Ecologist

• Salary is commensurate with education and experience.
• COVID-19 Vaccination is required.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

• Assesses ecological integrity, identifies and defines conservation and restoration needs and goals, designs, develops and implements ecological restoration plans, makes recommendations and provides scientific basis to decision makers, landowners, colleagues, and other stakeholders.
• Assists in prescribed fire management activities, including application of fuel models, estimating fire behavior and effects through monitoring and participating in prescribed fires/controlled burns for ecological and vegetative fuel management.
• Supports and facilitates forest health management and restoration activities including southern pine beetle and Oak wilt response and response to and control of other emerging threats.
• Supervises staff, consultants, contract work crews and volunteers to deliver high quality projects, completed on time and within required specifications.
• Plans, implements and coordinates field projects which could include, multi-agency projects and projects which involve invasive species control; ecological restoration; prescribed fire; and similar stewardship field work.
• Develops contract specifications and manages contracts and contractors, including administrative aspects.
• Assists with SEQRA review and permitting to ensure programming is in compliance with local, State and Federal rules, regulations and permitting for science and stewardship led research and management.
• Designs, implements and oversees monitoring programs for long term ecological and restorations and other projects,
• Assesses impacts of land use, wildfire suppression, invasive species, urbanization, and climate change on ecological and other natural resources.
• Communicates research findings through written reports and correspondence and may also assist in preparation and submission of research papers to peer-reviewed scientific journals, and professional presentations.
• Plans and organizes scientific research forums and other professional symposia which promote scientific understanding and management of a regionally significant natural resource area.
• Oversees the use of social media and other outreach platforms such as Constant Contact, website content/updates, Facebook, Instagram, etc.
• All other duties as assigned.

Qualifications

• Bachelor of Science in Ecology, Conversation Biology, Foresty, or related natural science, Master’s degree preferred.
• Expertise in pine barrens biota and ecosystems, including, but not limited to, fire and invasive species ecology particular to Long Island and ability to identify pine barrens plants and animals.
• Demonstrated experience in ecological field research, experimental design, ecological sampling methods and equipment, monitoring, statistical analysis, scientific reporting and restoration projects.
• Demonstrated field supervisory experience with natural resource management, stewardship projects, ecological restoration and similar field work.
• Solid working knowledge of and experience in using GPS/ Smart phones/Tablets, remote sensing and Geographic Information Systems (especially ESRI ArcGIS software and Google Earth) for data collection, resource inventories and mapping.
• Knowledge of Federal and State laws and regulations related to wetlands; rare, threatened and endangered species; species of special concern and NEPA and SEQRA.
• Experienced in/qualified and willing and able to participate on prescribed fires, with experience with working on prescribed and wildfire preferred,
• Ability to lead and participate on work related to invasive species response and management activities, including southern pine beetle and other emerging issues.
• Ability and experienced with conducting aerial surveillance using airplanes and unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) preferably licensed and experienced in the operation of UAS.
• Experience with performing ecological restoration, planting and cultivating trees and/or other plants and similar work and knowledge of, or direct experience with applying adaptive management principles for natural resource management.
• Strong ability to supervise others.

To Apply

Interested candidates should click "Apply on Company Website" below to submit their application, resume, and transcripts, including salary requirements, via the SCWA website.