Watershed Program Coordinator

Watershed Program Coordinators play a crucial role in protecting Hawaiʻi’s vital freshwater resources by managing and restoring the lands that feed our aquifers and streams. From mauka forests to makai wetlands, they work across ecosystems and agencies to preserve watershed health, improve water quality, and reduce sediment and nutrient runoff that impacts reefs and communities.

In the water and wastewater sector, watershed coordinators often serve as connectors linking government agencies, nonprofits, cultural practitioners, and landowners. Their work involves planning and implementing watershed protection projects (such as fencing, reforestation, and erosion control), writing grants, organizing volunteer workdays, tracking environmental data, and ensuring that community voices especially those of Native Hawaiian lineal descendants are part of long-term stewardship efforts.

This position typically requires:

A Bachelor’s degree in Environmental Science, Natural Resource Management, Biology, Geography, or a related field. Some positions may require or prefer a Master’s degree in Environmental Planning, Watershed Management, or Public Policy.

Strong on-the-ground experience with land-based conservation work, community engagement, and watershed monitoring.

Experience in Hawaiʻi’s unique ecological and cultural contexts is essential. Many roles value ʻāina-based knowledge, place-based education, and familiarity with traditional watershed systems (ahupuaʻa).

In Hawaiʻi, you can study at:

University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa

Natural Resources and Environmental Management (NREM) – Offers BS and MS degrees with watershed and land resource tracks.

Offers a BA or BS in Environmental Science and Certificate in Hawaiian Ecosystems.

Offers Hawaiian Studies and Sustainability Certificates, with courses in ahupuaʻa systems, native plants, and conservation work-based learning.

Offers Environmental Studies and Tropical Forest Ecosystem & Agroforestry Management (TEAM) Certificate.

Hawaiʻi’s native ecosystems, hydrology, and watersheds,

Ahupuaʻa-based management and traditional ecological knowledge (TEK),

Watershed best management practices (BMPs),

Nonpoint source pollution and its impact on water bodies,

Community-based management, cultural protocol, and Indigenous consultation,

Invasive species, climate change impacts, and fire risk reduction,

Grant writing and environmental compliance (e.g., DOH Section 319, CZM, EPA).

Skill in:

Coordinating large-scale and cross-sector watershed restoration projects,

Managing field crews and organizing community volunteer events,

Communicating with landowners, agencies, and community leaders,

GIS mapping, data collection, and reporting,

Educating the public on water conservation and stewardship,

Writing grants, managing project budgets, and reporting outcomes.

Ability to:

Build strong, trusting relationships with communities and cultural practitioners,

Bridge Western science with Indigenous knowledge systems,

Navigate environmental permitting and regulatory processes,

Advocate for long-term funding and policies that protect watersheds,

Travel to remote or rugged field sites and supervise fieldwork.

Kupu Hawaiʻi – Offers full-time environmental service positions with nonprofits and agencies working on watershed restoration.
Website: https://www.kupuhawaii.org