Restoration Ecologist

San Diego CA

River Partners (www.riverpartners.org) is a private, nonprofit corporation headquartered in Chico, California, whose mission is to create wildlife habitat for the benefit of people and the environment. River Partners is a leader in the design and implementation of large-scale riparian restoration projects that target wildlife habitat along West Coast rivers. Since 1998, River Partners has planted ~1,800,000 trees and restored over 8,000 acres of floodplain ecosystems.

Position: The Restoration Ecologist works with River Partners’ biology, field implementation, and development teams to manage and complete riparian habitat restoration projects. This senior-level position is based out of River Partners’ satellite office in San Diego and work is mainly focused in Southern California although some travel is expected beyond this area.

Key responsibilities include: • Managing large-scale, complex habitat restoration projects including budgets; • Managing staff and resources to meet contractual obligations and deadlines; • Completing restoration plans, project reports, contracts, and other technical documents; • Collaborating with field staff to implement site-specific designs in a variety of field settings; • Securing environmental permits from local, state and federal agencies; • Training entry-level biologists and interns; • Supporting scientific research in the context of restoration projects; • Assisting with new project development, including partnership building in the local conservation community, engagement with potential funders, and writing proposals for new projects; • Attending public events, fairs and meetings to promote River Partners and its mission; • Developing and delivering presentations to the scientific community, government agencies, other stakeholders, and the public; • Managing and building relationships with a wide variety of external partners; • Travelling to multiple restoration projects for planning, monitoring, and project development; • Working both independently and as part of a diverse and highly motivated team in a fast-paced, dynamic environment; • May involve long hours and/or weekends in a variety of field conditions; and • Other duties as required.

Skills & Qualifications: • B.A./B.S. or M.S. in environmental science, ecology, biology, ag science, or a related field; • Minimum of 5 years of appropriate work experience (Southern CA experience preferred); • Knowledge of and experience with California plants, riparian ecology, hydrology, soils and wildlife (experience with T & E wildlife species preferred) • Familiarity with standard ecological restoration and revegetation techniques; • Experience managing complex budgets and a general understanding of contracting; • Experience applying for and securing environmental permits for restoration projects; • Great organizational skills, ability to work under multiple deadlines, and flexibility to handle changing priorities; • Experience collecting and organizing ecological field data, including an basic understanding of statistics and experimental design; • Experience using Microsoft Word, Excel, and Access software; • Experience using GPS equipment and GIS software; • Desire to work with diverse people and organizations, creatively solve problems, learn new skills, and to assist River Partners in fulfilling its mission; • Ability to effectively communicate with both technical and non-technical audiences; • Ability to work both independently and in a team environment; • Ability to communicate in basic Spanish (preferred, but not required); • Must possess a valid driver’s license with no restrictions, be comfortable driving a 4WD vehicle, and be able to lift 40 pounds. Term: This is a full time, permanent, at-will position.

Compensation: Competitive salary dependent on experience. River Partners offers a comprehensive benefits package.

To Apply: Email (1) cover letter describing qualifications for this position and interest in River Partners, (2) complete CV/resume, and (3) contact information (including phone numbers and e-mail addresses) for 3 references to Mona Dagy at info@riverpartners.orgwith “San Diego Restoration Ecologist” in the subject line. Please mention how you learned of this opening. Applicants may be subject to background checks. Application deadline is December 18th, 2014, but the position will remain open until a successful candidate has been identified. Please submit questions via email (no phone calls) to info@riverpartners.org. River Partners is an Equal Opportunity Employer