestrial Ecosystems in British Columbia in the field (required)
Demonstrated knowledge of common vascular plants of northern BC, including proficiency in species identification and familiarity with the use of dichotomous keys to identify unfamiliar taxa (required)
Demonstrated knowledge of land reclamation concepts and the integration of soils, vegetation, and ecosystem mapping data in restoration planning and design (preferred)
Demonstrated experience creating terrestrial mapping products as they may relate to baseline or biodiversity studies (preferred)
Demonstrated use of version control to manage report documents, communications and open-source workflows (required)
Working Conditions:
Primary focus on office based work with requirement to complete remote fieldwork, including work in all weather conditions. Expected 25% field based, 75% office based position.
Compensation & Benefits:
Annual salary: $90,000–$120,000, commensurate with experience and qualifications
Comprehensive health and benefits package
Professional development and training opportunities
Additional Health and Wellness funding
Meaningful work with an Indigenous owned company delivering high quality environmental services
How to Apply
Please submit your resume and cover letter outlining your interest and qualifications to:
careers@chuchoenvironmental.com