Biologist Visa Sponsorship Jobs in California
California employs more biologists than almost any other state, with major employers spanning biotech firms in the Bay Area and San Diego, federal agencies like the U.S. Geological Survey, and universities such as UC Berkeley and UC Davis. Life sciences hubs in South San Francisco, San Diego's Torrey Pines Mesa, and Sacramento's agricultural research corridor all sponsor international biologists regularly.
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INTRODUCTION
Environmental Science Associates (ESA) is a 100% employee-owned environmental consulting firm. We plan, design, permit, mitigate, and restore for projects across our communities, infrastructure systems, open spaces, and wildlands. We are 50 years strong in 21 offices across California, the Pacific Northwest, and the Southeastern United States.
ESA is seeking a mid-level biologist with 2-7 years of experience in relevant scientific or environmental consulting environment. This is an exempt, full-time, salaried role with hybrid flexible expectations. Qualified candidates must be located in the San Francisco Bay Area, vicinity of Sacramento, Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta, Central Valley, or within 3 hours commute. All qualified candidates must be willing & able to travel as needed. Preference given to candidates located in the bay area and central valley of CA. This role involves travel for site visits, projects, and in-person team collaboration as needed.
Who You Are
- Qualified candidates should have previous experience performing natural resource-related evaluations, technical studies, analyses and tasks requiring knowledge based on education and at least two years of professional experience.
- Previous construction compliance monitoring experience required.
- Qualified candidates must demonstrate the ability to perform all aspects of biological monitoring on small to large, complex construction projects. Some night and/or weekend work may be assigned. General experience with wildlife and vegetation species from the geographic area of work: California Central Valley and San Francisco Bay Area.
- Qualified candidates must have experience surveying and monitoring CA nesting birds.
- Preference given to candidates with direct experience surveying, handling, and monitoring for, or with monitoring approvals by state and federal agencies for one or more of the following species: San Joaquin kit fox, California tiger salamander, California red-legged frog, northwestern pond turtle, San Francisco garter snake, giant garter snake, California black rail, western burrowing owl, western spadefoot, vernal pool brachiopods, Swainson's hawk and/or other nesting birds, Crotch's bumble bee, and bats.
- You enjoy fieldwork and can walk long distances carrying a backpack; and are able to lift at least 50 pounds. You are confident working outside, in remote and rural settings, as well as in urban environments. Physical outdoor work may include, but may not be limited to, work in all types of weather, traversing uneven ground and sometimes steep terrain in vegetated environments, agricultural fields, arid lands, and along stream banks. You may be exposed to inclement weather and uncomfortable working conditions. Some early morning, late night and/or weekend work, as well as long hours may be required.
- Must possess a valid driver's license and have own transportation to project sites.
- Must have a smart phone with sufficient data plan to collect necessary data on-site.
What You Will Do for ESA
- Perform biological compliance monitoring and reporting at active construction sites to ensure conformance with environmental/permit requirements.
- Conduct special-status species surveys and nesting bird surveys.
- Construction compliance monitoring.
- Identify and may relocate sensitive species, when needed and if agency-approved.
- Effectively communicate with senior ESA staff, construction crews, project personnel, and project management staff.
- Take initiative and contribute to a respectful, feedback-driven team culture.
- Maintain daily written monitoring and inspection logs, including utilizing electronic data collection tools, such as Fulcrum and Trello.
- Enter data into an on-line GIS mapping application, such as Fieldmaps, Collector, Survey 123.
- Deliver worker environmental awareness training to on-site staff.
- Comply with all safety requirements and policies.
- Field work outside, potentially in remote or rural settings, as well as in urban environments.
- Desk-based data processing, technical evaluations, and a range of client deliverables.
- Training/mentoring early career biologists.
- Other ad hoc tasks as needed.
