Position Summary
Audubon Florida’s Everglades Science Center (ESC) is an important long-term ecological monitoring and research field station. The Senior Biologist will play a dynamic role leading the team of field scientists at ESC performing essential work aligned with Audubon’s strategic plan to recover the hemisphere’s birds and at the same time, preserve the natural resources that support us all. The position will work in close partnership with the Director and Principal Scientist, ESC to develop programmatic strategies, secure funding, assist with grant reporting, supervise relevant staff, and build relationships with community, government, and academic partners. This is a full-time, 40 hours per week position on site that includes performing and overseeing a range of field work including biological monitoring of aquatic vegetation, nest monitoring of roseate spoonbills and other wading birds, as well as prey fish collection and identification, and maintenance of hydrologic instrumentation in the mangrove zone of Everglades National Park, Biscayne National Park, and the Florida Keys, as well as associated data management and analysis.
Cover letters are required, or applications will be considered incomplete.
Compensation:
$71,711 to $80,681 / year
Additional Job Description
Essential Functions
Recruit, train, mentor, and manage all field staff and field activities at ESC, including data collection and quality control, research, and some relevant external presentations.
Oversee staff and/or carryout routine monitoring of submerged and emergent aquatic vegetation, prey fish, wading bird colonies, and hydrologic stations. This work will be performed in the water by means of snorkeling and/or SCUBA apparatus, as well as navigating on kayaks, small boats, and motorboats. Hydrologic stations require maintenance, repairs, upgrades, and data quality assurance. The Senior Biologist will understand all aspects of field operations and be able to train new staff and/or fill in as needed.
Manage field data including large databases consisting of hydrologic and biologic information, perform analyses, and contribute to development of conclusions on all data collected to advance Audubon Florida’s conservation priorities.
Contribute to writing technical reports, scientific manuscripts, grant proposals, and policy guidance documents.
Assist the Director and Principal Scientist in managing and applying for relevant fieldwork permits, as well as ensuring permit conditions and compliance needs are adhered to.
Operate and trailer boats to field sites throughout the Everglades.
With ESC staff, ensure that vehicles, boats and assigned field gear are appropriately maintained.
Participate in group projects to maintain the base facility and improve operations.
Cultivate and maintain productive working relationships with internal and external stakeholders including other Audubon offices, other non-governmental organizations, educational institutions, and government agencies.
Assist with grant reporting by writing reports, supporting budgeting processes, and supporting financial reporting needs.
Maintains and fosters culture of safety.
Other duties as assigned.
Qualifications and Experience
Master’s degree or higher in Biology, Ecology, Avian Ecology, Natural Sciences, or related field preferred and an exceptional candidate with a B.S. and significant experience may also be considered.
7+ years of field science experience required, with demonstrated experience working in marine, estuarine, or wetland ecology environments, and at least 3 years of experience managing staff and/or volunteers preferred.
Working knowledge of south Florida and Everglades habitats and experience working in Florida’s estuaries, mangrove forests, and or coastal wetlands with fish sampling and identification experience highly desired.
Ability to think strategically and creatively, while managing multiple tasks, meeting deadlines.
Excellent interpersonal, written and communication skills including the ability to synthesize and communicate technical and complex information to both technical and non-technical audiences. Must have a collaborative nature and be able to work as part of team.
Possession of a USGS bird banding permit or the ability to acquire a banding permit within 1 year of hire is a plus.
Experience doing statistical analysis and working in R and ArcGIS is highly desirable.
Physical requirements include the demonstrated ability to occasionally work long hours in the field in sub-tropical wetland environments with or without accommodation, exposed to the challenging South Florida environment (extreme heat, biting insects, wading in water or mud, with presence of snakes, crocodiles and other wildlife), sometimes solo and with limited connectivity while complying with the standards of Audubon’s Safety Manual.
Must have operating experience with small boats and other vehicles, including boat trailering.
Valid driver’s license required. Ability to acquire a Florida Boating Safety Education Identification Card, Everglades National Park Boating Certificate, and Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary voluntary boating certificate upon hire.
Willingness to occasionally work on evenings and/or weekends.
Commitment to Audubon’s organizational values of care, collaboration, change, integrity, impact, and innovation.
Must be willing and able to obtain a Helicopter Crew Member qualification within 1 year of hire to complete grant-funded research projects.
Experience fostering inclusive and collaborative work environments is valued.
National Audubon Society Competencies: This role will also be accountable to apply and develop the following competencies.
Fostering Relationships: Build trust, mutual respect, and understanding through regular and genuine interactions while promoting a positive and inclusive environment.
Analytical Thinking: Recognize and value diverse perspectives and experiences in data analysis to foster a more comprehensive and equitable approach to problem-solving.
Creativity and Innovation: Leverage creativity and imagination to generate new insights and solutions while embracing diverse ideas and approaches that foster innovation.
Facilitating Change: Work with others to explore innovative approaches to problem-solving while promoting inclusivity, equity, accessibility, and belonging in the change process.
Team Leadership: Communicate vision and engage others or the team to solve problems while valuing diverse perspectives and fostering inclusivity.
EEO Statement
The National Audubon Society is a federal contractor and an Equal Opportunity Employer (EOE). All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability or protected veteran status. We are committed to a policy of nondiscrimination, inclusion and equal opportunity and actively seek a diverse pool of candidates in this search.
Accessibility Statement
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