Junior Coastal Engineer

ESA seeks a highly motivated Junior Coastal Engineer with 0-3 years' experience to join our team of hydrologists, geomorphologists, ecologists, landscape architects and engineers in the Northern California region. This position will support a variety of multi-objective tidal wetland and coastal restoration design projects in the San Francisco Bay Area, Sacramento/San Joaquin Delta, California Coast, and throughout California. We are looking for a dedicated and enthusiastic team member with a passion for ecosystem restoration and the desire to learn and grow.  This is a full-time salary exempt role with hybrid work expectations.  Candidates must be able to work in office hybrid in one of the following office locations: San Francisco, Oakland, Sacramento, or Petaluma and be available as needed to travel to other ESA office locations for in-person team collaboration. 

Who You Are 

• You have a Bachelor’s degree in Civil/Environmental Engineering or a related degree and directly relevant qualifications, and EIT certification or the ability to obtain it within one year;
• You have education, training, and/or work experience in one or more of the following: coastal zone or estuarine habitat restoration, land management, geomorphology and/or ecology; coastal engineering; estuarine hydraulics and hydrology.
• Experience in design and modeling software (AutoCAD Civil 3D, ArcGIS, HEC RAS, HEC HMS, XBeach, SWAN etc.) and programming (MATLAB, Python) are desirable but not required.
• You are an effective team member with excellent oral and writing skills who can work independently and collaboratively in a multi-disciplinary environment.
• You can communicate basic technical information clearly and concisely to individuals and small groups.
• You are adept at using various communication tools to effectively combine in-person and remote teamwork.
• You are able to work hybrid in office in San Francisco, Oakland, Sacramento, or Petaluma.  

What You Will Do for ESA

• Support design and analysis for ecosystem restoration, climate change resilience, habitat enhancement, engineering with nature, flood management, and other water resources and civil engineering projects under direct supervision of a more senior engineer or hydrologist.  
• Assist in the preparation of engineering analyses, design plans and cost estimates, reports, permit applications, and other project documentation. Apply hydrologic and hydraulic models, GIS, and other tools to evaluate design alternatives. Using GIS or other software platforms to evaluate habitat conversion in both the near and long-term accounting for climate change. Have the opportunity to collect hydrographic, topographic, and related field data to support engineering analysis and design.  
• Consistently demonstrate your solid writing and attentive listening skills, contributing to complex environmental reports, and participating in meetings with ESA staff and with our clients. This position will lead to project management experience over time. 
• Thrive in a fast-paced, challenging environment and be able to balance multiple responsibilities and deadlines, while working on a team or independently. Provided the appropriate direction, resources and support, you will independently solve simple to complex problems. 
• Please note, as a part of the interview process, you may be asked to prepare a presentation and/or provide a writing sample.

What’s Special About Our Team

Our EH&D team includes engineers, engineers, hydrologists, geomorphologists and landscape architects. Much of our work is oriented toward the restoration of habitat and ecosystem function, often as part of multi-benefit projects. As a highly-integrated team, we value creative thinking, teamwork, and multi-disciplinary and cross-disciplinary engagement and integration. 

To read about some of our exciting projects, check out these links Dutch Slough, Lower Walnut Creek, Heron's Head Park Shoreline Resilience, Tomales Bay Living Shoreline, and Surfers' Point. 

What’s Special About ESA

Joining ESA means becoming part of a close-knit team of environmental professionals who contribute to outstanding projects, improve environmental stewardship, and advance a more sustainable and resilient future for our communities and wild places.

At ESA, we provide benefits such as medical, dental, and vision insurance (paid at 70% for you AND your family), annual allocations of company share through our ESOP, a 401(k) plan with company match, and paid vacation, sick leave, and holidays, to name a few.

We also provide specific programs whether you want to further your technical expertise, sharpen your business acumen, or help lead the next generation of employee-owners. We want to support you in reaching your career goals through tuition reimbursement, professional development bonuses, and attendance at conferences.

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ESA is an Equal Opportunity Employer, committed to a diverse and inclusive work environment. (EOE M/V/F/D)