CAREERS

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Join the Catalyst Team!

Our dynamic and energetic team of scientists and planners at Catalyst are passionate about making a positive impact on our shared environment. We work closely together across disciplines to serve as trusted strategic advisors to a diverse client base including private industry, and local, state, and federal government agencies. Everyone has the opportunity to work on a wide variety of projects and project types, with numerous opportunities for career growth. We encourage our staff to pursue clients and markets within the environmental space that excite them and for which we can provide added value. We provide annual opportunities for professional development and growth via training courses or conferences. Catalyst has offices in Portland, OR; Santa Barbara, CA, Oxnard, CA; Oakland, CA; and Santa Monica, CA and provide a flexible working environment, including options for remote work.
Catalyst team photo at the Catalyst anniversary party

Why Work At Catalyst?

Be part of a team dedicated to making a positive impact through innovative environmental solutions. As leaders in energy, land development, remediation, and water resources, we value creativity, ethics, and collaboration. Our award-winning company offers a supportive work environment and comprehensive benefits* to help you grow personally and professionally.
Insurance (medical, dental, vision, short and long-term disability, and life)
HMO, PPO, HDHP, Health Savings Account options
401(k) Retirement Plan with Match
Vacation Time
10 days paid Sick Leave per year
10 paid Holidays per year
Lifemart Discount program
Catalyst Anniversary Party
Bi-weekly All Staff meetings and brown bag presentations

Open Positions

Staff Environmental Scientist/Biologist

We are seeking a Staff Environmental Scientist and/or Biologist to be based in the Santa Barbara/Ventura area of California with options to work either in-office or remotely.
Preferred Attributes
We are looking for a motivated and energetic individual who wants to join a fast-growing team and contribute to a wide variety of projects across the western United States. Key attributes:
  • Self-starter, motivated, and enthusiastic.
  • People-person – work with an interdisciplinary team, responsive to internal team and client requests, develop and maintain relationships with clients and regulators.
  • Creative problem solver - ability to think critically and develop potential solutions to complex issues.
  • Organized, efficient, detail-oriented, with great time management and verbal and written communication skills.
Qualifications and Education Requirements
  • 1-3 years of professional experience in environmental consulting, government, or regulatory affairs in industry.
  • Bachelor’s degree in Environmental Science, Biology, or Ecology is required. Master’s degree preferred.
  • Experience conducting biological field surveys (e.g., wetland delineation, nesting bird surveys, habitat reconnaissance surveys, special status species surveys).
  • Experience performing biological monitoring for construction projects.
  • Advanced working knowledge of federal and California state environmental regulations.
  • Experience in the management and preparation of documents in compliance with California Environmental Quality Act and National Environmental Policy Act.
  • Experience in environmental permitting in California.
  • Expert knowledge of MS Office Programs – Excel, Word, PowerPoint, SharePoint, and Teams.
Role and Responsibilities:
The primary responsibilities include:
  • Performing a range of defined technical tasks, field work, construction monitoring, collecting and analyzing data, and writing and editing reports.
  • Preparing environmental permit applications, working with regulators through the environmental permitting process.
  • This position will require some travel to project sites across the western US, primarily in California.
  • Developing and maintaining client relationships, and supporting Principals with business development efforts, through the preparation of proposals, scopes of work, and budgets.
Salary and Benefits:
Staff level and salary will be commensurate with experience, $75,000 to $90,000.
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Catalyst offers a comprehensive benefits package, including medical, dental, vision, life, and disability insurance, and 401K retirement plan with match, in addition to 80 hours per year paid sick leave, 10 paid holidays per year, and accrued vacation days.

Staff Environmental Planner

We are seeking an experienced environmental planner (with a biology or environmental science emphasis) to be based in the Los Angeles area, California or Portland, Oregon with options to work either in-office or remotely, depending on location.
Preferred Attributes
We are looking for a motivated and energetic individual who wants to join a dedicated team and contribute to a wide variety of projects for a diverse client base. Key attributes:
  • Self-starter, motivated, and enthusiastic
  • People-person - work with an interdisciplinary team, responsive to internal team and client requests develop and maintain relationships with clients and regulators
  • Creative problem solver - ability to think critically and develop potential solutions to complex issues
  • Organized, efficient, detail-oriented, with great time management and verbal and written communication skills
Qualifications and Education Requirements
  • ​​​​​​​2-5 years of professional experience in environmental consulting, government, or regulatory affairs in industry
  • Bachelor’s degree in Environmental Science, Environmental Planning, Biology, Ecology or related field is required
  • Master’s degree or higher in Environmental Management, Biology, Environmental Science, or related field is preferred
  • Advanced working knowledge of federal and California state environmental regulations
  • Experience in the management and preparation of documents in compliance with California Environmental Quality Act and National Environmental Policy Act
  • Experience conducting environmental analyses pursuant to the California Environmental Quality Act and National Environmental Policy Act
  • Experience in environmental permitting in California (e.g., Clean Water Act Section 404/401 permits, Streambed Alteration Agreements)
  • Expert knowledge of MS Office Programs – Excel, Word, PowerPoint, Project, SharePoint, and Teams
Role and Responsibilities:
The primary responsibilities include:
  • Performing a range of defined technical tasks, including critical review of data, information, and peer-reviewed literature, synthesis of complex information, and formulation of written summaries that result in well-supported and logical conclusions to support environmental analyses, including Initial Studies, Environmental Impact Reports, Biological Assessments, and Environmental Impact Statements (ideally with substantial experience in conducting analyses for the physical and/or social science resource categories)
  • Serving as deputy project manager for various environmental planning projects (CEQA, NEPA, environmental permitting, technical studies) – managing scope, deliverables, budgets, and schedule commitments
  • Preparing environmental permit applications; working with regulators through the environmental permitting process
  • Developing and maintaining client relationships; supporting Principals with business development efforts, through the preparation of proposals, scopes of work, and budgets
Salary and Benefits:
Staff level and salary will be commensurate with experience, $75,000 to $90,000.
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Catalyst offers a comprehensive benefits package, including medical, dental, vision, life, and disability insurance, and 401K retirement plan with match, in addition to 80 hours per year paid sick leave, 10 paid holidays per year, and accrued vacation days.

