Job Opportunity

Position: Quantitative Fisheries Ecologist Intermediate
Employer: ESSA TECHNOLOGIES LTD.
Location: Ottawa, ON or Vancouver, BC
Full-Time

The Opportunity

Are you passionate about using quantitative science to solve real-world environmental challenges and support healthy ecosystems? If you are a quantitative fisheries ecologist who enjoys understanding how the environment influences fisheries and aquatic systems, we welcome you to apply to join ESSA’s team of purpose-driven problem solvers and make a difference in environmental management.
In this role, you will apply your advanced knowledge of fisheries and aquatic science to help make better decisions. We require a strong mix of quantitative skills including statistical analysis, modelling, experimental design, and decision-support tool building, as well as strong written and verbal science communication.

This is a full-time opportunity based in Ottawa or Vancouver. You will have access to our staff benefits, including competitive compensation, medical benefits, flexible working arrangements (hybrid workplace, short-term work abroad periods), and three weeks of paid vacation plus paid time off between Christmas and New Year’s Day. With longer tenure, staff are also eligible for short sabbaticals.

About Us

ESSA Technologies Ltd. is an employee-owned Canadian environmental consulting firm with offices in British Columbia and Ontario. Our mission is to “bring together people, science and analytical tools to sustain healthy ecosystems and human communities.” At ESSA we value nature, and we help our clients tackle complex environmental challenges through evidence-based analysis, collaborative decision-making, and systems thinking. Learn more about us at https://www.essa.com.

At ESSA, we are passionate about what we do and enjoy working with professionals who share our values and mission. ESSA’s staff are purpose-driven problem solvers, big-picture critical thinkers, and motivated by an aspiration to become trusted advisors to our clients and make a difference in the world. As part of ESSA’s team, you will be surrounded by a rich intellectual inheritance, and dedicated colleagues committed to collaboration and team-building. In pursuing our corporate mission, we are inclusive of a diversity of perspectives and ways of knowing among both our staff and our clients that may vary depending on experience, race, gender identity, age, disability status, sexual orientation, and religion amongst others.

With offices in British Columbia and Ontario, we acknowledge that our offices are on the unceded territory of the Coast Salish People (the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish), and səlilwətaɬ (Tsleil-Waututh) Nations) in Vancouver, and the unceded territory of the Algonquin Anishnaabeg People in Ottawa. We acknowledge that we also work in the territories of other Indigenous Nations across Canada and the world.

Your Responsibilities

As a quantitative fisheries ecologist, you will bring your expertise in fish biology, fisheries science, or a related field to provide advice to support our diverse clients with their fish-related challenges. This is a consulting role in a high-tempo environment. Our culture is imminently supportive (ask around), but in this business clients have high expectations, feedback can be blunt, deadlines move fast, priorities compete, and the expectation to generate impactful results while overcoming imperfect data is a common reality. If rapid learning, shifting priorities, balancing projects, and delivering on time through ambiguity give you hives—this won’t be for you. If you want agency and altitude, not autopilot, then please apply to work with us on a diverse interdisciplinary array of environmental projects spanning fisheries and aquatic resource management, cumulative effects assessment, adaptive management, climate change adaptation, ecosystem restoration and decision support system development.
Your responsibilities will have a balance of project work and business development:

Project Work

• Apply quantitative modeling and statistical analysis to fisheries and aquatic science projects
• Integrate diverse data sources (monitoring, geospatial, traditional knowledge) to prioritize restoration activities
• Assess cumulative effects of land use and contaminants on aquatic ecosystems
• Model climate change impacts on fish and aquatic habitat
• Develop interactive decision support tools (e.g., the Okanagan Fish Water Management Tool)
• Design and analyze monitoring programs; evaluate restoration effectiveness
• Support Indigenous-led research and stewardship initiatives
• Prepare concise reports and presentations for diverse audiences
• Coordinate project tasks, timelines, and budgets

Business Development & Client Engagement

• Contribute to proposal writing, grant applications, and project scoping
• Build and maintain client and partner relationships
• Represent ESSA at conferences and industry events; support marketing and outreach
• Identify new project opportunities and help shape solutions
• Share knowledge internally and externally through presentations and workshops

Career Development

• Access to professional development training, business related travel, and support for professional designations such as an RPBio
• Opportunities to mentor and train junior team members
• Pathways for merit-based advancement into project management and leadership

Requirements

• Master’s or Ph.D. degree in Ecology, Biology, Applied Science, or Resource Management (fisheries/aquatic focus)
• The responsibilities of this role can be handled by and will be rewarding to an intermediate applicant. This means you must have a minimum of 2 years of relevant professional work experience outside of an academic setting (i.e., excluding post doc assignments or other while-at-University posts and contracts exclusively for University clients). Preferred candidates will have previously worked in a non-solo freelance private consulting environment, research institute or not for profit organization. Candidates whose experience is primarily in the public sector will be considered, provided they operated in fast-moving teams and can show us fast-paced wins.
• Advanced knowledge of fish biology and ecology (especially salmonids)
• Proficiency in statistical analysis, modelling, and data visualization (R/Python)
• Experience with geospatial analysis (in R, Python, QGIS/ArcGIS)
• Strong written and verbal communication skills
• Experience working with Indigenous communities is an asset
• Additional skills (considered assets, in no particular order): Spanish or French proficiency, web development (Vue.js/ React + Rserve), experience building big-data machine learning and AI-related applications, database design (SQL) and aptitude composing SQL queries, building simulation models, and registration with College of Applied Biologists.

Applying

Please email a cover letter, résumé to careers@essa.com by November 14, 2025 with “Quantitative Fisheries Ecologist” in the subject line. Selected candidates will be contacted by November 19, 2025. Interviews will be conducted between December 4 - 9, 2025. The anticipated start (negotiable) is January 5, 2025.

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All applicants must be eligible to legally work in British Columbia and/or Ontario at the time of applying.

Salary Range: $79,000 (lower qualifications and experience) - to - $98,000 (95th+ percentile qualifications and experience relative to the requirements detailed in the job description above).