Ocean Career: SFEI Project Manager/Scientist

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The San Francisco Estuary Institute (SFEI) is seeking a Project Manager/Scientist (PM/S) to assist in management of the Regional Monitoring Program for Water Quality in San Francisco Bay (RMP). The RMP is a $9 million/yr world-class monitoring program that has been providing the information that is most urgently needed for managing water quality in the Bay since 1993. The PM/S would join an interdisciplinary team to support projects investigating the sources, fate, transport, and impacts of contaminants in San Francisco Bay and its surrounding watersheds. The PM/S will also support other SFEI Clean Water Program efforts to address pivotal pollution issues with regional, state, and national implications.

The PM/S will contribute to both overall RMP management (50%) and technical work on science projects (50%) aligned with expertise. Program management includes a diverse set of activities, including: stakeholder engagement, program development, contributing to multi-year science planning, strategic planning, budget development, staff supervision, and management of a large number of complex multi-stakeholder projects. This is a full-time, Bay Area-based, hybrid office position for a candidate with a Master’s or PhD degree and scientific and project management experience in water quality issues, particularly environmental chemistry.

  • Project leadership in managing staff workflows, making connections between projects, and providing guidance and review of studies to assure they meet study and program goals for projects at a high level of technical proficiency.
  • Oversee and manage projects to ensure, on time and on budget completion of complex projects. Ensures that project design and implementation meet scientific standards. Work with other team members to ensure that shared staff are available for participation on projects. Work with external collaborators who contribute technically to projects.
  • Supervise staff and/or manage work of staff in their technical work, career growth, and professional development.
  • Technical leadership of program elements aligned with expertise.
  • Technical oversight and review of RMP reports and proposals.
  • Field work on occasion

Qualifications

Required Skills and Experience

  • Master’s degree in environmental science or pertinent scientific field and a minimum of 9 years of relevant work experience or
  • PhD in environmental science or pertinent scientific field and a minimum of 2 years of relevant work experience
  • A team player who inspires staff and is enthusiastic about the RMP’s goal of providing science to inform management decisions.
  • Excellent written and oral communication skills.
  • High level of proficiency with project management tools, ensuring projects are using robust tracking tools and that project information is communicated to project staff at regular intervals.
  • Work experience in relevant program management areas, e.g., stakeholder governance and communication; building and maintaining scientific collaborations; developing and implementing strategic programmatic goals; leading scientific teams on complex environmental projects.
  • Work experience in relevant environmental science areas (e.g., environmental monitoring for contaminants, study design, conceptual and mechanistic models and environmental statistics).
  • Experience designing and executing scientific studies; data analysis and synthesis; writing technical reports and/or journal articles to communicate findings.
  • Experience managing projects and delivering high-quality products on time and within budget, including through technical oversight and review of work products.
  • Ability to work on multiple projects concurrently, sometimes with short deadlines.

Desired Additional Skills and Experience

  • Knowledge of QA/QC standards for field sampling and laboratory procedures.
  • Ability to contribute to, or lead, aspects of field work that may periodically involve working unusual hours (e.g., late nights, early mornings, and weekends) and carrying 40 pound field equipment for short durations. Fully remote work will not be possible.
  • Experience with the collection, processing, and analysis of environmental samples (e.g., water, stormwater, sediment, fish and other wildlife tissues) for chemical contaminants.

Salary range: $114,000 to $137,000

Location: Richmond, CA, USA

Application deadline: August 7, 2026

Learn more about this opportunity and how to apply.

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