Senior Biologist

Senior Biologist

Requirements

• Master’s degree or higher in Biology, Ecology, Avian Ecology, Natural Sciences, or related field preferred and an exceptional candidate with a B.S. and significant experience may also be considered.
• 7+ years of field science experience required, with demonstrated experience working in marine, estuarine, or wetland ecology environments, and at least 3 years of experience managing staff and/or volunteers preferred.
• Working knowledge of south Florida and Everglades habitats and experience working in Florida’s estuaries, mangrove forests, and or coastal wetlands with fish sampling and identification experience highly desired.
• Ability to think strategically and creatively, while managing multiple tasks, meeting deadlines.
• Excellent interpersonal, written and communication skills including the ability to synthesize and communicate technical and complex information to both technical and non-technical audiences. Must have a collaborative nature and be able to work as part of team.
• Possession of a USGS bird banding permit or the ability to acquire a banding permit within 1 year of hire is a plus.
• Experience doing statistical analysis and working in R and ArcGIS is highly desirable.
• Physical requirements include the demonstrated ability to occasionally work long hours in the field in sub-tropical wetland environments with or without accommodation, exposed to the challenging South Florida environment (extreme heat, biting insects, wading in water or mud, with presence of snakes, crocodiles and other wildlife), sometimes solo and with limited connectivity while complying with the standards of Audubon’s Safety Manual.
• Must have operating experience with small boats and other vehicles, including boat trailering.
• Valid driver’s license required. Ability to acquire a Florida Boating Safety Education Identification Card, Everglades National Park Boating Certificate, and Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary voluntary boating certificate upon hire.
• Willingness to occasionally work on evenings and/or weekends.
• Commitment to Audubon’s organizational values of care, collaboration, change, integrity, impact, and innovation.
• Must be willing and able to obtain a Helicopter Crew Member qualification within 1 year of hire to complete grant-funded research projects.
• Experience fostering inclusive and collaborative work environments is valued.

Responsibilities

• Recruit, train, mentor, and manage all field staff and field activities at ESC, including data collection and quality control, research, and some relevant external presentations.
• Oversee staff and/or carryout routine monitoring of submerged and emergent aquatic vegetation, prey fish, wading bird colonies, and hydrologic stations. This work will be performed in the water by means of snorkeling and/or SCUBA apparatus, as well as navigating on kayaks, small boats, and motorboats. Hydrologic stations require maintenance, repairs, upgrades, and data quality assurance. The Senior Biologist will understand all aspects of field operations and be able to train new staff and/or fill in as needed.
• Manage field data including large databases consisting of hydrologic and biologic information, perform analyses, and contribute to development of conclusions on all data collected to advance Audubon Florida’s conservation priorities.
• Contribute to writing technical reports, scientific manuscripts, grant proposals, and policy guidance documents.
• Assist the Director and Principal Scientist in managing and applying for relevant fieldwork permits, as well as ensuring permit conditions and compliance needs are adhered to.
• Operate and trailer boats to field sites throughout the Everglades.
• With ESC staff, ensure that vehicles, boats and assigned field gear are appropriately maintained.
• Participate in group projects to maintain the base facility and improve operations.
• Cultivate and maintain productive working relationships with internal and external stakeholders including other Audubon offices, other non-governmental organizations, educational institutions, and government agencies.
• Assist with grant reporting by writing reports, supporting budgeting processes, and supporting financial reporting needs.
• Maintains and fosters culture of safety.
• Other duties as assigned.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience doing statistical analysis and working in R and ArcGIS is highly desirable.
• Possession of a USGS bird banding permit or the ability to acquire a banding permit within 1 year of hire is a plus.