Black Rock Forest (BRF) seeks an Executive Director (ED) to provide vision and direction to the vibrant organization. Black Rock Forest is a living laboratory for field-based research, education and conservation encompassing native terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems that are increasingly rare in the region. The 3,920-acre Forest features dramatic topography, more than 1,000 feet of relief, numerous lakes and streams, and high species and habitat diversity. Following more than three decades of dedicated leadership from outgoing Executive Director, Dr. William S.F. “Bill” Schuster, BRF is poised to enter a new era.

Reporting to and working closely with the Board of Directors, the Executive Director is responsible for providing leadership and day-to-day management for the Forest. Responsibilities include: strategic planning, scientific leadership, fiscal oversight of the operating budget, external engagement, fundraising, talent recruitment, and the management and development of ten full-time and five part-time staff. Partnerships are also critical to the Executive Director’s work, including civic interactions relating to the portion of the local water and reservoir system contained within the Forest. The ED must foster strong working relationships with its consortium member institutions, the surrounding state parks and forests, Storm King Art Center, and other important community partners.

The position calls for a dynamic leader and spokesperson who brings proven managerial and organizational leadership skills, outstanding abilities in communication and collaboration, and an advanced scientific background in forest ecology, environmental science, or a related field.

Black Rock Forest has partnered with Isaacson, Miller, a national executive search firm, to help with this recruitment. Confidential inquiries, nominations, and applications should be sent via electronic mail to:

Kennedy Kearney-Fischer, Managing Associate

Becky Piper, Senior Associate

Monica Ochoa, Search Coordinator

www.imsearch.com/8432

Coastal Steward, Tuckernuck Land Trust 

Tuckernuck Island, Massachusetts 

The Tuckernuck Land Trust (TLT) seeks a Coastal Steward to live and work on Tuckernuck Island from May to August 2022 (approx. 15 weeks), with the possibility of extension. This 800- acre island is located 25 miles south of Cape Cod, Massachusetts, and lies just west of Nantucket Island. It supports a distinctive coastal maritime plant and animal community that includes several state- and federally listed species. The Coastal Steward will monitor and protect beach-nesting shorebirds, interact with and provide education for residents and their visitors, and potentially assist visiting scientists with their research. Applicants for this position should be adventurous and have the skills necessary to live and work independently in a semi remote location. Intensive and physical field work is an integral part of this job. 

Qualifications 

• Candidate should have or be working toward a degree in wildlife biology/management,  ecology, environmental science, or a related field 

• Field experience in biological data collection and coastal bird identification and/or their  monitoring is strongly preferred; additional training will be provided 

• Candidate must possess excellent communication and observational skills 

• Candidate must be able to live and work independently at a semi-remote location, to  walk long distances daily, to work in less-than-ideal conditions (i.e., mosquitoes, ticks,  poison ivy), and to swim proficiently 

Additional Information 

• 40-hour work week; daily hours vary and are weather-dependent; weekend and holiday  work required 

• Residence provided, equipped with basic necessities (i.e., water, sleeping loft, kitchen,  etc.), including limited power from solar panel and generator 

• Limited Internet access provided for communication and reporting 

• Biweekly round trips provided, via boat, to access food and supplies on Nantucket Island • Transportation to and from meetings provided 

Shorebird Responsibilities 

• Locate and monitor Piping Plovers, terns and American Oystercatchers, maintain detailed records of all breeding activities, and complete weekly updates and end-of season reports 

• Install and maintain protective fencing and signs in compliance with state and federal  guidelines for beach-nesting birds 

• Observe and record all color-banded birds and enter sightings in appropriate data base 

• Interact in a positive manner with beachgoers and provide information about beach nesting birds and their protection under state and federal regulations 

• Document any violations of these regulations and report them to authorities on  Nantucket 

• Attend regularly scheduled local and regional meetings related to shorebirds

Educational Responsibilities 

• Conduct (or assist) and promote weekly educational programs for residents and visitors • Facilitate visiting scientists’ research 

• Maintain a small science library 

• Promote TLT’s work in the community 

• Submit a seasonal report to the TLT Board of Directors at the close of employment 

Property Management Responsibilities 

• Maintain residence and equipment in good order 

• Complete light maintenance as needed on TLT property, including mowing grass • Welcome and assist visiting scientists and share living quarters for short periods • Communicate problems and needed repairs to TLT supervisors in a timely manner 

This job represents a unique opportunity for a well-qualified candidate. Please send a letter of interest, resume, and three references to both [email protected] and  [email protected]. Job inquiries and supporting material must be received by March 4, 2022. 

Please note: Work will be conducted in compliance with all applicable COVID-19 regulations,  and job responsibilities may be adjusted if necessary.

The University of Minnesota’s College of Biological Sciences is recruiting a PhD level, Research Scientist to lead high-impact ecological research at Cedar Creek Ecosystem Science Reserve (CCESR) in collaboration with Cedar Creek's Long-Term Ecological Research (CDR LTER) team of faculty, post-doc, and graduate student researchers. The successful applicant should have research interests and skills that complement and extend existing CDR LTER research and a record of published, impactful research. Additional duties include collaborating in the development and implementation of ecosystem and land management plans at CCESR, such as the experimental burning program to restore and maintain oak savannas.

