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Senior Scientist
San Francisco Estuary Institute
San Francisco, CA, USA
USD 124,218-165,624 / year
Posted on Feb 6, 2026
Senior Scientist
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Location: Richmond, CA
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Program: Resilient Landscapes
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Type: Full-time
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Experience Level: Senior Level
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Salary: $124,218-$165,624
Posting Information
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Posted: February 5, 2026
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First review of applications: February 19, 2026
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Application Closing Date: March 27, 2026 (may remain open if needed)
Position Description
The San Francisco Estuary Institute (SFEI) is seeking a senior-level scientist or engineer to join our Baylands and Shoreline Resilience team. 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 advising on local shoreline adaptation projects to developing regional decision support tools, our work bridges science and action. We collaborate with local governments, community organizations, and agencies on programs and projects that enhance the ecological resilience of San Francisco Bay’s ecosystems.
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 could include:
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Providing technical assistance on shoreline adaptation projects, especially the design and implementation of nature-based solutions
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Undertaking research and developing scientific tools and resources to support restoration and adaptation efforts
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Leading projects, including team and budget management
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Leading fundraising efforts to support future work
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Supporting the Wetlands Regional Monitoring Program
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 participation in site visits and community meetings at locations around the Bay Area (including occasional weekend and evening events). Local presence is required.
Minimum Experience
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Bachelor's degree + 14 years of experience in coastal/estuarine adaptation, restoration, science, or monitoring
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Master’s degree + 12 years of experience in coastal/estuarine adaptation, restoration, science, or monitoring
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PhD + 5 years of experience in coastal/estuarine adaptation, restoration, science, or monitoring
Required Skills
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Familiarity with San Francisco Bay, its ecosystems, and/or its physical dynamics
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Background in shoreline adaptation planning, geomorphology, hydrology, ecology, coastal engineering, or other relevant field
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Proven project leadership and management capabilities
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Creative thinking and scientific vision
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Demonstrated ability to secure funding
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Strong communication and facilitation skills, including presenting at meetings
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Collaborative and supportive work approach
Preferred Skills
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Understanding of sea level rise and shoreline adaptation science
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Experience with estuarine shoreline and wetland restoration and/or adaptation project planning, design, and implementation
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Ability to evaluate site feasibility for nature-based solutions for shoreline adaptation
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Familiarity with design of living shorelines projects (nearshore reefs, eelgrass beds, coarse beaches, etc).
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Coastal engineering background and skills
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Familiarity with permitting of restoration and adaptation projects
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Experience supervising and mentoring junior staff
Salary & Benefits Highlights
This will be a Senior Scientist position within the Resilient Landscapes Program. The anticipated salary range for full-time employment is $124,218-$165,624 for this position, depending on years of experience and relevant expertise. Salary levels listed are for Bay Area residents. Non Bay Area salary levels will be lower, based on location.
Salary ranges take into account many factors for making compensation decisions, including but not limited to experience, education, internal salary structure, and organizational needs. Note that the listed salary range covers four levels in our job structure and candidates will be placed into one of the levels, depending on experience. Within each level, we expect to offer starting salaries at or near the lower end of the salary range.
- 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 (fully remote work for this position is not available)
About the Resilient Landscapes Program
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 Considerations
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.