What's Special About Our Biology Team
Our Biology Team includes biologists, restoration ecologists, permitting specialists, conservation biologists, and environmental scientists that provide expertise for many municipalities throughout California. Our work matters because it helps communities shape a positive future for their citizens in balance with conserving our state's sensitive natural resources. We value creative thinking, teamwork, and multi-disciplinary and cross-disciplinary engagement and integration.
We encourage you to read about some of the exciting projects we have recently completed.
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.
Who We Are
We are a 100% employee-owned environmental consulting firm who values diversity and inclusion and celebrate the differences that make each of us unique. Our culture is built on mutual respect, recognizing that our variety of backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives leads to better solutions, which fosters our continued success for our employee-owners and clients.
In accordance with ESA's duty and responsibility to provide and maintain a safe workplace that is free of known hazards and to minimize the exposure to potential hazards, any employee who works from an ESA office or conducts any other in-person ESA work-related activity is required to submit their proof of vaccination status or have received an approved exemption and accommodation in states which this applies.
If you are an applicant with a disability that requires a reasonable accommodation to complete any part of the application process or are limited in the ability—or unable to use—the online application system and need an alternative method for applying, you may contact our Human Resources Department via email: humanresources@esassoc.com for assistance.
Please include the following in your message so we can promptly address your request:
- Full name
- The best method to contact you (phone number and/or email address)
- Title of Job Position Applied
- Description of your accommodation request
ESA is an Equal Opportunity Employer, committed to a diverse and inclusive work environment. (EOE M/V/F/D)
Biologist Job Roles in California
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Search Biologist Jobs in CaliforniaBiologist Jobs in California: Frequently Asked Questions
Which companies sponsor visas for biologists in California?
California's life sciences sector includes employers with consistent H-1B and O-1 sponsorship histories for biology roles. Major sponsors include Genentech, Gilead Sciences, Amgen, and Thermo Fisher Scientific, alongside federal research agencies and UC system campuses. Biotech firms concentrated in South San Francisco and San Diego's Torrey Pines Mesa account for a significant share of biologist sponsorship filings in the state.
Which visa types are most common for biologist roles in California?
The H-1B is the most commonly used visa for biologists in California, provided the role qualifies as a specialty occupation requiring at least a bachelor's degree in a directly related field such as biology, biochemistry, or microbiology. Researchers at universities or nonprofit institutions may qualify for cap-exempt H-1B petitions. The O-1A is an option for biologists with documented extraordinary achievement, such as published research or significant awards.
Which cities in California have the most biologist sponsorship jobs?
San Diego and the San Francisco Bay Area generate the highest volume of biologist sponsorship jobs in California. San Diego's Torrey Pines Mesa and Sorrento Valley host dense clusters of biotech employers. The Bay Area's South San Francisco corridor is home to large pharma and biotech companies. Sacramento and Davis also produce roles tied to agricultural biology and state or federal research programs.
How to find biologist visa sponsorship jobs in California?
Migrate Mate filters biologist job listings in California specifically to employers with active visa sponsorship history, saving you from sorting through roles where sponsorship is unclear. You can search by city, subspecialty such as marine biology or microbiology, and employer type. Because California's life sciences market moves quickly, filtering to verified sponsoring employers on Migrate Mate reduces time spent on applications unlikely to lead to sponsorship.
Are there state-specific or role-specific considerations for biologist sponsorship in California?
California does not impose additional state-level requirements on top of federal visa sponsorship rules, but prevailing wage compliance is closely monitored given the state's high cost of living. Employers must meet DOL wage levels, which in California often reflect the higher end of national ranges for biology occupations. Biologists can check current wage benchmarks using the OFLC Wage Search tool and review occupation requirements through O*NET.
What is the prevailing wage for sponsored biologist jobs in California?
U.S. employers sponsoring a visa must pay at least the prevailing wage, which is what workers in the same role, area, and experience level typically earn. The Department of Labor sets this rate to make sure companies aren't hiring foreign workers simply because they'd accept lower pay than a U.S. worker. It varies by job title, location, and experience. You can look up current prevailing wage rates for any occupation and location using the OFLC Wage Search page.
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