Intermediate Terrestrial Ecologist/Project Manager

Shared Value Solutions

Shared Value Solutions (SVS) is an environmental and community development consulting firm that works alongside First Nation, Métis, and Inuit communities across Canada. Our multidisciplinary team provides technical guidance, regulatory advice, peer reviews, planning, and negotiation strategies related to resource development projects. We integrate Indigenous Knowledge with western science to advance our clients' goals of prosperity, stewardship, and self-determination.

The Position

We're looking for an Intermediate Terrestrial Ecologist/Project Manager (Remote) to fill a permanent full-time position. The candidate should be able to lead and support terrestrial ecology projects from planning through completion with emphasis on technical review of proponent-issue applications and other project-related information, technical reporting, and conducting field surveys, ecological assessments, and data analysis. The role involves coordinating project teams, managing budgets and timelines, maintaining client relationships, and ensuring deliverables meet applicable regulatory requirements and quality standards. An important aspect of this role is the ability to work across knowledge systems and perspectives, including respectfully braiding Western science with Indigenous Knowledge to inform and evaluate ecological research, environmental assessments, and land stewardship. The position also contributes to business development, mentorship to junior staff, and collaborative, culturally respectful approaches to environmental consulting. 

Our Work Culture

At SVS, we value the ambitions and passions of our team members, both professionally and personally. To support work-life balance, we offer flexible hours, remote work options, and time-in-lieu. We aim for this position to align with your life goals rather than detract from them. Our work is guided by the priorities of our community partners, including seasonal calendars (harvest seasons, festivals, etc.) and project deadlines. Through strong communication and mutual support, we create a work environment that fosters both personal well-being and professional growth.

Our Commitment to Inclusion and Diversity

SVS is committed to building diverse teams that reflect the communities we serve. We encourage applications from Indigenous peoples, women, members of the global majority (visible minorities), LGBTQ2S+ individuals, veterans, and persons with disabilities. We are an equal opportunity employer, and if you require accommodations during the hiring process, please let us know; we are happy to support you. 

Indigenous Hiring Preference

We prioritize hiring qualified Indigenous candidates including First Nation, Métis, and Inuit individuals, to help build teams that reflect the lived experiences of the communities we serve. We recognize that expertise can be gained in many ways, and that formal education and conventional work experience are not the only measures of qualification. Candidates with traditional knowledge and community-based experience relevant to this role are strongly encouraged to apply, even if their experience differs from the qualifications listed. 

If you feel comfortable, you are invited to self-identify as Indigenous in your application. We recognize the impacts of colonization and respect that this is a personal decision. Any information shared will be kept confidential and used only for the purposes of the hiring process. 

We Offer:

• Competitive compensation and annual bonus
• Remote work allowance
• Extended health, vision, dental, life insurance, and EAP
• Retirement savings plan with employer contributions
• Professional development and designation support
• Paid time off, including vacation and cultural days
• Winter tire rebate
• Flexible remote work options
• We welcome you to bring your whole self to this role— your knowledge, passion, and connection to community— and join a team dedicated to uplifting Indigenous voices, protecting the environment, and creating lasting positive change.

Requirements:

• A degree in Biology, Ecology, Natural Resource Management, Environmental Science, or similar equivalent
• 5+ years of professional experience in the field of terrestrial ecology, including a background in at least one of the following disciplines: ecology, botany, wildlife biology, environmental science, or a related field of study
• Excellent technical writing and analytical skills, including experience with data management and analysis, preparing technical reports, and communicating complex issues in plain language (written, verbal, presentations) for a variety of audiences
• Strong understanding of Canadian federal, provincial, and/or territorial legislation (e.g., Impact Assessment Act, Endangered Species Act, Species at Risk Act, Migratory Birds Convention Act), and regulatory regimes
• Experience coordinating and conducting environmental baseline or inventory studies, terrestrial and wetland classification surveys, environmental assessment-related studies, environmental restoration projects, or monitoring programs related to development projects from multiple sectors (e.g., mining, oil and gas, energy)
• Skills and experience working in cross-cultural settings, preferably with First Nation, Métis, and/or Inuit communities
• Exceptional attention to detail and organizational skills
• Thrives in a team setting, accepts responsibility, and completes work by assigned deadlines
• Willingness to travel across Canada and to northern and remote communities
• Experience coordinating and managing projects including scope, schedule, and budget management

Responsibilities:

• Managing projects focused on technical peer reviews of regulatory environmental permitting and approvals reports and applications for pipelines, energy, mining, waste, and other major infrastructure development projects through a comprehensive understanding of client needs, priorities, and objectives
• Contributing to projects that respectfully braid Western scientific approaches with Indigenous Knowledge, and incorporate diverse knowledge systems and perspectives into initiatives, in accordance with community protocols
• Identifying and proposing appropriate wildlife/ecological management, impact mitigation, compensation, and accommodation measures
• Assisting in the interpretation and integration of "traditional ecological knowledge" and land use and occupancy research into environmental assessment and permitting processes, including impact assessment
• Providing advice on wildlife/ecological components of environmental assessment processes and regulatory environmental permitting
• Providing wildlife management/ecology-related technical advice for planning, conservation, monitoring, or restoration projects
• Carrying out environmental monitoring and/or providing environmental monitor training for Indigenous community representatives
• Developing clear, accessible, plain-language materials and communications for clients, translating technical information and findings into easily understood content, as required
• Liaising effectively with Indigenous community clients, regulators and proponents
• Working with cross-functional and multi-disciplinary teams to ensure our clients goals are met within each project
• Providing clear and concise report writing on multiple subjects for a range of audiences
• Business development support
• Deliver client and community presentations
• Support organizational cultural diversity and inclusion mandate initiatives 
• Responding quickly and empathetically to client needs

Asset Qualifications:

• Experience working with Indigenous communities, including experience in northern Ontario/Canada
• Experience providing training in environmental monitoring or impact assessment
• Experience using GIS, including ArcGIS Pro and ArcGIS Online
• Experience with planning and implementing communication and consultation programs and activities
• Experience analyzing and interpreting monitoring data including telemetry, remote cameras, and acoustic recordings
• Ecological Land Classification (ELC) certification, Ontario Wetland Evaluation System (OWES) certification, International Society of Arboriculture (ISA) Arborist, and/or Butternut Health Assessor certification or similar certifications applicable to other Canadian regions, provinces, or territories
• Experience with large mammal biology, management, and conservation
• Experience describing and discussing ecosystem-scale interactions
• Managing and leading field programs and teams
• Strong knowledge of ecological restoration methods and practices
  
  

Let us know if you speak French, Cree, Ojibway, Oji-Cree, Blackfoot, Dene, Innu, or other languages that might be useful for this position.

Our head office is based in Guelph, Ontario, on the traditional territory of the Attawandaron and within the traditional territory of the Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation. Their office also sits within the lands of the Between the Lakes Treaty #3 (1792) and the Nanfan Treaty (1701) and is close to the Haldimand Tract. They are located within the Grand River Watershed which is shared with the Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation, the Six Nations of the Grand River, and the Saugeen Ojibway Nation.