You are viewing a preview of this job. Log in or register to view more details about this job.

Padilla Bay NERR Research Coordinator (Natural Resource Scientist 3)

Washington State Department of Ecology
Email
Protecting Washington State's environment for current and future generations is what we do every day at Ecology. We have a culture that is invested in making a difference. If you want to join a team that is highly effective, collaborative, has leadership that embraces the value of people, Ecology is a good fit.

The Shorelands and Environmental Assistance (SEA) program and the Padilla Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve (PBNERR) in Skagit County, Washington is seeking a Padilla Bay NERR Research Coordinator (Natural Resource Scientist 3). This is a full-time permanent position with the Washington Department of Ecology and includes a full state benefits package. This position will be located in our Padilla Bay Office in Mount Vernon, WA. 
The Padilla Bay NERR Research Coordinator position serves as the lead estuarine scientist at the Reserve, directing, developing and actively participating in ecological research and monitoring programs that advance our knowledge and understanding of coastal ecosystems, habitats and natural resources. This position will oversee Reserve participation in the NERR System Wide Monitoring Program and other Federal science mandates. The position provides strategic guidance to the direction of research and monitoring programs at Padilla Bay, represents PBNERR at local, regional, national and international levels, and advances the Reserve mission and goals through collaboration with the Stewardship, Education, and Coastal Training Program sectors. The position oversees the work of research and monitoring staff, interns, and research assistants, and reports to the Reserve Director.

We are seeking applicants who take a collaborative approach to their work and have the ability to communicate and engage across a wide range of stakeholder groups (e.g. landowners, Tribal communities, and local, state, and federal entities) to identify shared priorities and opportunities. Successful applicants will have a history of leading projects focused on hypothesis-driven research in the field of estuarine and/or marine ecology, marine biology, oceanography, or other natural science related discipline – and a commitment to applying this research to educational or natural resource management efforts. The applicant should be energetic and motivated to be actively engaged in intertidal field work, boat-based research, and travel related to collaborations across the scientific and/or NERRS community.
As an agency, our mission is to protect, preserve and enhance Washington's environment for current and future generations. We invest in our employees to create and sustain a working environment that encourages creative leadership, effective resource management, teamwork, professionalism and accountability.

To learn more about The Department of Ecology, please visit our website at www.ecology.wa.gov and follow, like or visit us on LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram or our blog.
 
Local efforts... Diverse people... Statewide impacts
 
Duties

The mission of the Shorelands and Environmental Assistance (SEA) Program is to support community conservation efforts for our shorelands, wetlands, and floodplains.
The mission of the Padilla Bay National Reserve is to protect, preserve and enhance the natural resources of Padilla Bay and to operate programs in education, public information, natural resource management, research and monitoring to conserve and manage estuaries in Washington State and the nation. To learn more about Padilla Bay NERR, see Padilla Bay Web Page or visit us on Facebook at Padilla Bay FB.
 
Some of the key work activities of the Padilla Bay NERR Research Coordinator position include: 
  • Designs, conducts, and implements, and/or supervises specific research and monitoring activities including field investigations, data collection, laboratory analyses, data analyses, and report preparation. 
  • Coordinates research and monitoring activities with reserve, SEA, state, and national management objectives; revises Reserve Research Program Plan as required.
  • Coordinates research activity at PBNERR, including work of investigators from universities, colleges, state, federal, and local agencies.
  • Develops and maintains working relationships with other institutions, laboratories, and professional research organizations. 
  • Provides scientific advice to SEA/Ecology on issues of statewide and national significance. 
  • Supervises other research and monitoring staff (3), interns, assistantship recipients, and graduate research fellows.
  • Develops and submits collaborative research proposals for funding to agencies and other organizations; writes/submits articles for scientific publications, writes reports and technical publications; prepares and presents papers and posters for scientific and technical meetings and conferences.
  • Coordinates work with other Reserve Programs. Manages grants and awards.
  • Oversees the maintenance and organization of Reserve scientific equipment.

The PBNERR Research Coordinator position provides an exciting opportunity to become engaged in ecological research and monitoring that addresses emergent state, regional and national priorities related to climate change, coastal resilience, estuarine ecology, and natural resource management. The successful applicant will join a professional community of research scientists spread across the National Estuarine Research Reserve System, as well as become part of Padilla Bay NERR – a team-oriented and collaborative community of professionals dedicated to advancing research, natural resource management, and educational priorities related to our valuable coastal and estuarine ecosystems.

