Director of Harbor Watch, Environmental Monitoring Program

~ The mission of Earthplace is to build a passion in our community for nature and the environment through education, experience and action. ~

Founded in 1958 and accredited by The American Association of Museums, Earthplace maintains a 62 acre wildlife sanctuary with trails, exhibits an interactive natural history museum with wildlife dioramas, houses live wildlife for public viewing and hosts many public nature programs and events. Other activities include a state-licensed preschool and summer camp, and the Harbor Watch water quality testing program.   

Position Overview 

The Director of Harbor Watch is the team leader for the Harbor Watch Program and a key contributor on the leadership team at Earthplace. The Director will act as the ambassador for water quality monitoring in the region and lead the expansion of the Harbor Watch mission in the Long Island Sound Watershed. 

Responsibilities 

• Direct and coordinate all field research, lab, and educational activities, including three permanent staff, seasonal volunteer field and lab teams, and education internship programs throughout the year.
• Lead the geographic expansion of Harbor Watch field and lab activities while maintaining strict scientific protocols on data collection for all sites in the Harbor Watch territory (Southwestern Connecticut Shore and estuaries).
• Design and implement educational programs for high school and college interns throughout the year drawing from a diversity of schools and backgrounds.
• Act as a mentor to area high school interns who are interested in careers in environmental studies
• Act as liaison and form working partnerships between Earthplace, area institutions and local, state and federal agencies regarding environmental issues , including: the EPA, Connecticut DEEP, Soil and Water Conservation Districts and town government agencies to include health, public works, conservation and WPCA.
• Overall responsibility for our state certified water quality labs and meeting their licensing requirements (PH#-0262, PH 0334).
• Help generate and write water quality reports on the waterways studied in compliance with fee-for-service government contracts and municipal reporting needs.
• Help prepare and oversee the preparation and renewal of Quality Assurance Project Plans for rivers and harbors.
• Manage grant making process for foundations and other possible donor sources.
• Participate with other environmental organizations, municipal officials, watershed groups, and interested individuals to find solutions to water quality issues and problems. Serve as an active member of local watershed organizations.
• Develop, implement, and manage the Harbor Watch Program component of the Annual Budget with the approval of the Executive Director, and work with the Earthplace Development team on program fundraising events. 

Qualifications 

• Masters degree or higher in environmental science or related discipline (Ideal candidate would have degrees in both environmental science and marine biology).
• Ten years of experience and progressive advancement in management of marine or water based environmental studies or similar field.
• Demonstrated understanding of laboratory procedures related to water quality analysis-e-coli bacteria, nitrates, phosphorous--with specific knowledge of field and laboratory equipment.
• Demonstrated ability to promote effective staff development, prioritize and handle multiple tasks and work with multiple staff and public constituencies.
• Proven comfort level with computer technology and social media and willingness to learn new systems.
• A team player with a strong commitment to the Earthplace vision, mission and values.
• Excellent oral, written and interpersonal communication skills.
• Experience in the non-profit sector and working directly with non-profit boards and outside foundations. 

Earthplace is seeking to hire a leader of the highly acclaimed Harbor Watch environmental monitoring program following the retirement of the program founder and long-time Director, Richard Harris. Harbor Watch was established in 1986 and became a part of Earthplace in 1992.

Since that time it has grown to include two certified water quality labs, three research vessels, and four sets of marine and aquatic field equipment. The program is staffed by four fulltime professionals supported by seasonal interns and volunteers that provide citizen science field testing teams.

This year, The Harbor Watch field operation covered 150 unique test sites which generated over 4,500 test samples covering much of the southwestern Long Island Sound watershed.

After 20+ years of shoreline, estuary, and river testing, the Harbor Watch testing procedure, data collection and collaborative approach have proven to be effective, repeatable, and actionable. Earthplace now has funding in place to triple the size of the testing lab and dramatically expand their field testing operation.

At a recent EPA Long Island Sound technical Advisory Committee, it was announced that Harbor Watch water quality data and science protocols will be used as indicators for their LIS report card. The EPA presenter said of Harbor Watch, you guys are not only on the map, you practically are the map.