CAREERS

Join the Catalyst Team!

Why Work At Catalyst?

Open Positions

Environmental Scientist/Biologist

• 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.

• 5-10+ years of professional experience in environmental consulting, government, or regulatory affairs in industry.
• Bachelor’s degree in Biology, Botany, Ecology, or Environmental Science is required. Master’s degree preferred.
• Experience leading, planning, and performing surveys for biological and/or botanical resources (e.g., nesting bird surveys, habitat reconnaissance surveys, special status species surveys).
• Experience leading, planning, and performing surveys for aquatic and wetland resources (e.g., aquatic resources delineations).
• Experience planning, coordinating, and performing biological resources monitoring for construction projects.
• Advanced working knowledge of federal and California state environmental regulations including federal Endangered Species Act, California Endangered Species Act, Clean Water Act permitting, and Lake and Streambed Alteration Agreements. Experience in engaging state (e.g., CDFW; Water Board) and federal (e.g., USFWS; NMFS; USACE) agencies and writing documents (e.g., permit applications, biological assessments) to support these permitting/consultation processes.
• Experience with preparation of documents in compliance with California Environmental Quality Act and National Environmental Policy Act.
• Expert knowledge of MS Office Programs – Excel, Word, PowerPoint, SharePoint, and Teams.

• Performing a range of defined technical tasks, including field work, construction monitoring, collecting and analyzing data, and writing and editing reports.
• Preparing environmental permit applications and working with regulators through the environmental permitting process.
• Preparing Biological Assessments and conducting Endangered Species Act consultation with USFWS and NMFS.
• Preparing biological technical reports and/or biological sections in support of CEQA and NEPA environmental analyses.
• Serving as deputy project manager or project manager on small to medium-sized projects (up to $100,000).
• This position will require some travel to project sites across the western US, primarily in California.
• Developing and maintaining client relationships and supporting business development efforts, through identification of new project opportunities and the preparation of proposals, scopes of work, and budgets.

Cultural Resources Practice Leader

• Lead and expand Catalyst’s Cultural Resources practice including strategic planning, client development, and collaboration with Catalyst leadership.
• Serve in key roles such as Principal Investigator, Project Manager, and Technical Lead on complex cultural resource projects.
• Manage a wide range of project tasks including research designs, work plans, survey strategies, reporting, data recovery, site/resource evaluations, and mitigation planning, etc.
• Prepare, oversee, and review technical documents for archaeological and/or architectural history studies; background, historic and ethnographic contexts; evaluations, regulatory analysis, etc.
• Oversee field operations, ensuring proper execution of archaeological and historic architecture surveys, excavations, monitoring, documentation, etc.
• Interface with clients, permitting agencies, Tribal representatives, and internal team members; clearly communicate regulatory requirements and project strategies in concise, accessible terms.
• Ensure compliance with Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act, NEPA, state and local cultural resource regulations.
• Support proposal development, scope/fee preparation, and broader business development efforts to expand client relationships and project opportunities.
• Manage project budgets, schedules, and client expectations; oversee invoicing and financial performance of assigned projects.
• Recruit, supervise, mentor, and train staff archaeologists, architectural historians, , and field crews.
• Collaborate across disciplines and offices to support the delivery of integrated environmental services.
• Maintain up-to-date knowledge of regional cultural resource standards, best practices, and regulatory trends; participate in internal and external training programs.

• Master’s degree (M.A. or Ph.D.) in Archaeology, Anthropology, or related field required
• 10-15 years of professional experience in Cultural Resources with demonstrated increase in leadership responsibility in a CRM environment.
• Exceptional technical expertise and demonstrated experience leading fieldwork and preparing technical studies and reports and contributing to regulatory review documents.
• Deep understanding of federal, state, and local cultural resource regulations, including Section 106; with long term experience in California, Pacific Northwest, and surrounding states highly desirable.
• Exceptional written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to clearly explain methods, requirements, and recommendations to clients and non-technical audiences.
• Experience in business development and/or client management.
• Experience building or expanding a cultural resources team is highly desirable.
• Proven ability to lead teams, supervise staff, and foster a collaborative, high-quality work environment.
• Excellent attention to detail, organizational skills, and judgment capabilities.
• Ability to manage multiple projects and deadlines in a fast-paced consulting environment.
• Ability to conduct strenuous physical fieldwork when needed, including walking long distances, digging, and lifting up to 50 lbs.
• Valid driver’s license and reliable transportation to access remote project sites.
• Register of Professional Archaeologists (RPA) preferred.

