Monitoring Program Specialist

https://pljv.org/about/jobs/#monitoring

The Monitoring Program Specialist will assist the Oaks and Prairies (OPJV), Rio Grande (RGJV), and Playa Lakes Joint Ventures (PLJV) with organizing and managing monitoring programs across select areas of Texas, Oklahoma, and potentially Mexico and New Mexico. The emphasis of this position will be to use existing and developing science-based tools, especially monitoring data, to implement conservation on the ground as part of the adaptive management cycle. The Monitoring Program Specialist will work closely with the OPJV and RGJV Science Coordinators to ensure robust data collection on private and public lands and will be responsible for all logistics surrounding field season operations. The Monitoring Program Specialist will be responsible for training and managing field staff and partners performing the following activities: avian point-counts, avian transects, nest searching, vegetation sampling, autonomous recording unit (ARU) deployment, and possibly mist netting and tagging bird species of concern. They will also be responsible for compilation and quality control of collected data, database management, and project tracking.

Additionally, the position includes collaborating on study design and data collection methodology, building and managing partnerships, hiring and managing field technicians, support of research and science delivery, and presentations of monitoring and research work. Permit acquisition and private lands access coordination, management, reporting, and partnership building are essential job duties. This position also includes personnel management, field research, coordination of field housing, equipment and vehicle management, potential statistical analyses, and project development.

This is an opportunity to work with multiple Migratory Bird Joint Ventures dealing with a variety of conservation issues in a large geography. Primary focuses in these Joint Ventures include: addressing grassland habitat loss, restoring riparian habitats, and managing bird conservation across state and international boundaries. We work with a variety of conservation-oriented partners, and this is an excellent opportunity to learn about applied conservation on private lands and applied monitoring and research in an adaptive management focused environment.

Primary Duties

• Work with the OPJV and RGJV Science Coordinators to ensure monitoring and research programs and projects are fulfilled in a thorough and timely manner; work with the PLJV Conservation Science Director when monitoring priorities overlap
• Assist in the implementation of long-term monitoring, effectiveness monitoring, and applied research, especially activities that inform adaptive management
• Field station, field housing, and vehicle (including rental vehicle) coordination and management
• Coordination of the field season and development/management of field schedules
• Manage partner relationships including federal, nonprofit, landowner, and international organizations and researchers
• Coordinate with partners to train and assist with implementation of monitoring as needed
• Provide reports to landowners and land managers, and assist with reporting, tracking, and deliverables for contracts
• Develop and manage job postings for field technicians
• Hire, train, and manage field technicians
• Develop RFPs for contracted field technicians, assist with coordination of contracted field technicians
• Provide administrative support for field technicians and contract technicians
• Lead or contribute to field methodology training as needed (e.g. bird identification, plant identification, point counts, avian transects, nest search, vegetation surveys, ARU deployment, mist netting)
• Lead field and classroom-based training workshops for conservation partners and stakeholders as needed
• Availability to respond to occasional, unexpected needs and emerging issues during the field season, including evenings and weekends. Depending on funding, field seasons can occur in the breeding season, fall, and non-breeding season
• Travel will be required at approximately 25-33% of time
• Other duties as assigned

Required Qualifications

Combination of education and/or experience equivalent to a BS in Wildlife, the Natural Sciences, or a related field, and an additional 2-4 years of experience, including experience in the field and with field crew management

Required Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

• Ability to identify and train staff in identification of priority grassland/shrubland birds in Texas and Oklahoma. Experience with other biomes is desired but not required
• Ability to identify and train staff in identification of plant functional groups, plants important for wildlife, and invasive species
• Experience with avian point counts, nest searching and monitoring
• Experience with ARU deployment
• Experience with vegetation monitoring
• Ability to do basic mapping and tasks in ArcGIS Pro, including tasks such as survey point generation
• Ability to organize large datasets and assess quality control of data
• Experience in field season and technician management
• Experience with conservation partnerships, especially relationship building with landowners
• Experience within personnel management and supervision
• Knowledge of concepts in applied ecology, ornithology, wildlife, and conservation
• Sound decision-making skills and ability to work with minimal oversight
• Demonstrated organizational skills and ability to meet deadlines
• Ability to work within field season budgets
• Excellent report writing skills
• Comfortable with public speaking in field, community, and professional settings, especially in training workshops
• Must provide and maintain reliable transportation, driver’s license, and meet minimum driving record and insurance requirements
• Regular travel across Texas, Oklahoma, and possibly other southwestern states and Mexico as needed as the programs expand
• Authorized to work in the U.S.
• Background screening required
• This position will involve working outdoors in the southwestern United States. Extreme heat and humidity and potentially some cold-weather events during the winter can be expected during field work. Applicants should be able to conduct off-site meetings and field work that at times will include hiking in rough, uneven, steep or rocky terrain, in hot, cold, dry, or wet environments.

Other Preferred Requirements

• Experience with Esri products like Survey123 and Field Maps
• Experience with the Integrated Monitoring for Bird Conservation Region (IMBCR) avian survey protocols
• Experience with the Bureau of Land Management’s Assessment, Inventory, and Monitoring vegetation protocols (BLM AIM) or the Natural Resources Conservation Services’ National Resources Inventory (NRCS NRI)
• Experience with ARU data storage, management, and analysis
• Experience with mist netting, banding, and tagging
• Experience with contract management

Travel Required

This position requires substantial travel within Oklahoma and Texas, with potential for travel in New Mexico and Mexico to train technicians and perform field work. Travel requirements will be approximately 25-33% of time. Lodging, meals, and transportation covered for work-related travel away from home, ass well as rental vehicle or personal mileage reimbursement where applicable.

Supervisor

The position reports directly to and is evaluated by the Science Coordinators at the OPJV and RGJV. Job performance is reviewed in the context of responsiveness to objectives and priorities as determined by the OPJV and RGJV Science Coordinators.

Salary, Benefits, and Start Date

This is a full-time position. Starting salary is commensurate with education, experience, and location with an expected range of $50,000-$60,000. PLJV offers a generous benefits package, including employer-paid health coverage (medical, dental, and vision), HSA with annual contributions to defray medical deductibles, and a 7% match on salary toward our retirement plan. We anticipate this position will begin working no later than October 15, 2024.

Job Location

The job will be located in Texas within the OPJV or RGJV regions. The specific location is negotiable.

To Apply

Playa Lakes Joint Venture is an equal opportunity employer and seeks a diverse applicant pool. All applications should include a resume, a one-page cover letter, and three professional references. Please email your application documents as one complete PDF file to jobs@pljv.org. Include Monitoring Program Specialist in the subject line. In the cover letter, please include an available start date and desired location. The closing date for all applications is September 19, 2024.