San Francisco Public Utilities Commission
Botanical Biologist III (2484) - Natural Resources & Lands Management Division,
San Francisco Public Utilities Commission, San Francisco, California, United States, 94199
Botanical Biologist III (2484) - Natural Resources & Lands Management Division, SFPUC (160195)
Application Opening: 10/17/2025
Application Filing Deadline: 10/24/2025
Annual Salary: $142,506 to $173,238
Recruitment ID: RTF0160193-01158735
Appointment Type Temporary Exempt (TEX): This position is excluded by the Charter from the competitive Civil Service examination process and shall serve at the discretion of the Appointing Officer. The duration of the appointment shall not exceed 36 months.
San Francisco Public Utilities Commission (SFPUC) Headquartered in San Francisco, SFPUC has 2,300 employees working in seven counties with a combined annual operating budget of over $900 million.
Mission:
To provide our customers with high quality, efficient, and reliable water, power, and wastewater services in a manner that values environmental and community interests and sustains the resources entrusted to our care. Vision:
We are an innovative utility leader, recognized for excellent results in service, safety, stewardship, and inclusiveness.
Role Description Project: Bioregional Habitat Restoration (BHR) Program Phase 2, including Fountain Thistle Under general supervision, the Senior Biologist (Biologist III) plans, designs, develops, and manages biological and ecological monitoring, protection, enhancement, establishment, and re-establishment of special-status botanical resources as required by federal and state environmental regulatory compliance permits and other policies on SFPUC watershed lands.
Essential Duties and Responsibilities
Oversee and manage botanical biological monitoring, protection, enhancement, establishment, and re-establishment programs and studies for endangered plant species, specifically fountain thistle and other species that occur on the Peninsula Watershed.
Provide biological expertise and technical support to SFPUC managers and staff to inform water system operations, watershed management, stewardship, planning, and regulatory compliance, including the placement of conservation easements.
Plan, organize, and prioritize biology projects and programs in conjunction with the Supervising Biologist.
Identify knowledge gaps and data needs; develop studies and new monitoring programs; evaluate existing monitoring programs in response to new regulatory requirements, scientific findings, or resource management needs and make recommendations.
Develop and participate in habitat management plans or restoration projects for the conservation of rare, threatened, and endangered species.
Plan and implement restoration projects and resource management activities.
Develop partnerships and peer review opportunities with research institutions and other agencies to improve current scientific understanding and the scientific credibility of SFPUC work products.
Provide in-house biological expertise during negotiations with regulatory agencies or other external stakeholders.
Write and review scopes of work and contract specifications, review budgets, direct work, and evaluate and approve deliverables.
Propose solutions to environmental problems associated with facility, watershed, and right-of-way operations; develop best practices for operations and projects that minimize environmental impacts.
Research scientific literature; manage and analyze data; prepare technical memos, reports, presentations, and papers; communicate complex scientific information effectively to diverse audiences.
Manage and monitor staff progress and direct consultant and contractor teams during planning, data collection, data analysis, and presentation; set team goals and priorities, assign tasks, and monitor work products.
Train personnel and consultants in effective field sampling, survey methodology, and taxonomy and identification.
Perform other duties as assigned.
Work Schedule and Location Monday – Friday; 40 hrs/week SFPUC Headquarters (525 Golden Gate Avenue, San Francisco, CA 94102), with field work focused on SFPUC lands in San Mateo County and occasional field work on SFPUC lands in Alameda, Santa Clara, and San Francisco counties.
How To Qualify
Possession of a baccalaureate degree (or equivalent experience) majoring in environmental biology, marine biology, aquatic biology, wildlife biology, fisheries biology, limnology, aquatic toxicology, microbiology, biochemistry, or a related environmental science.
Six (6) years of verifiable environmental experience in field or laboratory biology.
Possession of a valid driver's license.
Desirable Qualifications
Education and experience in plant biology or related biological specialties.
Experience monitoring, enhancing, and establishing sites for endangered plant species including fountain thistle or similar life history traits.
Experience placing conservation easements on sites that include endangered plants and/or wildlife adjacent to or overlapping with utility corridors and watershed infrastructure.
Experience providing biological and ecological technical expertise to inform land management, watershed management, stewardship, restoration, planning, and environmental regulatory compliance.
Experience with water supply system environmental regulatory compliance issues, including federal and state endangered species acts.
Equal Employment Opportunity The City and County of San Francisco encourages women, minorities and persons with disabilities to apply. Applicants will be considered regardless of their sex, race, age, religion, color, national origin, ancestry, physical disability, mental disability, medical condition (associated with cancer, a history of cancer, or genetic characteristics), HIV/AIDS status, genetic information, marital status, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, gender expression, military and veteran status, or other protected category under the law.
