Senior Plant Ecologist

Santa Catalina Island, one of California's eight Channel Islands, is located 20 miles off the southern California coast. This 48,000-acre Island supports a number of endemic plant and animal species as well as a variety of plant communities and habitats, including grassland, coastal sage scrub, chaparral, and riparian. Although rugged and mountainous and somewhat remote, the Island is a major tourist destination served by daily air and sea passenger service weather permitting. Development is largely restricted to Avalon, the only incorporated city (population 3,200).

The Catalina Island Conservancy was established in 1972 as a 501(3) non-profit organization dedicated to the preservation and restoration of Santa Catalina Island. The Conservancy works to protect and restore 42,179 acres, the 88 percent of the Island, which it owns and stewards. Its mission is to be a responsible steward of its lands through a balance of conservation, education and recreation.

The Conservancy is a relatively small organization offering an opportunity to work at the interface between scientific research, active ecological restoration, environmental policy and public participation. The Conservancy is currently expanding its ecological restoration efforts. Nonnative animals and plant control programs are in place, a native plant nursery has been established on the Island, long-range planning for a variety of restoration projects is underway, and a volunteer labor force to work on restoration has been established.

Responsibilities: 

Reports to: Chief Conservation and Education Officer

• Manage vascular plant inventory, mapping, monitoring and research within the Conservancy's plant ecology section.
• Supervise staff, designing and implementing field programs, mapping vegetation, analyzing data, preparing reports, and making land management recommendations.
• Work closely with other Conservation Department managers, including the Invasive Plant Program Manager, Senior Wildlife Biologist, Native Plant Nursery Supervisor, and with other Conservancy managers and directors in the Facilities, Volunteer and Visitor Services Departments.
• Develop, organize, and participate in the collection and management of data for multiple vegetation inventory, monitoring, and research projects which provide baseline information, track plant community changes, and assess the effects of natural and human caused processes and events (such as fire or the effect of introduced herbivores and/or their removal) at multiple spatial and temporal scales.
• Conduct background searches required to select methodologies most appropriate for specific projects. Analyze, summarize, and interpret data gathered in the above programs on a regular basis.
• Produce periodic high-resolution vegetation maps, and conduct trend analyses for the island's habitats. Conduct and/or lead efforts to further refine the level of detail of such maps, by sampling, classifying, and describing new floristic alliances and mapping high priority alliances. Utilize orthorectified aerial photography or satellite imagery where appropriate.
• Lead and conduct rare plant and habitat surveys and monitoring of selected populations.
• Design and implement rare plant and habitat protection strategies and research projects as appropriate. Obtain collection permits and provide information to appropriate regulatory and non-profit organizations where necessary.
• Develop, refine, and assure implementation of quality assurance and control protocols in all aspects of data collection, management, and analysis. Prepare draft proposals and work plans for new research projects as well as progress reports and final reports for ongoing studies. Present findings at professional symposia and publish them in peer reviewed journals.
• Utilize GPS units to collect field data, creating and manipulating complex data dictionaries. Incorporate data into the Conservancy's geographic information system (GIS). Manage, analyze, and maintain organization of the Conservancy's plant GIS database to make it readily usable by Conservation (and other) Department staff. Subcontract aerial photography and orthorectification.
• Assess impacts from periodic maintenance activities, and provide permitting and materials to regulatory agencies, including California Department of Fish and Game and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers as needed. Oversee mitigation restoration projects and provide appropriate reporting materials to agencies in a timely manner.
• Establish peer networks to facilitate the exchange of ideas and knowledge with professionals in the same field. Develop partnerships with other organizations, institutions, and agencies. Keep abreast of developments within plant ecology and vegetation science fields.
• Develop funding streams for programs through grant writing and building donor/agency relationships.
• Provide advice and assistance on conservation and restoration policies, plans, and actions based on results from the above projects and the best available science. Serve as a department representative in community working groups and conservation councils, as well as internally in strategic planning and visioning activities.
• Provide assistance and information to visiting researchers, other island landowners and entities, and other Conservancy staff (including Education, Communications, Development, Trails, and Facilities Maintenance) as appropriate. Participate in departmental work days including out-planting, invasive plant removal, cleaning, and other organizational functions.
• Give presentations to the general public, staff, and other stakeholders and institutions.
• Compose and gather material for organizational newsletters and website. Assist in the development of informational pamphlets, signage, and other materials.
• Perform any related tasks as assigned by management.

