How to hire a principal environmental scientist

How to hire a principal environmental scientist, step by step

Here's a step-by-step principal environmental scientist hiring guide:

• Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
• Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
• Step 3: Make a budget
• Step 4: Write a principal environmental scientist job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new principal environmental scientist
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you start hiring a principal environmental scientist, identify what type of worker you actually need. Certain positions might call for a full-time employee, while others can be done by a part-time worker or contractor.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   You should also consider the ideal background you'd like them a principal environmental scientist to have before you start to hire. For example, what industry or field would you like them to have experience in, what level of seniority or education does the job require, and how much it'll cost to hire a principal environmental scientist that fits the bill.

   This list presents principal environmental scientist salaries for various positions.

   Type of Principal Environmental Scientist	Description	Hourly rate
   Principal Environmental Scientist	Environmental scientists and specialists use their knowledge of the natural sciences to protect the environment and human health. They may clean up polluted areas, advise policymakers, or work with industry to reduce waste.	$30-73
   Scientist	A scientist is responsible for researching and analyzing the nature and complexities of the physical world to identify discoveries that would improve people's lives and ignite scientific knowledge for society. Scientists' duties differ in their different areas of expertise, but all of them must have a broad comprehension of scientific disciplines and methods to support their experiments and investigations... Show more	$32-67
   Field Scientist	The duties of a field scientist depend on one's line of work or industry of employment. In general, their responsibilities typically include conducting studies and scientific research, visiting various sites to observe and gather samples, performing laboratory analyses and experiments, maintaining records of all operations, and coming up with conclusions from the research findings... Show more	$25-53

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Environmental Services
   • Project Management
   • Environmental Compliance
   • EPA
   • Remote Sensing
   • Data Analysis
   • Regulatory Agencies
   • Risk Assessments

   Responsibilities:

   • Develop and manage company EHS compliance processes in accordance with current and upcoming regulatory mandates.
   • Perform a variety of regular cleaning activities to effectively and efficiently maintain an acceptable level of cleanliness and improve aesthetic environment.
   • Perform environmental and geotechnical exploratory boring field logging and reporting.

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your principal environmental scientist job description is one of the best ways to attract top talent. A principal environmental scientist can vary based on:

   • Location. For example, principal environmental scientists' average salary in hawaii is 57% less than in district of columbia.
   • Seniority. Entry-level principal environmental scientists 59% less than senior-level principal environmental scientists.
   • Certifications. A principal environmental scientist with certifications usually earns a higher salary.
   • Company. Working for an established firm or a new start-up company can make a big difference in a principal environmental scientist's salary.

   Average principal environmental scientist salary

   $98,556yearly

   $47.38 hourly rate

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   Entry-level principal environmental scientist salary

   $63,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 17, 2025

4. Writing a principal environmental scientist job description

   A principal environmental scientist job description should include a summary of the role, required skills, and a list of responsibilities. It's also good to include a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager. Below, you can find an example of a principal environmental scientist job description:

   Principal environmental scientist job description example

   • Minimum B.A./B.S. in Environmental Engineering, Geology, Environmental Science, or another related field
   • At least 15 years of direct, relevant work experience in California
   • Demonstrated experience in management and professional development of technical staff, and successful financial management on project, program, and office-wide scales
   • California P.E. or P.G. license
   • OSHA 40 Hour HAZWOPER training (current)
   • Knowledge of current and emerging California policies and procedures with particular expertise in RWQCB and DTSC directives and goals
   • Excellent communications skills; interpersonal skills, technical writing and documentation skills
   • Ability to work independently as well as part of a team; contribute to team and company culture
   • Positive attitude and eager to streamline and improve process and workflows
   • Detail-oriented, resourceful, strong time management skills, and innovative
   • An advanced technical degree

   Rincon Consultants, Inc. is an award-winning leader in providing quality environmental consulting services throughout California. Recognized as the #1 ‘Best Environmental Services Firm to Work For’ by the Zweig Group in 2021. We partner with clients in sectors such as transportation, energy and infrastructure, oil and gas, water, commercial, private development, and government. Our 400+ associates in 12 offices located in Northern, Central and Southern California are dedicated professionals who combine their passion with our purpose. If hired, we require proof that you have received the COVID-19 vaccine or have a valid religious or medical reason not to be vaccinated.

