Job Description
Salary: $46.14 - $59.09 Hourly
Location : Tacoma, WA
Job Type: Career Service - Full Time
Remote Employment: Flexible/Hybrid
Job Number: 26-00055
Department: Planning and Public Works
Division: PPW Surface Water Management
Opening Date: 01/21/2026
Closing Date: 1/27/2026 11:59 PM Pacific
Description Position Summary Why it's a great opportunity: In this Environmental Biologist role, you will apply your expertise in fisheries biology, wildlife species and habitat, wetland ecology, and environmental permitting to support Pierce County's asset maintenance, wetland mitigation program, and capital improvement projects. You will play a lead role in stewarding completed capital projects, ensuring long-term mitigation success and regulatory compliance.
This position offers hands-on field involvement, including on-site construction oversight and mitigation inspections, while also providing opportunities to build and maintain strong working relationships with construction teams and contractor representatives. Through your technical expertise, field observations, and clear reporting, you will directly contribute to protecting and enhancing Pierce County's wetlands, making a tangible, lasting impact on the County's natural resources.
Why it's a great department: PPW stewards a healthy and vibrant community by collaboratively planning and investing in our people, infrastructure, systems, and policies. PPW's team has more than 800 members that collaborate, innovate and inspire in performing essential services to the community. The department is responsible for the County road and levee systems, sewer systems, airports, ferries, building permits, environmental review, sustainability, community planning, and code enforcement - just to name a few!
How to be successful in the role: Your success will come from building strong working relationships with effective communication of scientific data to County staff, elected officials, consultants, contractors, and internal and external stakeholder groups. You will work with your knowledge of river, riparian, floodplain and watershed ecology, including fisheries biology, hydrology, water quality/water chemistry, plant and habitat areas, and geomorphology. Understanding of key natural resources and endangered species issues currently affecting Pacific Northwest rivers and floodplains will help you further succeed in this role both in the office and field.
Your future in this role: You will have access to professional development through robust online learning and other training opportunities throughout your career to ensure your success. This position has multiple career growth and promotional opportunities in Pierce County to build on a great career while directly impacting the communities in Pierce County.
Core daily responsibilities: - Conduct site visits to evaluate the performance of completed capital projects during their regulatory monitoring periods; identify maintenance needs and lead contractor scopes of work to address deficiencies.
- Perform basic project management for consultants and contractors, including managing budgets associated with stewardship of completed capital assets.
- Verify the presence of wetlands and determine wetland boundaries and categories in accordance with federal, state, and local regulations.
- Prepare, review, and analyze complex wetland delineation reports, including delineations for problem or disturbed sites such as formal plats, large lots, commercial developments, and forested properties.
- Verify wetland delineations in the field, including complicated delineations conducted on problem or disturbed sites.
- Review and evaluate proposed wetland mitigation plans for adequacy and effectiveness in protecting wetlands from development impacts.
- Provide technical input and direction to consultants preparing wetland delineations, wetland delineation reports, or non-compensatory wetland mitigation documentation.
- Monitor and oversee consultants and contractors performing wetland-related work on behalf of Pierce County.
- Conduct wetland delineations and prepare wetland delineation documentation in compliance with federal, state, and local guidelines and procedures.
- Coordinate activities with other section staff, County departments, external agencies, and project applicants.
Qualifications
- A resume and cover letter are required for this position.
- Additional education may substitute for the recruiting requirements.
- Graduation from a four-year college or university with a degree in botany, biology, environmental studies, fisheries, soil science, wildlife biology or a related field, AND
- Three years of related work experience, INCLUDING
- A minimum of one year experience delineating wetlands using the Unified Federal Manual and preparing wetland reports is required.
- A valid driver's license required
As a condition of employment, the applicant will need to authorize and complete a background check. Information received from the background check is reviewed case-by-case and will not necessarily remove an applicant from consideration.
Supplemental Information To be considered for this opportunity please: - Complete and submit a detailed online Pierce County Employment Application by selecting "APPLY" above or go to:
- If you have a question about this opportunity, please email the Recruitment Team at and specify the Job Number and Title.
- If you do not have internet access, you may visit your local public library or any WorkSource location and use their computers.
- Individuals needing accommodation in the application, testing process or need this job announcement in an alternative format may call Human Resources at [click to reveal phone number](253) 798-7480 , at least two days prior to the need.
This is a competitive selection process. Your application will be reviewed and evaluated for the quality and quantity of education/experience in the areas listed. Applicants whose qualifications most closely correspond to the County's needs will be eligible for further consideration. Notification of application status normally occurs 2 to 3 weeks after the closing date. Short notice may be given to applicants to participate in further selection processes which may include assessments, phone screen, and interviews.
