SENIOR BIOLOGIST
Terrestrial ecology, wildlife, permitting, and complex environmental projects, with the leadership to grow clients and mentor the next generation.
About The Opportunity
PRI is seeking a
Senior Biologist, a seasoned consulting biologist who thrives on solving real client problems, on time and on budget, and moving projects through approvals to a result. This is a senior consulting and project-leadership role at the heart of our environmental work, for someone with deep terrestrial and wildlife ecology expertise and a proven track record delivering consulting projects within provincial and federal regulatory environments.
We work with provincial agencies, municipalities, First Nations, developers, and industry across forestry, renewable energy, municipal, land development, transportation, and resource sectors throughout Western Canada and Ontario. Our biologists are consultants first: they design and lead field programs, but they also manage budgets and schedules, navigate permitting and regulatory processes, build client and regulatory relationships, win work, and deliver defensible results under commercial timelines. This is applied, client-facing consulting work, not a research or academic role.
The position is based in
Kelowna, Vancouver, Surrey, Calgary or Toronto, with flexibility for the right candidate in Ontario, and involves a mix of field and office work with travel for fieldwork as required. The role reports to the Practice Lead, Natural Sciences & Forestry, and works alongside a multidisciplinary team of engineers, scientists, and resource professionals.
Who This Role Is For
This role is for an established consulting biologist. You are comfortable owning the commercial side of consulting - budgets, schedules, proposals, and client management - alongside the science, and you have a proven track record delivering environmental consulting projects.
Ideally, you already have strong knowledge of the regulatory landscape and established relationships with agencies, communities, and clients in one or more of our operating provinces. We will also consider a strong senior consultant from another province who has the depth and adaptability to build jurisdiction-specific knowledge quickly, with our support, because consulting instinct and senior experience are harder to teach than a provincial regulatory regime.
What is not a fit for this particular role is a background primarily in research or academia; this is an applied, client-facing consulting position.
What You'll Do
Lead consulting projects and client delivery
- Lead consulting projects end to end, owning scope, budget, schedule, deliverables, and client satisfaction - not just the technical work.
- Manage project budgets, schedules, cost control, and billing oversight, delivering quality work within commercial constraints.
- Serve as a senior point of contact for clients, providing responsive, practical, solutions-oriented advice.
- Carry a meaningful billable workload as a senior consultant, balancing project leadership with hands-on technical delivery.
Terrestrial and wildlife ecology
- Design, coordinate, and lead field studies in terrestrial and wildlife ecology, including species-at-risk surveys, habitat assessments, and biodiversity monitoring.
- Analyze and interpret ecological data to support environmental assessments, impact studies, permitting, and mitigation planning.
- Prepare high-quality technical reports and regulatory submissions that comply with applicable provincial and federal environmental legislation and stand up to regulatory scrutiny.
- Apply pragmatic, defensible professional judgment to help clients meet regulatory obligations and project goals.
Regulatory, client, and community relationships
- Navigate applicable provincial and federal permitting and regulatory processes, and liaise effectively with regulatory agencies.
- Build and maintain strong working relationships with clients, regulators, First Nations, Indigenous communities, municipalities, and other stakeholders to support project approvals.
- Represent PRI professionally in the environmental consulting market.
Business development and team leadership
- Write successful proposals, work plans, and cost estimates, and contribute actively to business development.
- Identify and pursue new opportunities with existing and new clients.
- Mentor and develop junior and intermediate biologists, sharing consulting craft as well as technical knowledge.
- Lead and support multidisciplinary project teams, collaborating across the firm's disciplines.
- Complete corporate, operational, and administrative responsibilities in a timely, professional manner.
Who We're Looking For
We are looking for a proven consulting biologist who combines strong terrestrial and wildlife ecology expertise with the commercial instincts, regulatory fluency, and client relationships that define a successful consultant.
Required
- Professional biology designation or eligibility for professional registration in the applicable province, such as:
- R.P.Bio. with the College of Applied Biology in British Columbia;
- P.Biol. with the Alberta Society of Professional Biologists in Alberta; or
- an applicable professional biology designation or equivalent qualifications in Ontario, where applicable.
- Bachelor's or graduate degree in Biology, Ecology, Environmental Science, or a related field.
- Minimum 10 years of relevant professional experience, the majority of it in environmental consulting - not research or academia.
- Demonstrated track record delivering environmental consulting projects, including managing budgets, schedules, and client relationships.
- Strong understanding of applicable provincial and federal environmental regulatory frameworks and permitting processes, with demonstrated ability to work across jurisdictions.
- Established experience with terrestrial and wildlife ecology in Western Canada and/or Ontario; direct experience in the ecosystems and regulatory environments of our operating regions is a strong asset.
- Strong expertise in terrestrial ecology and wildlife biology, including study design, field assessment, data analysis, and interpretation.
- Proven experience writing successful proposals, work plans, and cost estimates, and managing project tasks, budgets, and schedules to deliver for clients.
- Strong communication skills - technical writing, presentation, client-facing, and interpersonal.
- Ability to work under commercial pressure, prioritize, and manage deadlines, with strong organization and time management.
- A safety-oriented attitude, a valid full driver's licence applicable in the province of employment, access to a vehicle, and willingness to travel for fieldwork as required.
Preferred
- Established relationships with provincial or federal agencies, municipalities, First Nations, Indigenous communities, or industry clients.
- Experience working collaboratively with First Nations and supporting Indigenous engagement.
- Experience across several of PRI's sectors - forestry, renewable energy, municipal, land development, transportation, or resources.
- A book of business or client relationships that can be brought to and grown at PRI.
- Experience delivering projects across multiple Canadian jurisdictions.
- Interest in applying new tools and technologies, including AI-enabled approaches, to environmental consulting.
Why PRI
At PRI, we believe exceptional consulting begins with exceptional people. We empower our senior professionals with meaningful responsibility, real client ownership, and the support of a collaborative, multidisciplinary team.
As a Senior Biologist, You'll Find
- A diverse range of projects and clients across BC, Alberta, Ontario, and other jurisdictions, and a genuine say in the work you take on.
- A collaborative, multidisciplinary environment - engineers, scientists, and resource professionals working together on shared projects.
- Real opportunity to grow client relationships, lead pursuits, and advance into senior leadership over time.
- A firm investing in modern tools and technology, including AI-enabled approaches, to make our people's work better.
- Competitive compensation, comprehensive benefits, and genuine support for ongoing professional development and professional registration.
PRI is a multidisciplinary engineering and natural sciences consulting firm with offices across
British Columbia, Alberta, and Ontario. We are an equal-opportunity employer committed to building a diverse and inclusive team. We welcome applications from all qualified candidates, and we particularly encourage applications from Indigenous professionals.
