Job Details

Wildlife Assistant Biologist I/II

Position Number: 6880942
Location: San Jose, CA
Position Type: Agriculture - Environmental Science, Ecology & Forestry

Wildlife Assistant Biologist I/II

Valley Water

Salary: See Position Description

Job Type: Full-Time

Job Number: 01957-E

Location: CA, CA

Department: Watersheds Stewardship and Planning

Closing: 2/1/2026 11:59 PM Pacific

Description

Assistant Biologist I: $110,385.60 - $141,315.20 annually
Assistant Biologist II: $118,934.40 - $152,152.00 annually

Overview:

Join a team dedicated to protecting and stewarding natural resources while supporting critical water infrastructure projects across Santa Clara County.

The Assistant Biologist I/II is an entry-level field position within Valley Water's Watershed Planning and Stewardship Division, Environmental Mitigation and Monitoring Unit. This role primarily supports wildlife biology efforts, though experience in any biological discipline is valued. The Assistant Biologist will conduct ecological field data collection and environmental compliance in support of a wide range of projects and programs managed or supported by the Unit.

The Environmental Mitigation and Monitoring Unit provides ecological and biological expertise across Valley Water's activities to support effective natural resource management, environmental stewardship, and compliance with environmental laws and regulations. The Unit's responsibilities include managing long-term mitigation monitoring programs; implementing ecology-focused stewardship projects under the Safe, Clean Water Program; overseeing land management and easement monitoring for mitigation lands; administering the plant pathogen program; providing biological subject matter expertise for more than 30 capital projects and long-range planning efforts; and managing the Fisheries and Aquatic Habitat Collaborative Effort (FAHCE). The Unit specializes in special-status species, jurisdictional habitats, impact and habitat function assessments, avoidance and minimization measures, mitigation design and monitoring, and environmental permitting.

In this role, the Assistant Biologist I/II will perform essential field and support duties that ensure continuous and comprehensive biological support for Valley Water projects and programs. This includes permit compliance activities and mitigation and monitoring efforts.

Our Commitment:
We are committed to building and sustaining a working environment where all individuals are respected and valued. We believe every member of our team brings unique perspectives that enhance our ability to serve the public effectively. By fostering a workplace with employees from the communities we serve, we broaden our collective understanding of the world around us and strengthen our mission to equitably provide safe, clean water, natural flood protections, and environmental stewardship.
About Valley Water:
Valley Water is a public agency with an operating and capital budget of $964 million, and over 900 employees. With headquarters in San Jose, Valley Water provides water supply, enhances streams and watersheds through creek restoration and habitat protection, provides flood protection for homes, schools, businesses and roadways, and partners with other agencies to provide trails and open space for the community.

Key Responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

Conduct wildlife and mitigation lands management survey and monitoring field activities including nesting bird surveys, special-status species surveys, amphibian and reptile sampling and surveys, conservation easement monitoring, long-term management plan implementation, on-site biological compliance monitoring, impact evaluations, and habitat assessments.
Assist with fisheries monitoring activities including aquatic sampling surveys, electrofishing, fish trapping, habitat typing, eDNA, flow profiles, PIT tracking, spawning surveys, and general site assessments.
Assist with vegetation field work including vegetation mapping, rare plant surveys, and mitigation site monitoring.
Provide technical biological expertise to support planning, design, and construction phases for a variety of projects to minimize impacts on biological resources.
Data entry, management, and analysis, database upkeep, scientific permit administration, GIS tasks, report preparation.
Experience working with the local flora and fauna of Santa Clara County.

Ideal Candidate's Background Includes:

Applicants whose experience and background best match the ideal experience, knowledge, skills, abilities, and education are considered ideal candidates for the position. To determine the top candidates, each applicant will be assessed based on the ideal candidate criteria as listed below.

Experience:

Assistant Biologist I:

One (1) year of experience performing professional-level responsibilities as a biologist involving a significant amount of field work.

Assistant Biologist II:

Three (3) years of experience performing professional-level responsibilities as a biologist involving a significant amount of field work.

Substitution: Master's degree in biology, ecology, zoology, or a related discipline in a life sciences field from an accredited college or university may substitute for one year of the required experience.

