Ocean Job Board
0
Organizations
0
Jobs
Scientist/Engineer or Senior Scientist/Engineer
San Francisco Estuary Institute
San Francisco, CA, USA · San Francisco, CA, USA
USD 107,138-144,921 / year
Posted on Aug 29, 2025
Scientist/Engineer or Senior Scientist/Engineer
-
Location: Richmond, California
-
Program: Resilient Landscapes
-
Type: Full-time
-
Experience Level: Mid-level, Senior
-
Position Type: Permanent
-
Salary: $107,138-$144,921. See details below.
Position Description
-
Posted: August 28, ,2025
-
First review of applications: September 19, 2025
-
Application closing date: October 17, 2025 (position may remain open if needed)
The San Francisco Estuary Institute (SFEI) is seeking a passionate and experienced mid-level to senior scientist or engineer to help shape the future of nature-based shoreline adaptation in San Francisco Bay. As a core member of SFEI’s Resilient Landscapes Program, you’ll join an accomplished team advancing science to adapt human communities, ecosystems, and infrastructure to the impacts of climate change. From producing influential tools like the Adaptation Atlas, Sediment for Survival, and the Resilience Metrics Mapbook, to advising on local shoreline adaptation projects, our work bridges science and action. We collaborate with local governments, community organizations, and agencies to co-create adaptation strategies that deliver ecological, social, and climate resilience. This is a rare opportunity to lead and grow innovative, high-impact projects at the forefront of climate adaptation.
The successful candidate will support a range of projects within the Resilient Landscapes Program and will work both independently and collaboratively, with guidance from senior staff.
Primary position responsibilities will include:
-
Providing technical assistance on shoreline adaptation projects, especially the design and implementation of nature-based solutions
-
Undertaking research and developing scientific tools and resources to support restoration and adaptation efforts
-
Leading projects, including team and budget management
-
Leading fundraising efforts to support future work
If you are excited about this role, but your past experience doesn’t align perfectly with every qualification in the job description, we encourage you to apply anyway. You may be just the right candidate for this, or one of our other roles.
Qualifications
-
This position requires participating in site visits and community meetings at locations around the Bay Area (including occasional weekend and evening events)
-
This position requires weekly in-person work at our Richmond, CA, office.
Required Experience
-
Bachelor's degree + 11 years of experience in coastal/estuarine adaptation and restoration OR
-
Master’s degree + 9 years of experience in coastal/estuarine adaptation and restoration OR
-
PhD + 2 years of experience in coastal/estuarine adaptation and restoration
Required Skills
-
Familiarity with San Francisco Bay, its ecosystems, and physical dynamics
-
Understanding of sea level rise and shoreline adaptation science
-
Experience with estuarine shoreline and wetland restoration and/or adaptation project planning, design, and implementation
-
Ability to evaluate site feasibility for nature-based solutions for shoreline adaptation
-
Familiarity with design of living shorelines projects (nearshore reefs, eelgrass beds, coarse beaches, etc).
-
Proven project leadership and management capabilities
-
Creative thinking and scientific vision
-
Demonstrated ability to secure funding
-
Strong communication and facilitation skills, including presenting at meetings
-
Collaborative and supportive work approach
Preferred Skills
-
Coastal engineering background and skills
-
Familiarity with permitting of restoration and adaptation projects
-
Experience supervising and mentoring junior staff
Salary & Benefits highlights:
-
This will be an Environmental Scientist/Engineer or Senior Scientist/Engineer position within the Resilient Landscapes Program. The anticipated salary range for full-time employment is $107,138-$144,921 for this position. Salary ranges take into account many factors for making compensation decisions, including but not limited to experience, education, internal salary structure, and organizational needs. We expect to offer starting salaries at or near the lower end of the salary range. Note that the salary range covers three levels in our job structure. Candidates will be placed into one of the three levels, depending on experience.
-
Matching contributions to retirement plan (immediate vesting) (403B)
-
Medical Insurance: health, vision, dental with employer and employee contributions
-
12 paid holidays
-
Vacation days starting at 3 weeks accrual/year
-
Hybrid workplace (remote work for this position is not available)
About Resilient Landscapes
SFEI’s Resilient Landscapes Program develops innovative ecosystem restoration and management strategies to re-establish and sustain essential ecosystem functions and services. These strategies are helping integrate natural and human infrastructure to create systems that are more adaptive to climate change and other stressors. We are an interdisciplinary program of 35 scientists (geomorphologists, hydrologists, ecologists), landscape architects, and GIS specialists – we work closely together and collaborate with staff in SFEI's other programs: Clean Water and Environmental Informatics.
About SFEI
San Francisco Estuary Institute (SFEI) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization which has a 25-year track record of providing robust and innovative science to decision-makers, policy-makers, practitioners, and community members to measurably improve the health and resiliency of Bay-Delta ecosystems. As a boundary organization, SFEI operates at the interface between science and policy, recognized nationally for our ability to build consensus to support effective environmental decision-making and policy. Our mission is to deliver visionary science that empowers people to revitalize nature in our communities.
SFEI employs an interdisciplinary staff of more than 90. Our operations and IT staff are the backbone of our organization and keep everything running smoothly. SFEI has three major programs: Clean Water, Environmental Informatics, and Resilient Landscapes. Our program staff represent numerous scientific and technological fields, including chemistry, modeling, ecology, wildlife biology, landscape planning, historical ecology, geomorphology, geospatial analysis, and web development.
For more information on our mission, values, programs, and staff, visit the San Francisco Estuary Institute website.
Employment Considerations
San Francisco Estuary Institute is committed to providing employees with a work environment free of discrimination and harassment of any kind. All employment decisions are based on business needs, job requirements, and individual qualifications. Qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, disability, family or parental status, protected Veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, or local law.
Accommodations Statement
If you are a qualified individual with a disability or a disabled veteran, you have the right to request an accommodation if you are unable or limited in your ability to use or access our website or application portal as a result of your disability. To request an accommodation, contact us at 510-746-7355 or admin@sfei.org.
Other Key Information
Please note that SFEI cannot sponsor an employment visa (e.g., H-1B) to fill this position.
In the spirit of a fair hiring process, no phone calls or emails please.