Application Process Applications for City and County of San Francisco jobs are only accepted through an online process. Visit
https://careers.smartrecruiters.com/CityAndCountyOfSanFrancisco1/
and begin the application process. Select the “I’m Interested” button and follow instructions on the screen. Applicants should keep their registered email address accurate and up to date to receive confirmation of receipt.
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Appointment Type Temporary Exempt (TEX): This position is excluded by the Charter from the competitive Civil Service examination process and shall serve at the discretion of the Appointing Officer. The duration of the appointment shall not exceed 36 months.
San Francisco Public Utilities Commission (SFPUC) Headquartered in San Francisco, SFPUC has 2,300 employees working in seven counties with a combined annual operating budget of over $900 million.
Mission:
To provide our customers with high quality, efficient, and reliable water, power, and wastewater services in a manner that values environmental and community interests and sustains the resources entrusted to our care. Vision:
We are an innovative utility leader, recognized for excellent results in service, safety, stewardship, and inclusiveness.
Role Description Project: Bioregional Habitat Restoration (BHR) Program Phase 2, including Fountain Thistle Under general supervision, the Senior Biologist (Biologist III) plans, designs, develops, and manages biological and ecological monitoring, protection, enhancement, establishment, and re-establishment of special-status botanical resources as required by federal and state environmental regulatory compliance permits and other policies on SFPUC watershed lands.
Essential Duties and Responsibilities
Oversee and manage botanical biological monitoring, protection, enhancement, establishment, and re-establishment programs and studies for endangered plant species, specifically fountain thistle and other species that occur on the Peninsula Watershed.
Provide biological expertise and technical support to SFPUC managers and staff to inform water system operations, watershed management, stewardship, planning, and regulatory compliance, including the placement of conservation easements.
Plan, organize, and prioritize biology projects and programs in conjunction with the Supervising Biologist.
Identify knowledge gaps and data needs; develop studies and new monitoring programs; evaluate existing monitoring programs in response to new regulatory requirements, scientific findings, or resource management needs and make recommendations.
Develop and participate in habitat management plans or restoration projects for the conservation of rare, threatened, and endangered species.
Plan and implement restoration projects and resource management activities.
Develop partnerships and peer review opportunities with research institutions and other agencies to improve current scientific understanding and the scientific credibility of SFPUC work products.
Provide in-house biological expertise during negotiations with regulatory agencies or other external stakeholders.
Write and review scopes of work and contract specifications, review budgets, direct work, and evaluate and approve deliverables.
Propose solutions to environmental problems associated with facility, watershed, and right-of-way operations; develop best practices for operations and projects that minimize environmental impacts.
Research scientific literature; manage and analyze data; prepare technical memos, reports, presentations, and papers; communicate complex scientific information effectively to diverse audiences.
Manage and monitor staff progress and direct consultant and contractor teams during planning, data collection, data analysis, and presentation; set team goals and priorities, assign tasks, and monitor work products.
Train personnel and consultants in effective field sampling, survey methodology, and taxonomy and identification.
Perform other duties as assigned.
Work Schedule and Location Monday – Friday; 40 hrs/week SFPUC Headquarters (525 Golden Gate Avenue, San Francisco, CA 94102), with field work focused on SFPUC lands in San Mateo County and occasional field work on SFPUC lands in Alameda, Santa Clara, and San Francisco counties.
How To Qualify
Possession of a baccalaureate degree (or equivalent experience) majoring in environmental biology, marine biology, aquatic biology, wildlife biology, fisheries biology, limnology, aquatic toxicology, microbiology, biochemistry, or a related environmental science.
Six (6) years of verifiable environmental experience in field or laboratory biology.
Possession of a valid driver's license.
Desirable Qualifications
Education and experience in plant biology or related biological specialties.
Experience monitoring, enhancing, and establishing sites for endangered plant species including fountain thistle or similar life history traits.
Experience placing conservation easements on sites that include endangered plants and/or wildlife adjacent to or overlapping with utility corridors and watershed infrastructure.
Experience providing biological and ecological technical expertise to inform land management, watershed management, stewardship, restoration, planning, and environmental regulatory compliance.
Experience with water supply system environmental regulatory compliance issues, including federal and state endangered species acts.
Equal Employment Opportunity The City and County of San Francisco encourages women, minorities and persons with disabilities to apply. Applicants will be considered regardless of their sex, race, age, religion, color, national origin, ancestry, physical disability, mental disability, medical condition (associated with cancer, a history of cancer, or genetic characteristics), HIV/AIDS status, genetic information, marital status, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, gender expression, military and veteran status, or other protected category under the law.
Application Process Applications for City and County of San Francisco jobs are only accepted through an online process. Visit
https://careers.smartrecruiters.com/CityAndCountyOfSanFrancisco1/
and begin the application process. Select the “I’m Interested” button and follow instructions on the screen. Applicants should keep their registered email address accurate and up to date to receive confirmation of receipt.
#J-18808-Ljbffr