Forest Health Coordinator

Forest Health Coordinator – Great Lakes Basin Forest Health Collaborative

Location: Holden Arboretum (Kirtland, OH) or USFS office (Delaware, OH)

Employment type: Full‑time, Exempt, Grant‑funded through December 2026 (potential renewal)

The Holden Arboretum (HF&G) is seeking a Forest Health Coordinator to work with the U.S. Forest Service and a diverse group of partners to accelerate the identification, productivity, and planting of pest‑resistant trees for restoration efforts throughout the Great Lakes basin.

• Facilitate the growth of resistance‑breeding programs by serving as a liaison between research and on‑the‑ground implementation with state and municipal agencies, NGOs, private landowners, tribal nations, universities, and other stakeholders.
• Raise awareness of resistance breeding and its value in managing invasive pests; recruit partners to participate in all phases of the breeding process.
• Provide training based on protocols developed and validated through research; organize and lead educational meetings, workshops, and training sessions as needed.
• Build and maintain Regional Breeding Networks, ensuring partners have shared goals such as preservation plantings, research test plantings, restoration plantings, and seed orchards.
• Coordinate with researchers (including Executive and Technical Assistance Committees) for assistance in sourcing rootstock, vegetative propagation techniques, planting design, and other technical needs.
• Assist in developing grant proposals and securing funding sources for priority projects, including site preparation and fencing for planting installations.
• Collaborate with Holden Arboretum Communications staff and the GLBFHC Executive Board to develop communication tools for targeted and general audiences.
• Work with citizen science app developers to provide training for partners to use apps for reporting candidate resistant trees and annual monitoring data; review and update data annually.
• Maintain a comprehensive program database including reports of candidate resistant trees, accessioned trees, clone banks, progeny tests, seed collections, germination rates, seed storage, and monitoring data.
• Develop Material Transfer Agreements or Memoranda of Understanding with partners prior to beginning projects.

• Planning Guided by Science – 15%
• Planting and Monitoring – 20%
• Build Partnerships – 25%
• Advocacy & Funding – 10%
• Project Management – 30%

• Bachelor’s degree in forestry, horticulture, genetics, entomology, pathology, natural resource management, environmental science, or a closely related field. Graduate degree in a relevant field preferred.
• Minimum five years of professional experience in forest health (a master’s degree substitutes for two years, a PhD substitutes for five years).
• Strong academic training in tree genetics, silviculture, horticulture, plant breeding, restoration ecology, forest pathology, or entomology.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills.
• Experience with outreach, team‑building, and facilitating multi‑partner projects.
• Basic understanding of forest tree breeding/improvement and interest in interdisciplinary, team‑oriented projects.
• Ability to publish in peer‑reviewed journals is a plus.

• Primary work location:
  Holden Arboretum (Kirtland, OH) or USFS office (Delaware, OH).
• Occasional travel between the two locations for coordination with principal scientists.
• Regular fieldwork in rural and urban forest settings across Ohio, Michigan, and the broader Great Lakes region.
• Periodic travel for partner engagement, training, and coordination meetings.

Paid Time Off, 8 paid holidays per year, work in a beautiful environment within Greater Cleveland, discounts at HF&G stores and cafes, free parking at both campuses, free admission to many Northeast Ohio museums, free Employee Assistance Program, and more.

Qualified applicants should submit a CV, a cover letter explaining why they want to work at Holden Forests & Gardens and highlighting experience in public horticulture, gardens, or landscaping, and contact information for three professional references.

Holden Forests & Gardens is an equal‑opportunity employer that values an authentic sense of belonging at all levels of the organization, including staff, volunteers, Board of Directors, and visitors. HF&G is committed to an equitable culture that welcomes people of all backgrounds and promotes inclusive hiring, retention, and promotion practices.