Marine Habitat Resource Specialist

Deadline: December 13, 2021

Submit your resume and cover letter to: https://app.smartsheet.com/b/form/cbbd5f117a9c4ed48e9b1f7549e652f3

The Billion Oyster Project’s Marine Habitat Resource Specialist is a communicative, organized, team-oriented ecological restoration practitioner who enjoys working in the field year-round; analyzing data; identifying solutions to the challenges of growing and restoring oysters in NY Harbor; writing reports and sharing results; and ensuring that staff, students, teachers, and the public have the appropriate tools, information, and training needed to collect data at Billion Oyster Project’s monitoring events.

What you’ll do:

The Billion Oyster Project’s Marine Habitat Resource Specialist is responsible for working across Departments to (1) plan and manage project components relating to monitoring, data collection, and analysis, and publish annual reports regarding all in-water projects, (2) advance Billion Oyster Project’s restoration and research goals for New York Harbor, (3) mentor a small annual cohort of New York Harbor School students and interns, and (4) support the development of Billion Oyster Project’s Community Science Program. The Marine Habitat Resource Specialist is a collaborative individual who engages and builds relationships with funders and project partners, academic institutions, community scientists, and regulatory agencies. The candidate will ensure that Billion Oyster Project has the capacity to complete all necessary work, and will manage restoration and research initiatives that are funded by a variety of private funders and city, state, and federal sources. 

The ideal candidate is a transparent communicator who is organized, reliable, engaged, and flexible. The candidate must be capable of juggling and prioritizing multiple tasks and research priorities at varying stages of development, and thinking critically and creatively about improving oyster restoration processes, as well as training staff and the public (students, teachers, volunteers, community scientists) in protocols for monitoring oysters, reef-associated species, and water quality. The candidate must be able to manage the scheduling and completion of monitoring events and all field-related responsibilities at multiple sites throughout the field season, while providing access across our restoration sites for the scientific community’s (academic institutions, community scientists, and students) research projects and interests. This is both a fieldwork and writing-intensive position and requires excellent verbal and written science communication skills, strong interpersonal skills, and efficient time-management skills. The Marine Habitat Resource Specialist reports to the Director of Restoration.

Core Responsibilities

● Under the general direction of the Director of Restoration and with latitude for the exercise of independent judgment and initiative, provide strategic guidance on the development and implementation of restoration projects and research initiatives, which may include participating in scope and budget development; pre- and post-construction monitoring; data collection, analysis, and publication; submission of permit applications and reports; and strategic planning for long-term oyster restoration initiatives

● Oversee annual monitoring activities for all on-bottom and nursery oyster installations

● Lead on data analysis and writing of the Annual Monitoring Report publication

● Collaborate across all Departments to ensure data is readily available for internal and external purposes

● Collaborate with staff and partners to develop and/or modify monitoring protocols and adaptive management plans for all in-water oyster projects

● Collaborate with programmatic departments to advise, from a professional science perspective, on educational resources and curriculum

● Collaborate with staff and partners to design and conduct fieldwork that informs and improves Billion Oyster Project’s restoration and research goals of restoring a sustainable oyster population to NY Harbor

● Serve as a mentor and internship advisor to a small cohort of students in New York Harbor School

● Use professional connections and expertise to identify and cultivate partnerships with industry professionals and post-secondary institutions which may support and strengthen New York Harbor School’s Career and Technical Education Professional Advisory Committee

The Marine Habitat Resource Specialist’s responsibilities include but are not limited to:

● training of staff, volunteers, community scientists, and partners to use field monitoring protocols

● collaborating across all Departments to review funding opportunities, write proposals for existing and new projects, and participate in the planning and design of future projects

● supporting community scientists and the academic research community’s use of Billion Oyster Project’s sites as research platforms while ensuring site and data access

● participating in interviews and social media posts, presenting at conferences, advising on public science communication, and fostering awareness and stewardship of oyster restoration efforts in New York Harbor

You Must Have

● Master of Science in marine biology, fisheries, ecology, oceanography, or a related field

● 5+ years of ecological restoration fieldwork and data management, and professional experience relating to oyster ecology, estuarine systems, or a related field

● 2+ years of project management

● Expertise in fieldwork (planning, logistics, equipment management and procurement, data collection and organization, training, etc.)

