Senior Project Coordinator, Shorebird

The National Audubon Society is a nonprofit conservation organization that protects birds and the places they need, today and tomorrow. We work throughout the Americas using science, advocacy, education, and on-the-ground conservation. Audubon’s state, regional, national, and international programs, nature centers, and chapters have an unparalleled wingspan that reaches millions of people each year to inform, inspire, and unite diverse communities in conservation action. As a sentinel species, we recognize that the fate of birds is inextricably tied to the fate of us all.

Audubon has more than 700 staff working across the United States and seven countries in 17 state and regional offices, 41 nature centers, and 23 wildlife sanctuaries. Together as one Audubon, we aspire to alter the course of climate change and habitat loss, leading to healthier bird populations and reversing current trends in biodiversity loss.

Audubon is committed to a culture of workplace excellence, where our talented and diverse staff are deeply engaged, with a strong sense of belonging. The birds Audubon pledges to protect differ in color, size, behavior, geographical preference, and countless other ways. By honoring and celebrating the equally remarkable diversity of the human species, Audubon will bring new creativity, effectiveness, and leadership to our work throughout the hemisphere.

The Senior Project Coordinator, Shorebird, will be responsible for coordinating rigorous shore/seabird nesting season surveys and rigorous nonbreeding season surveys of migratory and resident shore/seabirds for Audubon’s Southwest Florida Shorebird Program. Reporting to Audubon Florida’s Director of Bird Conservation, the Senior Project Coordinator will also be responsible for working closely with local partners to develop and oversee volunteer bird stewardship programs at sites within the Rookery Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve (RBNERR) and Clam Pass County Park in Collier County, and at the Little Estero Island Critical Wildlife Area (CWA) in Lee County. They will also be responsible for working with the Audubon Florida's Director of Bird Conservation and other partners to develop a nesting shore/seabird survey and stewardship program at Cayo Costa State Park on Cayo Costa and North Captiva islands in Lee County that may also include other barrier islands and regionally important sites in Southwest Florida.

The Senior Project Coordinator works on mainland beaches and travels by motorboat to work on remote, offshore islands alone or with other staff or volunteers. These sites include, but are not limited to: Keewaydin Island, Big Marco Pass CWA, Tigertail Beach, Cape Romano, and Second Chance CWA. They will be responsible for the ongoing, effective coordination with multiple external partners, including RBNERR research staff with whom this position will be closely allied as well as a broad variety of other state and local agency staff, regional organizations, and volunteers. This role will be in the office and in the field.

*From March through August (“breeding season”), Senior Project Coordinator will lead all monitoring and protection activities for the project. From August through March, the Senior Shorebird Project Coordinator will be responsible for: completing surveys and updating metrics into the database, reporting on and resighting leg bands, overseeing all seasonal staff, volunteer recruitment, management, and training; writing short articles with photos for publication in Audubon and RBNERR social/news media; and helping to conduct verbal and written outreach to key user groups impacting coastal birds in Collier and Lee counties.

This is a full-time, grant-funded position.

Compensation:

$50,000 / year

• In coordination with local partners, ensure all sites are effectively surveyed during the state-prescribed beach-nesting bird survey windows and accurate data posted online in the Florida Shorebird Database by required deadlines.
• In coordination with local partners, ensure sites are monitored at least weekly for nesting progress and disturbance, with attendant Florida Shorebird Database (FSD) data entry, and stewarded to the terms of Audubon’s contracts, to include posting and maintaining symbolic fencing and signage.
• Hire, mentor, train, and direct 2-3 seasonal staff and volunteers on disturbance monitoring, surveying, and stewardship activities. Ensure nonbreeding bird surveys and data entry are captured in Audubon’s Access database in a timely manner.
• Educate and engage the public around coastal bird conservation through outreach at beach sites, verbal presentations to key constituencies, and via short articles/stories with photos for Audubon and RBNERR news media.
• Integrate the principles of equity, diversity, inclusion, belonging, and justice into outreach, community engagement, and stewardship recruitment efforts.
• Contribute to technical and grant report writing.
• Oversee the deployment and maintenance needs of assigned program vehicles, trailers, boats and UTVs.
• Coordinate with RBNERR managers at staff meetings and leading and organizing agendas with Audubon partners at semiannual meetings of the Collier and Lee Shorebird Partnerships as needed.

Other job-related duties as assigned.

• Bachelor’s degree in biology, wildlife ecology or related field required.
• Minimum 3 years of demonstrated relevant work, volunteer, or educational experience including, shorebird and seabird identification, performing wildlife surveys, leading, or managing volunteers, and experience coordinating and collaborating with external professional partners.
• Demonstrated experience working with external partner agencies and organizations and leading volunteers, programs, and projects is required.
• Strong interpersonal, oral, and written communication skills that can be adapted to reach a wide range of individuals and used to build consensus.
• Demonstrated ability to work independently and maintain accountability for work products is required.
• Excellent judgment and decision-making skills, ability to innovate solutions to challenges, and a high degree of integrity in all deliverables is required.
• Demonstrated experience and skill with operating and maintaining equipment, including motorboats in coastal marine environments, ATV/UTVs, trucks and trailers is required.
• Demonstrated experience with safely performing field work in occasionally harsh coastal marine weather conditions year-round is required.
• Must be able to work on sandy beaches carrying field equipment during Florida summer field conditions. Ability to move 30 lbs with or without accommodation.
• Must be able to work long days, weekends, and holidays as needed during the coastal bird-nesting season.
• Must have a valid driver's license.
• Interest in conservation and passion for the mission of the National Audubon Society is required.

The National Audubon Society is a federal contractor and an Equal Opportunity Employer (EOE). All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability or protected veteran status. We are committed to a policy of nondiscrimination, inclusion and equal opportunity and actively seek a diverse pool of candidates in this search.

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