At Pierce County, diversity, equity, and inclusion means commitment, not a single step. We strive to foster an inclusive environment that supports equitable access to opportunities throughout your career. We want to recruit, develop, and maintain a talented workforce from various backgrounds, cultures, lifestyles, and perspectives, committed to our vision. Employees of the County have local, direct, and visible impact in our diverse community. Will you join us in keeping Pierce County a place people are proud to call home?
We are unable to sponsor or take over sponsorship of an employment visa at this time.
Employee benefits are not just about the kind of services you get, they are also about how much you may have to pay out of pocket. Pierce County offers a competitive benefits package that offers flexibility and peace of mind. We are proud to offer Employee Resource Groups, a focus on professional development in our , and a County Book Club.
We understand that your life revolves around more than just your career and that your priority is making sure that you and your family maintain health and financial security. That's why choice is a key component of our benefits package. We have a selection of and , , staff training and other compensation benefits that you can mix and match to meet your current and future needs.
Our benefits: Vacation (Annual Leave) After approximately six months, employees receive six days of vacation leave.
Since we value your experience, the amount of vacation you can accrue increases the longer you work with us. Vacation accrues on a bi-weekly basis for full-time employees as follows:
Vacation Accruals: During years 1-3, 12 Days
During years 4-7, 16 Days
During years 8-13, 20 Days
During years 14-18, 23 Days
During years 19, 24 Days
During years 20, 25 Days
During years 21, 26 Days
During years 22, 27 Days
During years 23, 28 Days
During years 24, 29 Days
During years 25 & thereafter, 30 Days
A maximum of 45 days may be carried from one year into the next.
Pro-Rated for Part-Time based on % of 1.0 FTE.
Military Leave: Pierce County has a proud history of supporting the armed forces and provides members of the armed forces with up to 21 days paid military leave per state fiscal year.
Holidays: Some full-time employees are entitled to eleven paid holidays as follows:
New Year's Day - January 1
Martin Luther King, Jr's birthday - Third Monday in January
President's Day - Third Monday in February
Memorial Day - Last Monday in May
Juneteenth - June 19
Independence Day - July 4
Labor Day - First Monday in September
Veteran's Day - November 11
Thanksgiving Day - Fourth Thursday in November & Friday after
Christmas Day - December 25
Personal Holidays: Regular full-time and regular part-time employees, and employees occupying limited duration positions, shall also receive two additional paid personal holidays. Paid personal holidays shall only accrue for those employees on County payroll as of January 1 of each year or the first work day following January 1 and must be taken during the calendar year in which it was accrued.
Furlough: Some Pierce County employees may be designated to receive 10 "furlough" days per year in lieu of holidays. Furlough days are available for use on January 1 and must be scheduled and taken within the calendar year. Employees who leave employment with Pierce County must reimburse the employer for used furlough days based upon the number of remaining holidays.
Sick Leave: Sick leave accrues on a bi-weekly basis, at the rate of one day per month.
Insurance Benefits: Employees and families are covered by medical (including vision), dental and basic life insurance. There are multiple medical plans with very affordable monthly premiums that offer coverage throughout Pierce County. Employees are eligible to enroll each year in a flexible spending plan, which enables them to use tax-deferred dollars toward their health care and dependent care expenses. Employees also have the opportunity to participate in supplemental life and long term disability insurance plans. To view premium rates, summary of benefit coverage, and other information, please visit the website.
Retirement and Deferred Compensation: Pierce County employees are members of the State of Washington's Department of Retirement System (DRS) and depending on the position or previous DRS enrollment will be able to enroll in one of many programs DRS offers. For additional information, check out the web site.
Employees also have the ability to participate in the Nationwide Deferred Compensation Plan. This is a supplemental retirement savings program that allows you control over the amount of pre-tax salary dollars you defer as well as the flexibility to choose between multiple investment options.
Social Security: All Pierce County employees are covered by the federal Social Security and Medicare systems. The county and the employee pay an equal amount into the system.
ORCA Passport Program Pierce County employees may participate in the County's ORCA (One Regional Card for All) Passport program.
Your Pierce County issued ORCA card is loaded with an annual Passport pass. The pass automatically renews every year. The pass will provide you with free transportation on regularly scheduled service on several public transit systems.
Miscellaneous Benefits: Please visit website for more information.
Telework/Remote Options: Some departments allow for telework or work-from-home options dependent on the body of work. Learn more about our telework policy
**All employees are required to be WA State residents after 30 days of employment.
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Job Tags
Hourly pay, Full time, Part time, For contractors, Work experience placement, Work at office, Local area, Remote work, Work from home, Work visa, Flexible hours,