● Experience coordinating projects involving multiple stakeholders

● Evidence of strong written and verbal science communication skills, and excellent interpersonal skills

● Strong time management and organizational skills and the ability to prioritize multiple tasks

● Demonstrated experience with applied research and restoration, data management, and data analysis

● Ability to work independently and collaboratively on a team, stay ahead of schedule, know when to escalate a problem, take ownership over deliverables, stay organized while managing multiple deliverables, and make informed decisions in a fast-paced environment with frequent interruptions

● Proficiency in Google Workspace, Microsoft Office, Adobe Creative Cloud Applications

● New York State Driver’s License or willingness to obtain within 3-6 months of the hire date

 

Desired Qualifications

● Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in marine biology, fisheries, ecology, oceanography, or a related field

● Strong familiarity with project management software tools, methodologies, and best practices

● Familiarity with ArcGIS or similar spatial software programs

● Experience with mentoring students or working in an educator capacity

● Ability to lift a minimum of 50 lbs and enjoy working full days outside year-round; sometimes in inclement weather conditions

 

You’ll be a good fit if you have a:

● professional, enthusiastic, hard-working, “can do” attitude

● strong work ethic, initiative, and ability to work independently and collaboratively with teams

 

Salary, Benefits, and Perks

The salary range for the Marine Habitat Resource Specialist will range from $60,000 to $70,000. This is a full-time, year-round position at the Billion Oyster Project, a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization. The benefits include:

● A generous vacation and PTO policy

● FSA plan

● Health, dental, vision, and life insurance

● Pre-tax commuter program

● 401K plan

● Citi Bike discount

● An inspiring working environment on Governors Island in New York Harbor

 

Who We Are and the Work We Do

About

The Billion Oyster Project is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization whose mission is to restore oyster reefs to New York Harbor through public education initiatives. The Billion Oyster Project is fueled by the passion and commitment of the team. Enthusiasm for the work of environmental restoration, public education, and environmental justice is an expectation for the position. Candidates should be comfortable working on a team with various stakeholders and delivering on complex, multi-step projects.

Our Vision

A future in which New York Harbor is the center of a rich, diverse, and abundant estuary. The communities that surround this complex ecosystem have helped construct it, and in return, benefit from it, with endless opportunities for work, education, and recreation. The harbor is a world-class public space, well used and well cared for—our Commons.

Our Ethos

Restoration through Education

We believe that restoration without education is fleeting. To ensure the long-term health and productivity of our natural environment, we must teach young people to care for, monitor, and restore their Harbor.

Education through Restoration

We believe that students learn best when applying their studies to large-scale ecosystem restoration projects that challenge them to become active participants and take them out of the classroom, down to the water’s edge to experience the ecosystem first-hand.

Our Flagship School

The Urban Assembly New York Harbor School’s mission is to provide a college-preparatory education built upon New York City's maritime experience that instills in students the ethics of environmental stewardship and the skills associated with careers on the water. New York Harbor School offers career and technical education (CTE) programs in 7 areas of marine science, technology, policy, and engineering.

Additional Information

Employment Authorization

Applicants must be authorized to work for ANY employer in the United States. We are unable to sponsor or take over sponsorship of an Employment Visa at this time.

Work Location

Employees of Billion Oyster Project must reside within the tri-state area and be able to commute daily to Governors Island unless otherwise noted in the job description.

Equal Employment Opportunity

Our goal is to be a diverse workforce that is representative, at all job levels, of the communities we serve. We are committed to providing an environment of mutual respect where equal employment opportunities are available to all applicants and teammates without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws. We believe that diversity and inclusion among our teammates are critical to our success as an organization, and we seek to recruit, develop, and retain the most talented people from a diverse candidate pool.

Fingerprinting

Any person working in the New York City Department of Education (NYC DOE) buildings, working with NYC DOE students, or who has access to NYC DOE confidential information is required by New York State law to undergo a security clearance, including fingerprints, prior to commencing services. All prospective employees must have a security clearance before starting work. No one can be fingerprinted by the NYC DOE or undergo the security clearance unless they have been added to the organization or agency's Personnel Eligibility Tracking System roster.