Wildlife Biologist/Ecologist

We are seeking a Wildlife Biologist with experience in southern California biological or ecological resources. This position will be based in southern California with options to work either in-office or remotely.
Preferred Attributes
We are looking for a motivated and energetic individual who wants to join a fast-growing team and contribute to a wide variety of projects across the western United States, with a focus on California. Key attributes:
  • Self-starter, motivated, and enthusiastic.
  • People-person – able to lead field crews, assign and oversee tasks, work with an interdisciplinary team, mentor junior staff, and develop and maintain relationships with clients and regulators.
  • Creative problem solver - ability to think critically and develop potential solutions to complex issues.
  • Leader – ability to lead field surveys and direct field teams.
  • Structured - organized, efficient, detail-oriented, with great time management and verbal and written communication skills.
  • Willingness to travel to field sites for multi-day fieldwork.
Minimum Qualifications and Education Requirements
  • 5-8 years of professional experience in environmental consulting, government, or regulatory affairs sectors.
  • Bachelor’s degree in Biology, Environmental Science, or Ecology.
  • Knowledge of ecosystems and wildlife of southern California.
  • Experience conducting surveys, monitoring, or pre-construction clearance for special status species (e.g., burrowing owl, desert tortoise, Mojave ground squirrel, small mammals, flat-tailed horned lizard, botanical species, etc.)
  • Experience conducting surveys such as avian point counts, vegetation mapping, habitat assessments, and nesting bird surveys.
  • Experienced writer with biological resources reports, survey workplans, and mitigation measures/plans.
  • Expert knowledge of MS Office Programs – Excel, Word, PowerPoint, Project, SharePoint, and Teams.
Additional Preferred Qualifications
  • Advanced working knowledge of federal and California state environmental regulations, such as CEQA, NEPA, CWA, and ESA.
  • Recovery or scientific collecting permits.
  • Experience in the management and preparation of documents in compliance with CEQA and NEPA.
  • Certification to perform wetlands and waters delineations or willingness to complete training and certification.
  • Experience performing botanical surveys, and knowledgeable in plant identification.
Role and Responsibilities:
The primary responsibilities include:
  • Serve as survey lead for wildlife and habitat surveys throughout California, with an emphasis on southern California. Coordinate with agencies (e.g., CDFW, BLM, USFWS) to determine survey requirements and develop field workplans accordingly.
  • Coordinate field efforts with project managers overseeing NEPA and CEQA processes.
  • Perform wetland and waters delineations throughout California.
  • Assist in developing workplans and scopes of work for biological resource surveys, reports, and agency consultations.
  • Perform a range of defined technical tasks, field work, collecting and analyzing data, and writing and editing reports, including Initial Studies, Environmental Impact Reports, and Environmental Impact Statements (ideally with substantial experience in conducting analyses for the physical and/or social science resource categories).
  • Preparing wildlife permit applications and working with regulators throughout the environmental permitting process.
  • This position will require some travel to project sites across the western US, primarily in California, to perform either biological resources surveys or wetland and waters delineations. Air travel may be required.
  • Developing and maintaining client relationships, and supporting Principals with business development efforts, through the preparation of proposals, scopes of works and budgets.
Salary and Benefits:
  • Staff level and salary will be commensurate with experience, $80,000 to $95,000.
  • Catalyst offers a comprehensive benefits package, including medical, dental, vision, life, and disability insurance, and 401K retirement plan with match, in addition to 80 hours per year paid sick leave, 10 paid holidays per year, and accrued vacation days.
Interested in one of these postions?
Fill out the form below to apply!
*All programs subject to review and change and are provided for regular, full-time employees scheduled to work 30+ hours per week