Outreach Technician – Ontario (Canada) Piping Plover and Urban Programs

Position Concept

The Ontario Piping Plover and Urban Programs teams at Birds Canada are seeking an experienced, highly-motivated, multi-talented, and personable staff member  to assist with a number of activities related to bird conservation and education through Birds Canada’s Ontario Piping Plover Conservation Program and Urban Programs. This is a unique position that offers an interesting mix of avian field work and public education/events experience. All activities are centralized primarily around the Greater Toronto Area.

The Outreach Technician is a joint role spanning two programs and will report to the Urban Outreach and Events Coordinator and the Ontario Piping Plover Program Coordinator, task dependent. The technician must be comfortable carrying equipment on sand, walking long distances on sand beaches, and spending long days outdoors in hot conditions. They should also enjoy and be comfortable interacting with the public regularly, answering questions, and being a strong representative of Birds Canada in the field and at public-facing events. For remote office work days, staff are responsible for being in a location with reliable power and internet access during standard work hours (9am-5pm EST), and to work from their own personal computer.

Anticipated start and end dates: April 29 – July 26, 2024

Job Location: Beach surveys will be in the Greater Toronto Area including but not limited to Toronto Island. Event and Public Outreach tasks will be in the Greater Toronto Area, including but not limited to: Queen’s Park, Colonel Samuel Smith Park, Rouge Urban National Park, Tommy Thompson Park, various Toronto Public Library branches, Brampton, and Vaughn. The Outreach Technician will be responsible for arranging their own travel to and from work locations. All local TTC-travel for work-related activities or any travel outside the GTA will be reimbursed. Work from home tasks may be assigned throughout the contract.

Education/Training:

Although not required, some candidates may be the process of, or have already completed, a B.Sc. in biology or ecology or an equivalent wildlife-related program. Relevant experience or other informal and formal education/training are equally considered.

Qualifications and Skills:

• Experience working with species at risk or shorebirds;
• Experience conducting bird or wildlife, or other ecological surveys, or a demonstrated ability to learn this skill set.
• Strong presentation skills, comfortable speaking to large groups
• Experience collaborating with and coordinating volunteers and partners
• Ability to collect, manage and analyze scientific data
• Stewardship and/or outreach experience
• Able to work in a team environment as well as independently with little supervision
• Strong communication skills
• Experience planning and executing events
• Ability and comfort to travel around the GTA to attend events or conduct surveys
• Valid First Aid Certification (obtained before contract start date)
• Legally entitled to work in Canada (if applicable, successful applicants must provide a copy of their work visa and temporary SIN prior to commencing work)

Assets:

• Knowledge and experience working with species at risk or shorebirds - Piping Plovers specifically a bonus
• Experience networking and building relationships with corporate and community partners
• Experience with social media management
• Ability to speak French or other languages
• Meet Canada Summer Jobs requirements

Duties will include:

• Survey for Piping Plovers, monitoring nests, and implement recovery activities at beaches throughout the Greater Toronto Area (anticipated site, Toronto Island), when/if Piping Plovers are present
• Conduct stewardship and outreach with beach goers, and participate in the planning and implementation of additional outreach efforts: special events, visual content, @ontarioplovers social media content, presentations, etc. 
• Assist on a variety of planning and implementation tasks for the 2024 Toronto Bird Celebration, as well as other public outreach, event delivery and partnership engagement and development.
• Collect data on virtual and in-person events to inform future planning and decision-making related to outreach and education for bird conservation in Canada.
• Assist with data interpretation and grant reports for Toronto Bird Celebration, post-delivery
• Coordinate with supervisor to plan and implement day-to-day activities 
• Other tasks, as needed.

Salary: $18.12-$19.33 CAD per hour, depending on qualifications and project-specific experience and expertise, for approximately 40h workweek, and statutory benefits, plus some project-related travel costs when pre-approved. Please note that accommodation is NOT provided, so candidates should be located in the GTA and within reasonable commuting distance to the downtown core. We welcome applications from all candidates with the required qualifications and skills to apply to the position(s). However, please note that preference may be given to those who meet Canada Summer Jobs’ eligibility criteria.

Application Deadline: 11:59 pm EST, February 11, 2024, but applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis so early applications are encouraged.

To Apply: Please apply via our Job Application Portal, attaching your cover letter and resume (not exceeding 4 pages total). Please explicitly highlight relevant qualifications and skills, and indicate if you meet the Canada Summer Jobs’ eligibility criteria. While Birds Canada welcomes all applications, only those applicants who are selected for an interview will be contacted. Birds Canada will provide accommodation throughout the recruitment, selection, and/or assessment process to applicants with disabilities. Please note: applications will be reviewed as they are received, and some positions may be filled prior to the deadline. Early applications encouraged.

Birds Canada is committed to improving levels of diversity among its volunteers, membership, staff, and board that reflects the diversity of communities across the country. In an effort to do so, we are actively seeking to improve our ability to reach all candidates with our job postings. Applicants belonging to racialized groups, who identify as Indigenous, 2SLGBTQIA+, or who have differing abilities are therefore welcome to self-identify in their cover letter, if they feel comfortable, although this is not a requirement.