Ocean Career: Intertidal Ecologist at Farallones Association

Intertidal Ecologist/Program Coordinator

Our joint GFA/GFNMS coastal monitoring activities take place on beaches and rocky intertidal areas in and around the Greater Farallones and northern Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuaries, from Half Moon Bay in San Mateo County to Point Arena in Mendocino County, which we acknowledge overlays the unceded lands of numerous Indigenous Tribes.

Program

Description:

LiMPETS (Long-term Monitoring Program and Experiential Training for Students) is a hands-on program that monitors the coastal ecosystems of California's national marine sanctuaries and increases awareness and stewardship of these important areas. The program combines education with coastal monitoring that provides important trend data for intertidal taxa. This program is geared to expose students to environmental field science, helping inspire an interest in ocean sciences and promoting a sense of belonging and safety in coastal public spaces.

A secondary objective is to train and engage teachers, supporting their ocean literacy and STEM education success. Lastly, the program's student-collected data inform federal and state natural resource managers and scientists studying coastal habitat trends.

Greater Farallones Association's LiMPETS program (one of several in a statewide network) serves middle, high schools, and colleges in the greater San Francisco Bay Area. The LiMPETS program is critical to GFA's efforts to advance equity and foster inclusivity in education, marine science, and physical coast environments. In striving to inspire the next generation of marine scientists, we acknowledge the significant barriers Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) students face in accessing careers in marine science.

In our LiMPETS program, we prioritize culturally competent teaching that engages and encourages newcomers and English Language Learners.

Position

Description:

The Intertidal Ecologist/Program Coordinator position provides the primary scientific and education oversight for Greater Farallones Association's LiMPETS program and participates as a core member of the statewide LiMPETS Network, a collection of nonprofits implementing the LiMPETS program along the California coast. The position supervises, trains, evaluates, and supports at least one staff member in program delivery. All GFA staff members are expected to help identify and address justice, equity, and inclusion issues within the organization and in our relationships with those we serve.

Primary Responsibilities:

• Provide scientific expertise of intertidal ecosystems monitoring to GFA, NOAA, and network partners.
• Provide expertise in sandy beach invertebrates and rocky intertidal taxa identification.
• Teach the next generation of marine scientists in the classroom and in the field.
• Lead, evaluate, and manage the LiMPETS program to meet desired outcomes.
• Manage staff and volunteers' execution of program activities; evaluate staff performance and manage for professional development and success at GFA.
• Coordinate schedule and support partners and teachers regionally and statewide.
• Develop educational and scientific resources, including website, database, curriculum, and monitoring protocols.
• Ensure consistency and accuracy of student-generated monitoring data in accordance with the LiMPETS quality assurance plan.
• Maintain network program database; supervise contractors performing database design, conversion, and programming.
• Conduct and teach basic data analysis.
• Manage equipment and supplies.
• Maintain a safe environment for all students during monitoring activities.
• Plan and implement annual teacher professional development workshops.
• Coordinate and communicate regularly with NOAA Sanctuary Partners.
• Other duties as assigned.

Qualifications:

• Masters Degree in marine science, environmental education, biology, or related field, or equivalent field experience in intertidal ecosystem monitoring.
• Experience implementing monitoring protocols and quality assurance plans.
• Ability to connect to our target audience of diverse youth in the SF Bay Area.
• Excellent classroom management skills successfully engaging youth of all aptitudes and backgrounds and fostering an inclusive learning environment.
• Excellent public and interpersonal communication skills.
• Conversational fluency in a second language commonly used in Bay Area communities.
• Experience working on a team and managing staff, grants, and project budgets.
• Ability to lift 40 pounds and to safely walk on uneven ground.
• Willingness to work occasional early mornings, evenings, and weekends.
• Ability to pass a government background check and online driver safety course.
• Good driving record and reliable transportation to and from the Sanctuary office in the Presidio, San Francisco.

Start date:

August/September Starting Compensation:
Exempt position starting at $60,000-$70,000/yr, depending on experience. Position:
Full time, exempt

Benefits:

• Health Insurance, Dental, Vision and Group Term Life Insurance/EAP paid 100% by GFA (employee only).…