Research at CDR LTER integrates long-term observations and experiments, theory, and models to achieve a mechanistic and predictive understanding of how ecological systems respond to interacting human-driven environmental changes and how those responses alter environmental processes and ecosystem services. Most CDR LTER research takes place at CCESR, which is a 2200 ha reserve located 40 minutes north of the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities campus.

Further information on CDR LTER and CCESR is available here: https://www.cedarcreek.umn.edu/

Review of applications will begin on 7 March 2022, and applications received before that time will receive the fullest attention. To apply for the position and for a detailed list of duties/responsibilities and job qualifications, go to: https://hr.myu.umn.edu/jobs/ext/345839

Alternately, to apply search for Job ID 345839 here: https://humanresources.umn.edu/content/find-job

Please contact Eric Seabloom ([email protected]) if you have questions about this position.

Hiram College seeks an energetic and entrepreneurial leader to serve as director of the 550-acre James A. Barrow Biological Field Station near Hiram’s campus and the Northwoods Field Station in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. The director will also hold a faculty appointment in an area of study relevant to the teaching and research conducted at the field stations.

In the 1950s, biology professors James H. Barrow and Dwight H. Berg instituted undergraduate research as an integral component of classes and independent studies at Hiram. Their pioneering models using student-directed inquiry in diverse local and global environments made learning more effective, memorable, and fun. Berg and Barrow’s innovations became the model for dozens of Hiram College undergraduate research efforts, field programs, and international collaborations using science investigations to engage students.

Through a gift from Paul and Maxine Frohring, in 1967 Hiram College established its biological field station just three miles from campus, providing facilities for animal behavior studies, genetics and ecological research. The purchase included a large tract of un-timbered beech-maple forest, one of the largest remaining uncut stands in North America. The forest includes within it, pristine wetlands and a cold-water stream, one of only four in the State of Ohio.  For more than five decades, these unique natural habitats, amplified by old field successional habitats and grassland establishment, have provided a main staple for research by undergraduates and established scientists.  

Search for a new director of the field stations

The successful candidate will be a strategic leader who works with the campus to set the goals of both Hiram College field stations which are at a critical juncture in their development. The candidate will have an interdisciplinary mindset, love science and sustainability efforts, support faculty and students to conduct basic and applied research, promote creative activities at the field stations, enjoy program and event planning, apply for grants to support the facilities and research, and develop strategic partnerships on and off campus.  We seek candidates who will complement our current strengths and who are eager to explore the possibilities for collaboration across academic programs. Hiram is open to a director/faculty member from a wide variety of fields, e.g., biology, environmental biology, environmental education, soil science, natural resource management, economics of natural resource management. 

Qualifications  

• Three to five years of intellectual and administrative leadership of a biological field station or similar entity 

• Experience in obtaining grant support from public and private sources

• Record of excellence in program planning

• Expertise in an academic area applicable to the field stations 

• Record of teaching and scholarship, and interest in continuing to teach undergraduates

• Interest and expertise in sustainability programming

• Strong interpersonal and communication skills, and the ability to supervise, mentor, and motivate staff and faculty at off-campus locations

• Ph.D. required; faculty rank depending on the academic background 

Responsibilities

• Assumes a leadership role in building both the physical and pedagogical infrastructure of the field stations so that faculty and students are engaged in projects on site 

• Supports the interests of a diverse and interdisciplinary faculty at Hiram College

• Acts as a representative of both field stations in dealing with the local community, partner organizations, and other field stations and builds new collaborative relationships in the area and beyond with K-12 education, other higher education institutions, and appropriate industries

• Works closely with the staff of the field station 

• Works with colleagues in fundraising and grant writing, and prepares requests for external funding

• Prepares the annual budget and manages the finances to include detailed records of expenditures

• Will develop in their own academic area of expertise as time allows

• Serve in a 12-month position  

• Reports to the vice president for academic affairs

Hiram College, established in 1850 as the Western Reserve Eclectic Institute, is a nationally recognized, private, residential liberal arts college located 30 miles southeast from Cleveland in Ohio’s historic Western Reserve region. At Hiram, close student-faculty interactions and educational innovation are routine. The College’s distinctive academic calendar, the Hiram Plan, offers students the opportunity each semester to learn in both a 12-week format (usually taking 3 courses) and a 3-week intensive format (1 course). All students participate in experiential learning through study abroad/study away trips, internships, and/or research experiences as part of the Hiram Connect initiative. 

The student population at Hiram College is diverse in many ways – economic background, ethnic heritage, and academic interests. We value experiential, interdisciplinary, and project-based learning that focuses on the enduring questions we have faced and the urgent challenges of our times. We strongly encourage applications from members of all under-represented groups in higher education.

Applications

Qualified candidates are encouraged to apply by submitting 1) a cover letter addressing administrative philosophy and interest in field station development including the physical structures, research projects, and community engagement; 2) curriculum vitae, 3) and names and contact information for at least three professional references.