• Salary - $120,000 to $175,000, commensurate with experience.
• Bonus – position will be eligible for annual, discretionary bonus program if continuously employed for 6-months prior to bonus allocation.
• Vacation – up to 160 hours based on years of experience
• Holidays - Catalyst offers 7 paid holidays each year, as well as 3 floating holidays
• Sick leave - 80 hours per year
• Benefits - include medical, dental, vision, life, and disability insurance. Catalyst pays 70% of the cost of employee and dependent health insurance.
• 401K retirement plan - investments in the 401K plan are matched 1:1 up to the first 3% contributed and 0.5:1 up to 5%.

Staff Environmental Planner

• 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

• ​​​​​​​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

• 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

Mid-Level Environmental Planner

• Self-starter, motivated, and enthusiastic
• People-person – able to assign and oversee tasks, work with an interdisciplinary team, mentor junior staff, develop and maintain relationships with clients and regulators
• Creative problem solver - ability to think critically and develop potential solutions to complex issues
• Ability to evaluate and synthesize peer-reviewed literature, technical studies, agency guidance, and field data into clear, defensible analysis
• Organized, efficient, detail-oriented, with great time management and verbal and written communication skills

• 3-7 years of professional experience in environmental consulting, government, or related field
• Bachelor’s degree in Environmental Science, Environmental Planning/Management, Biology, Ecology. Master’s degree in relevant field preferred.
• Advanced working knowledge of federal and California state environmental regulations
• Experienced project/task manager or deputy project manager on small-to-medium contracts ($50k or greater)
• Experience in the management and preparation of documents in compliance with CEQA and NEPA
• Demonstrated experience with environmental permitting and agency coordination, particularly in California
• Excellent technical writing skills, with the ability to produce clean, organized, well-cited prose with limited revision
• Ability to manage multiple tasks and deliverables at once
• Clear, proactive communication with project managers, teammates, and clients
• Ability to provide personal writing sample

• Critically review and synthesize technical information in support of CEQA and NEPA impact analyses, permitting applications, specialist reports, public outreach materials, and other reports/deliverables
• Draft and coordinate environmental permit applications and supporting materials for agencies such as USACE, USFWS, NMFS, CDFW, and state and regional water boards
• Support project managers with business development efforts, including scope of work, schedules, and budgets
• Communicate directly with clients and regulatory agency staff
• Serve as project manager or deputy project manager for various environmental planning projects (CEQA, NEPA, environmental permitting, technical studies) – managing scope, deliverables, budgets, and schedule commitments

• Salary - $80,000 to $100,000, commensurate with experience.
• Bonus – position will be eligible for annual, discretionary bonus program if continuously employed for 6-months prior to bonus allocation.
• Vacation – based on years of experience
• Holidays - Catalyst offers 7 paid holidays each year, as well as 3 floating holidays
• Sick leave - 80 hours per year
• Benefits - include medical, dental, vision, life, and disability insurance. Catalyst pays 70% of the cost of employee and dependent health insurance.
• 401K retirement plan - investments in the 401K plan are matched 1:1 up to the first 3% contributed and 0.5:1 up to 5%.
• Professional growth and development opportunities
• Excellent company culture and diversity of tasks and projects

Mid-Level Liability Management

• San Francisco Bay Area – preferably the East Bay but we are flexible. The person would have the opportunity to work in our Oakland office or remote as desired.
• Southern California – preferably near one of our offices in Santa Barbara, Oxnard, or Santa Monica, but we are flexible. The person would have the opportunity to work in one of our offices or remote as desired.

