Project Watershed Central NY Coordinator

25 hours per week, contractual

The Izaak Walton League of America, founded in 1922, is a leader in community-based conservation and education. Our members and staff combine hands-on conservation action, policy work with legislatures and resource agencies, and public education to pursue our conservation goals at the local, state, and national levels. 

Project Watershed Central New York is an education and outreach program that involves high school students and adult volunteers in biological, physical, and chemical water quality monitoring of local streams. The program also maintains a water quality database and related classroom activities on the Internet.

Project Watershed works with 23 schools and seven adult volunteer teams in Onondaga, Cortland, Oneida, Oswego, and Madison counties. Through this project, we educate students and adults about the importance of clean water, motivate individual lifestyle changes that will protect our waters, track and report pollution problems in local waterways, and conserve streams and wetlands.

Project Watershed includes three programs, each servicing a different population of individuals in Central New York: Project Watershed (high schools in Onondaga and Cortland Counties), Select-a-Stream (adult volunteers in Onondaga County) and Project Oneida Lake Watershed (high school and adult volunteers in Oneida, Oswego, and Madison Counties). Each program has a volunteer Field Coordinator. There is currently also a volunteer Project Watershed Director. The Project Watershed Director oversees the overall Project Watershed program and serves as the Field Coordinator for Project Watershed. 

The Project Watershed Central New York Coordinator will work directly with the volunteer Project Watershed Director. The coordinator, with help from the director, will have responsibility for managing all aspects of Project Watershed Central New York, including planning and conducting stream surveys with students, recruiting and training teachers and volunteers, assuring quality of data collected, directing bi-monthly board meetings, assisting in fundraising, and promoting Project Watershed and the Izaak Walton League throughout New York. 

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES 

· Coordinate all aspects of stream surveys with students in Cortland and Onondaga counties; promote, plan, and schedule surveys with teachers; recruit and manage volunteers; teach biological, chemical, and physical monitoring procedures; calibrate instruments and organize monitoring equipment and supplies; supervise students during the stream survey; perform BOD test and fecal coliform count; and submit data for upload on the Project Watershed database.
· Recruit and train new teachers and volunteers; arrange training experiences for teachers and adult teams; and inform teachers about watershed educational materials and opportunities.
· Maintain, update, and follow quality assurance/quality control monitoring procedures; and maintain DREL and Membrane Filtration portable laboratories.
· Assist the Select-a-Stream and Project Oneida Lake Watershed Field Coordinators with their programs. Conduct fecal coliform counts and BOD test for the Select-a-Stream program.
· Direct bimonthly board meeting; prepare agenda and financial report; write summary reports; and assist in the preparation and production of grant proposals and donor reports.
· Promote Project Watershed and the Izaak Walton League to the community through presentations, field trips, media relations, and creation and distribution of outreach materials including the Project Watershed Web site. Actively seek opportunities to expand Project Watershed beyond central New York and actively recruit new members to the Izaak Walton League. 

QUALIFICATIONS 

· Bachelor's degree in the natural sciences. At least 2 years experience in environmental education/outreach.
· Excellent verbal and written communication skills, including proofreading skills
· Experience with biological, physical and chemical water quality monitoring techniques and aquatic macroinvertebrate identification preferred.
· Fundraising and grant writing experience preferred.
· Computer proficiency in word processing and database programs.
· Ability to work well with a wide range of people, including donors, Board Members, volunteers and staff.
· Ability to organize and manage heavy information flows and set priorities.
· Independent worker, self-starter, and team player.
· Familiarity with and dedication to conservation. 

This is a part-time (25 hour per week), contractual, one-year position with no benefits. There may be an option to continue beyond one year if funding allows. Some evening or weekend work is required. This position is located in the greater Syracuse, NY area. The Project Watershed Central New York Coordinator will report to the Director of Watershed Programs and will work directly with the Project Watershed Central New York Director. Compensation range is $20,000-25,000. 

Email or Send resume. Applications must be received by March 12, 2007.

Director of Watershed Programs,
Izaak Walton League of America,
707 Conservation Lane,
Gaithersburg, MD 20878-2983 

The Izaak Walton League of America is an equal opportunity employer. Women and minorities are encouraged to apply.