Responsibility/Oversight - Financial & Supervisory:

• Supervisory responsibility for administrative, professional and volunteer staff and department, including training and development. Establish clear directions, set stretch objectives.
• Development and administration of program budgets.
• Manage and work within program budget.
• Work within scope of program's strategic goals.
• Pursue funding opportunities and assist in grant writing.
• Provide overall leadership, supervision, and program management of the plant ecology program in the Conservation Department.
• Supervise professional staff with responsibility for performance management, training, and development.

Qualifications: 

Knowledge/Skills:

• M.A. or M.S. in ecology, environmental science, biogeography, conservation biology, botany, biology, natural history, or equivalent from an accredited institution or an equivalent combination of education and professional experience in natural resource monitoring and research.
• Minimum of 3 to 5 years of management experience in supervising professional and non-professional employees, volunteers and others with varying skills, especially in a non-profit environment. Position will supervise the Plant Ecologist and the Native Plant Nursery Supervisor.
• Demonstrated experience in managing complex project budgets.
• Demonstrated experience and success in grant writing.
• 5 years experience in designing and implementing diverse natural community and species-specific monitoring and research programs along with quantitative analysis of collected data and report preparation.
• Advanced knowledge of Microsoft Word, Excel and PowerPoint, with ability to construct and produce reports, data input, manipulation and analysis.
• Ability to give presentations and submit manuscripts for publication.
• Advanced knowledge of ArcView/ArcGIS and Trimble GPS technology.
• Strong interpersonal, oral and written skills.
• Strong organizational skills and attention to detail.
• Experience in designing and managing a GIS database. Familiarity with remote sensing applications.
• Familiarity with flora, fauna, natural communities, ecology and natural history of the eco region. Familiarity with island ecology, southern California fire ecology and management and impacts of invasive plant and animal species.
• Knowledge of ecological land management principles.
• Familiarity with federal and state environmental laws and regulations related to listed species, wetlands and streambeds.
• Ability to effectively communicate complex biological and conservation principles to diverse audiences.
• Ability to function flexibly and effectively in a complex organizational environment with a range of different departments and operations. Ability to work both independently or as part of a team.
• Have a valid California driver's license and be able to drive 4-wheel drive vehicles over rough terrain and unimproved roads.
• Experience using both manual and power tools.
• Experience with Adobe Photoshop and PageMaker and InDesign software desirable.
• Experience with photography, particularly macro-scale.

Complexity/Problem Solving:

• Ability to design, implement and direct multiple projects, setting deadlines and ensuring program accountability.
• Ability to work in high-visibility, fast-paced environment.
• Ability to think strategically, creating competitive and breakthrough strategies and plans locally and organization wide.
• Ability to communicate a compelling and inspired vision or sense of core purpose.
• Cultivates the creative ideas of others.
• Experiments to find creative solutions.

Discretional/Latitude/Decision-Making:

• Ability to make good decisions based on analysis, wisdom, experience, and judgment.
• Maximum opportunity to act independently.

Communications/Interpersonal Contacts:

• Ability to work with and communicate with a wide range of people including: staff vendors, applicants and the public.
• Network with diverse groups, including land owners, conservation partners, government officials, donors, board members, and the general public, to recruit support for the Conservancy and its efforts.
• Ability to analyze available information for the purpose of coordinating efforts, planning and implementing projects.
• Ability to consistently demonstrate professional, positive, and approachable attitude/demeanor, and discretion and sensitivity in handling confidential information.

Working Conditions/Physical Effort:

• The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. The office environment has moderate noise levels and is a non-smoking environment. Field conditions are strongly weather-dependent and may be hot, dusty, cold, muddy, and/or wet depending on season and degree of exposure. Smoking is allowed only at limited designated field sites. Work may be conducted independently or with groups of staff and volunteers. Hiking conditions include steep, rugged terrain with occasionally unstable rocky substrate and cactus. Wild animals, including bison and rattlesnakes, may also be encountered in the field and pose some threat.
• The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Position involves functioning in both field and office environments. Field work involves manual labor; hiking long distances over rugged terrain and through dense scrub; and routine handling of plants. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 50 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, depth perception, and the ability to adjust focus.

Must live and work on Catalina Island.

To Apply:

Please submit resume and cover letter to Lynndy Kennedy, HR Consultant.