• Self-starter, motivated, and enthusiastic
• Desire to work on interesting and sometimes controversial projects
• Ability to think critically, creatively, and problem-solve
• Ability to take direction, ask questions, and run with an assignment with oversight
• OSHA 40-hour HAZWOPER training
• CPR/First Aid Certified

• 3-5 years of professional experience
• Bachelor’s or Master’s Degree in Environmental Science, Geology, Hydrogeology, and/or Civil or Environmental Engineering
• Strong communication skills, both verbally and written
• Working knowledge of MS Office Programs – Excel, Word, PowerPoint, etc.
• Work may require lifting equipment and materials up to 50-pounds and traversing uneven ground
• Job sites are located across the San Francisco Bay Area and Southern California, and individual must be able to independently travel to sites as needed.

• Independently perform a range of defined technical tasks, field work, collecting and analyzing data, and writing technical sections of reports
• Work on active construction sites, operating field sampling equipment and meters
• Lead and manage tasks including being responsible for assigned tasks, scopes, deliverables, budgets, and schedule commitments
• Contribute to client relations and business development by representing Catalyst in a positive manner to clients, agencies, and other outside parties
• Work effectively as part of a team and making contributions that foster the growth of your practice area and Catalyst as a whole

• Salary - $80,000 to $100,000, commensurate with experience.
• Bonus – position will be eligible for annual, discretionary bonus program if continuously employed for 6-months prior to bonus allocation.
• Vacation – based on years of experience
• Holidays - Catalyst offers 7 paid holidays each year, as well as 3 floating holidays
• Sick leave - 80 hours per year
• Benefits - include medical, dental, vision, life, and disability insurance. Catalyst pays 70% of the cost of employee and dependent health insurance.
• 401K retirement plan - investments in the 401K plan are matched 1:1 up to the first 3% contributed and 0.5:1 up to 5%.
• Professional growth and development opportunities
• Excellent company culture and diversity of tasks and projects

Part-time Administrative Assistant Position

• Accounting & Bookkeeping Operations:
  • Assist Senior Accounts Manager with maintaining accurate accounting records using QuickBooks Online, including data entry for company files and databases.
  • Assist with managing accounts payable and receivable, including preparing monthly client invoices, tracking payments received, vendor invoices and payments.
  • Perform monthly financial processes, such as bank and credit card reconciliations.
  • Generate financial reports, including budget vs. actual reports for project managers, and regular cash flow alerts for ownership.
• Project & Operational Support:
  • Assist with project-related financial tasks, such as tracking project spend and billing, analyzing expenses for accuracy, and maintaining supplemental schedules for contract administration.
  • Track and follow-up on accounts receivables, coordinating with project managers as needed.
  • Support the preparation of proposals, reports, and meeting agendas using tools like Microsoft Word and Excel (e.g., word-processing support, technical editing, formatting).
• Payroll & HR Administration:
  • Assist with processing bi-weekly payroll and employee benefit enrollments.
  • Review and audit time-card entries to ensure hours are accurately recorded against specific projects.
  • Maintain organized employee files and assist with onboarding new hires, including employment paperwork.

• Education: Certification or Associate’s degree or higher in business, accounting, or a related field; or equivalent professional administrative experience.
• Experience: At least 3 years of related experience in bookkeeping or administrative roles, preferably within a professional services, consulting, or small-business environment.

• Strong familiarity and hands-on experience with QuickBooks Online.
• Advanced skills in Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint).
• Knowledge of project management and billing software (e.g., BQE CORE) is a significant asset for tracking time and expenses in a consulting context.
• ·xceptional attention to detail, strong numerical aptitude, and the ability to manage multiple priorities under deadlines.

• Schedule: Part-time, 12 hours per week. Schedule to be coordinated with Senior Account Manager
• Location: Remote, with options to work in-office depending on location
• Compensation: Hourly pay commensurate with experience ($20 to $25 per hour), with opportunities for professional development and a supportive team culture.