   Total Rewards Package* Includes:

   HMO, PPO, HDHP, Health Savings Account options
   Three Weeks Vacation accrued in the first year
   401(k) / Profit Sharing Retirement Plan
   2x/Year Bonus Opportunities
   Paid Sick Leave
   Eight Paid Holidays
   Flexible Spending & Dependent Care
   Employer-paid life and long-term disability insurance
   Dental, vision, prescription drug
   Supplemental life insurance
   Volunteer Pay for a Day
   Legal Shield, Identity Protection, Pet Insurance
   Professional Development
   Mentoring
   Patagonia Merchandise Partnership
   And much more!

   *All programs subject to review and change and are provided for regular, full-time employees scheduled to work 30+ hours per week

   Rincon Consultants, Inc does not accept unsolicited applicant/candidate resumes from search firm recruiters and/or temporary agencies that do not have a signed contract and specified work order with Rincon Consultants. Further, such resumes received will be deemed the sole property of Rincon Consultants and no fees will be paid in the event Rincon Consultants subsequently hires such individual. Rincon Consultants is an equal opportunity employer. All aspects of employment will be based on merit, competence, performance, and business needs. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, marital status, age, national origin, ancestry, physical or mental disability, medical condition, pregnancy, genetic information, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, veteran status, or any other status protected under federal, state, or local law.

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5. Post your job

   To find the right principal environmental scientist for your business, consider trying out a few different recruiting strategies:

   • Consider internal talent. One of the most important sources of talent for any company is its existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals. Reach out to friends, family members, and current employees and ask if they know or have worked with principal environmental scientists they would recommend.
   • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit principal environmental scientists who meet your education requirements.
   • Social media platforms. LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter now have more than 3.5 billion users, and you can use social media to reach potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your principal environmental scientist job on Zippia to find and recruit principal environmental scientist candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   Recruiting principal environmental scientists requires you to bring your A-game to the interview process. The first interview should introduce the company and the role to the candidate as much as they present their background experience and reasons for applying for the job. During later interviews, you can go into more detail about the technical details of the job and ask behavioral questions to gauge how they'd fit into your current company culture.

   You should also ask about candidates' unique skills and talents to see if they match the ideal candidate profile you developed earlier. Candidates good enough for the next step can complete the technical interview.

   The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

7. Send a job offer and onboard your new principal environmental scientist

   Once you've selected the best principal environmental scientist candidate for the job, it's time to write an offer letter. In addition to salary, this letter should include details about the benefits and perks you offer the candidate. Ensuring that your offer is competitive is essential, as qualified candidates may be considering other job opportunities. The candidate may wish to negotiate the terms of the offer, and you should be open to discussion. After you reach an agreement, the final step is formalizing the agreement with a contract.

   It's also good etiquette to follow up with applicants who don't get the job by sending them an email letting them know that the position has been filled.

   To prepare for the new principal environmental scientist first day, you should share an onboarding schedule with them that covers their first period on the job. You should also quickly complete any necessary paperwork, such as employee action forms and onboarding documents like I-9, benefits enrollment, and federal and state tax forms. Finally, Human Resources must ensure a new employee file is created for internal record keeping.

8. Go through the hiring process checklist

   • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
   • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
   • Define job responsibilities and requirements
   • Establish budget and timeline
   • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
   • Write job description
   • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
   • Promote the job internally
   • Process applications through applicant tracking system
   • Review resumes and cover letters
   • Shortlist candidates for screening
   • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
   • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
   • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
   • Conduct background checks on top candidates
   • Check references of top candidates
   • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
   • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
   • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
   • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
   • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
   • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)

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