About Us At Onterris, we build careers grounded in purpose, responsibility and real-world impact. “For Planet and Progress” is our north star that guides everything we do. We believe environmental responsibility and human progress are interconnected, interwoven and international. Our scientists, engineers, field teams, consultants and professionals collaborate across disciplines and geographies, guiding industries and governments, ensuring that communities and environments thrive. When you join us, you’re not just forging a career, you’re joining a movement. A movement for better thinking, smarter solutions and lasting impact. Together, we will advance our way of life and protect the integrity of our environment every step of the way.
A Day in the Life As an Aquatic Scientist (Water Quality), you will join one of our Alberta offices (Edmonton, Calgary or Grande Prairie) as part of our Wildlife and Aquatics team. The compensation range for this role is $32.50 to $42.50, commensurate with experience, skills, and geographic location.
Be an active Aquatics Team member and contribute to a growing and collaborative team of biologists, hydrologists and aquatic scientists participating in discipline specific and multi-disciplinary projects.
Engage as a Water Quality Discipline Lead role on routine and complex projects that require surface water and sediment quality sampling, data analysis and reporting.
These projects may include aquatic environmental effects monitoring, aquatic environmental risk assessments, environmental impact assessments, and routine operational monitoring programs for the power, mines, oil and gas facilities, and pipelines industries.
Collaborate with other aquatic and terrestrial disciplines on complex projects to assess aquatic environmental effects (e.g., benthic invertebrate assessments, wetland projects, aquatic ecology projects, etc.).
Taking on and leading field work is desirable; may be required to lead/oversee the application of specialized sampling methodologies related to water and sediment sampling.
Work under the guidance of senior staff members.
Apply diligence in conducting field data collection using standard and/or approved methods consistent with project objectives and QA/QC methods.
Take guidance from technical senior staff to apply Onterris norms and best practices for managing and analyzing data, and reporting.
Support field crews from the office in a timely manner with any required assistance to ensure field programs are carried out successfully.
This may include writing field work plans, confirming scopes, coordinating with labs to prep for field work (e.g., sample bottle orders, etc.), sample tracking, updating field maps, and facilitating communications between field teams with project managers and technical accountables.




Interact and work with a community of technical experts from other Onterris regions in Western Canada.
Interact with extensive, long-standing clients within local and regional government, conservation authorities, academia, and private industry.
Actively participate in maintaining the strong safety culture at Onterris.
Your Expertise and Skills Bachelor's or Master's degree, or technical diploma in environmental science, biology related field.
Eligible for professional designation in a relevant organization (i.e., B.I.T., P. Biol., P. Ag., etc.).
4 to 8 years of consulting experience related to water quality, and/or the environmental consulting industry.
The amount of field work required will depend on applicant's experience and skillset.
Possess strong attention to detail as well as good organizational skills.
Excellent written communication skills and robust technical report writing abilities.
Ability to anticipate secondary project outcomes (e.g., delays, opportunities) and make plans to address changes ahead of time to support project success.
Experience in writing field reports summarizing field activities and relevant environmental information.
Project Management experience is an asset.
Familiarity with pertinent regulatory guidelines is an asset (e.g., Environmental Quality Guidelines for Alberta Surface Water, Canadian Water Quality Guidelines for the Protection of Aquatic Life.)
Demonstrate knowledge of the environmental assessment process in Alberta (Environmental Protection and Enhancement Act) and Canada (Impact Assessment Act) as related to effects on aquatic environments is an asset.
Abilities in the areas of water quality study design, field sampling protocols, and project coordination.
Demonstrated ability to work collaboratively with other disciplines on integrated assessments.
Possess a valid class 5 driver's license with no driving restrictions.
Strong safety mindset and demonstrated safety leadership.
Work Environment and Physical Requirements Work Environment and Physical Requirements The physical and environmental requirements below reflect what's typically needed to perform the essential functions of this role safely and effectively. We may provide reasonable accommodations for qualified individuals with disabilities, consistent with applicable law, to support performance of the essential functions.



Office skills will require sitting, standing, and walking. For times when field work may be required: Ability to swim and be comfortable working in and around swift water; Lifting up to 50 pounds several times a day; Overhead lifting of over 20 pounds; Often works outdoors and may be exposed to hot and cold environments and extreme weather conditions, including sunlit, rainy and windy conditions; Will work shifts up to 12 hours in duration. In keeping with our Health & Safety Policy, individuals in safety sensitive positions are subject to pre-employment, pre-access (and in some client cases, random) alcohol & drug testing as well as drivers abstract reviews.
Onterris provides support in its recruitment processes to applicants with disabilities; including accommodation that considers an applicant's accessibility needs. Candidates requiring accommodation during the recruitment process are asked to work with Human Resources directly.
Company Information This posting reflects a current vacancy that the company is actively seeking to fill. Please note, we are not accepting third party agency applicants at this time.
For more information, visit www.onterris.com.
We are an equal opportunity employer and encourage applications from people of all backgrounds.
We acknowledge that these experiences and perspectives help to enrich our teams and contribute to our ongoing success.
We are committed to providing access and reasonable accommodation in our employment for all applicants.
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Employee Testimonials “Working with inspiring coworkers and clients across the globe over the past five years has been incredibly rewarding. Their passion motivates me to improve our client experience and work that I deliver.” – Erin Peck, Emissions Services
“There are not many places where a toxicologist can be boots-on-the-ground at an environmental emergency one day and deep in a human health risk assessment or litigation the next, but this company is one of them, and honestly, that breadth is what makes me love the work. We are a team of scientists with a broad range of talents and experiences who genuinely take the mission to heart, because protecting people and communities from chemical hazards is not abstract here; it is exactly why we show up every day. The culture reflects that shared commitment in the best way: collaborative, rigorous, and truly motivated by the impact we make together.” – Andre Richardson, Consulting
“I knew my position here would be more than just a job. Every day is a new, exciting challenge to solve, and I get to go home knowing that the work I am doing is having a positive impact on the world.” – J Esteves, R&D;

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📌 Intermediate Aquatic Scientist, Water Quality Specialist (Alberta)
🏢 LE044 Onterris Canada
📍 Alberta