Ideal Skills and Abilities:

Assistant Biologist I

Learn federal and state permitting regulations, laws, processes, and practices applied in natural resource management, including but not limited to those issued by California Department of Fish and Wildlife, US Fish and Wildlife Service, National Marine Fisheries Service, US Army Corps of Engineers, Regional Water Quality Control Board, and the Federal and California Endangered Species Acts (ESAs).
Research, evaluate, and write studies, reports, papers, and related literature used in the field of biology.
Use scientific libraries and information systems for locating relevant scientific literature.
Assess, mitigate, monitor, and report biological elements and impacts; evaluate thresholds of significance.
Learn to interpret and apply federal, state, and local policies, laws, and regulations, including the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) and National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA).
Perform a variety of tasks to measure, control, and assure the quality of in-situ data and information collected before, during, and after ecological survey and monitoring. activities.
Learn to apply and utilize the principles, data, and processes of the Valley Water's Global Positioning System (GPS), Geographic Information System (GIS), and Cartography.
Use common desktop applications and software as well as specialized software (such as R) related to the work.

Assistant Biologist II

In addition to the qualifications for Assistant Biologist I:

Interpret and apply federal, state, and local policies, laws, and regulations, including CEQA and NEPA.
Learn to interpret, negotiate, implement, and report federal and state environmental permitting conditions.
Make significant progress towards becoming a subject matter expert (Qualified Biologist) in one or more subject areas designated by management.
Formulate and evaluate proposals and alternatives for use in natural resource management.
Plan, organize, and manage small projects, programs, and interdisciplinary teams.

Ideal Knowledge:

Assistant Biologist I

Best Management Practices (BMPs), principles, and techniques commonly used in field biology, including the planning, organizing, conducting, and managing of biological investigations and surveys.
BMPs, principles, and techniques used in the field that are specific to a subject matter designated by management (e.g., wildlife, fisheries, flora, wetlands).
Learn the principles, methods, and practices used to identify and evaluate the biological impacts caused by Valley Water operations, programs, and activities.
A variety of biological field equipment is used to sample, monitor, measure, maintain, and restore biological resources.
Physiology, anatomy, lifecycle, and habitat of a biological resources (e.g., wetlands, flora, fishery, wildlife) designated by management.
Quality control and quality assurance principles and practices applied in the collection and management of biological data.
Learn CEQA and NEPA.
Common desktop applications and software.
Authorities, methods, and techniques of scientific research, statistics, analysis, and reporting used in the discipline of biology.

Assistant Biologist II

In addition to the qualifications for Assistant Biologist I:

The operations, practices, and products used by suppliers of biological resources (e.g., nurseries, fisheries).
Principles and practices of project management.
Principles and practices used in the planning, design, and implementation of restoration, conservation, mitigation, and monitoring programs of biological resources.
CEQA and NEPA.
Federal and state permitting regulations, laws, processes, and practices applied in natural resource management, including but not limited to those issued by California Department of Fish and Wildlife, US Fish and Wildlife Service, National Marine Fisheries Service, US Army Corps of Engineers, Regional Water Quality Control Board, and the ESAs.

Ideal Training and Education:

Equivalent to a bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university with major course work in biology, ecology, wildlife, fisheries, botany, or a related discipline in a life sciences field.

Required License or Certificate

Possession of, or ability to obtain, an appropriate, valid California driver's license.

To review the Classification Specification, please click here (Download PDF reader)

Environmental Mitigation and Monitoring Unit (Position Code 198)
Valley Water Telework Program: Eligibility for telework will depend on the type of work performed, operational needs, and the ability for the employee to perform the essential functions of their job duties while teleworking. Employment with Valley Water requires employees to live within 150 miles of their primary physical work location located in San Jose, California by their start date.

This position is eligible for a hybrid telework schedule, typically working 40% remote and 60% onsite.

Selection Process

(1) The selection process may include one or more of the following: application review, application assessment, performance exercise, written exercise and/or interview.
(2) The Employment Application, Qualifying Information Questions and/or Supplemental Questions will be evaluated based on the ideal candidate criteria listed above. Resumes are highly recommended.

NOTE: Position and start date is subject to availability of funds. Valley Water retains the right to repost this position as deemed necessary.
Consideration may be given to existing applicant pools within the same classification.
Valley Water's Equal Opportunity Non-Discrimination Policy is available for review upon request.

Valley Water will make reasonable efforts in the examination process to accommodate persons with disabilities. Please advise Human Resources in advance of any special needs by calling 408-630-2260.

Please be aware that once submitted all application materials become the property of Valley Water and will not be returned. Human Resources staff are not authorized to make copies of application materials for applicants.

To apply, please visit https://www.governmentjobs.com/careers/scvwd/jobs/5208145/wildlife-assistant-biologist-i-ii