This position is open until filled. The initial screening will be August 7, 2019. In order to be considered for the initial screening, please submit an application on or before August 6, 2019. The agency reserves the right to make an appointment any time after the initial screening date.
 
Qualifications

Required Qualifications:
 
A Bachelor's degree with major study in a natural science.

AND

Four (4) years professional research-related work experience in marine science, coastal ecology, oceanography, or other life or marine science related field
                                                                                      
OR

A Master's degree with major study in a natural science AND two (2) years of the experience noted above 
                                                                                      
OR

Ph.D. degree will substitute for all of the required experience, provided the field of major study is in the specific area of marine science, coastal ecology, oceanography, or other relevant natural or marine science related field.
 
Required Skills:
 
Ability to design, lead and manage estuarine research and monitoring projects from inception through reporting.
 
Ability to prepare research proposals for outside funding and publish results in scientific literature.

Desired Qualifications:

A Ph.D. degree in marine science, coastal ecology, oceanography, or other life or marine science related field and two (2) years related experience.


Special Requirements/Conditions of Employment:
 
Must have, or be able to obtain within one year, a first aid and CPR certification, Washington State Boater Safety and Navigation proficiency, and SCUBA certification. 

 
Why work for Ecology?

Joining Ecology means becoming a part of a team committed to protecting and restoring Washington State's environment.

A career in public service allows you to help solve some of the most challenging problems facing our state, while keeping the health and financial security of you and your family a priority. We combine one of the most competitive benefits packages in the nation with a strong commitment to work/life balance.

Ecology employees may be eligible for the following:
 

Student debt and how working for Ecology can help: 

Employees may be eligible for the Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) Program, which forgives the remaining balance on your Direct Loans after you have made 120 qualifying monthly payments under a qualifying repayment plan while working full-time for a qualifying employer. See https://studentaid.ed.gov/sa/repay-loans/forgiveness-cancellation/public-service for more details.
 
*See the Benefits tab in this announcement for more information



 
Supplemental Information
 
Application Instructions:

Please include the following documents as an attachment to your application:
  • A cover letter describing how your experience, skills and abilities meet the required qualifications of this position.
  • A resume outlining your professional experience.
Please complete the applicant profile when applying for this position. Or, you may paste the text of your resume within the profile's resume text field.

Please read the supplemental questions carefully and answer completely. Incomplete responses, including "please see resume" may disqualify you from further consideration.

Department of Ecology employees, please make sure to answer the agency-wide questions regarding permanent status as a classified employee within the Washington General Service or Washington Management Service. Do not forget to select Department of Ecology as a response to question 2, and type your personnel ID number for question 3. If you are not sure of your status or do not know your personnel ID number, please contact Human Resources at (360) 407-6186.

If you are reading this announcement in print format, please visit www.careers.wa.gov to access the online recruitment system. Click on "Look for Jobs" and select Dept. of Ecology under the "Department" search list. Click "Apply Search."



Other Information:

If you need assistance applying for this job, please call Human Resources at (360) 407-6186 or e-mail careers@ecy.wa.gov. Please do not call this number or send an email to this address to follow-up the status of your application. You can view the latest status of your application on your profile's main page.

If you have specific questions about the position, please email Dr. Jude Apple at: jude.apple@ecy.wa.gov. Please do not contact Jude to inquire about the status of your application.
 

The act of submitting application materials electronically is considered affirmation that the information is complete and truthful. The state may verify this information and any untruthful or misleading answers are cause for rejection of your application or dismissal if employed.

The Washington State Department of Ecology is an equal opportunity employer. We strive to create a working environment that includes and respects cultural, racial, ethnic, sexual orientation and gender identity diversity. Women, racial and ethnic minorities, persons of disability, persons over 40 years of age, veterans or people with military status, and people of all sexual orientations and gender identities are encouraged to apply. Persons needing accommodation in the application/testing process or this job announcement in an alternative format may call (360) 407-6186. Applicants who are deaf or hard of hearing may call the Washington Relay Service by dialing 7-1-1 or 1-800-833-6388.