AMJV Science Coordinator Position Announced


American Bird Conservancy (ABC), an international bird conservation organization, is seeking to employ a Science Coordinator for the Appalachian Mountains Joint Venture. This is a full-time position with American Bird Conservancy (ABC). The Appalachian Mountains Joint Venture (AMJV) Science Coordinator works for the AMJV partnership, which consists of private, state, and federal conservation agencies and organizations that have assumed responsibility for the implementation of national and international bird conservation plans within the Appalachian Mountains Bird Conservation Region. The Science Coordinator functions as part of the AMJV Office, which is responsible for coordinating and facilitating the work of the entire AMJV partnership on all science aspects of bird conservation planning, implementation, monitoring, research, and evaluation. As Science Coordinator for the AMJV Office, the incumbent focuses on the biological underpinnings of the conservation partnership’s collective efforts – coordinating and facilitating the development and progressive refinement of a strong scientific foundation for bird conservation within the region.

This position requires a good understanding of ABC’s and AMJV’s mission, and a basic knowledge of Joint Venture structure and function. There is extensive contact with others within and outside the organization and partnership, in person, by telephone, and through e-mail and other correspondence. The work requires initiative, flexibility, and attention to detail. It is essential that the staff member in this position is able to prioritize tasks and work in a team environment. The position reports to the AMJV Coordinator and ABC’s Vice President for US Conservation Partnerships.

Primary Duties:
1. Biological Foundation: The Science Coordinator sustains an effective and thriving partnership environment for accomplishing AMJV science and technical activities. This includes enhancing the active technical infrastructure of the partnership to strengthen and progressively refine the AMJV’s scientific foundation, and to assist in translating this science in support of meaningful conservation action.

2. Biological Planning and Conservation Design: In collaboration with partners, the incumbent coordinates the development of transparent, replicable, science-based procedures for establishing goals and objectives that reflect measurable biological outcomes linked across multiple spatial scales. Activities include the following: integration of biological goals and objectives of regional, national, and international bird conservation plans; linking bird population goals and objectives with habitat objectives across spatial scales; supporting development of decision support tools that guide on-the-ground conservation actions with explicit consideration of the environmental sensitivity of the landscape and broader-scale biological outcomes; integrating conservation goals and objectives across agencies, organizations and programs.

3. Conservation Delivery: The incumbent, working through the AMJV Technical Committee, working groups, and individual conservation partners, develops processes to apply and interpret decision support tools to facilitate site-scale and landscape-scale conservation decisions and guide conservation delivery activities of AMJV partners. The incumbent works with partners to effectively align and coordinate conservation delivery programs, provide technical guidance, and assist in the identification and development of federal, state, and private grant proposals supporting the habitat conservation goals and objectives of the AMJV.

4. Decision-based Monitoring and Evaluation: Working with the AMJV partnership as well as appropriate regional and national committees and networks, the incumbent assists in developing goals, objectives, protocols, and procedures for monitoring habitat change and population response at multiple spatial scales. The incumbent coordinates the development and use of conservation tracking and monitoring systems that support evaluation activities and feed into biological planning and conservation design efforts.

5. Assumption-driven Research: The incumbent works with the technical and scientific community to identify and address research needs related to key assumptions in the AMJV’s decision processes, and coordinates activities to strengthen the AMJV’s scientific foundation and progressively refines its biological goals and objectives.

6. National and International Coordination: Responsibilities extend to national and international forums. The incumbent develops briefing papers on policy and technical issues associated with the implementation of national and international migratory bird conservation initiatives, and represents the AMJV partnership at national and international meetings and in the broader science arena with respect to national and international bird conservation initiatives.

Other duties as assigned.

Position Requirements:
Job requirements fall into two broad categories: (1) coordinating and facilitating the development and progressive refinement of a strong scientific foundation for bird conservation within the region (80% of time), and (2) working effectively with partners in the conservation community to develop practical conservation delivery tools based on this science (20% of time).

1. A Bachelor’s Degree and at least three years of work/research experience in a related position. Graduate degree is preferred. Demonstrated knowledge of the theories and principles of landscape ecology, population ecology, and ecosystem management.

2. Demonstrated ability to work effectively with conservation professionals and professionals from other disciplines.

3. Demonstrated written and oral communication skills and the ability to adapt messages to a diverse audience that includes habitat managers, conservation administrators, academia, and the general public.

4. Skill in the development of population/habitat relationship models and the application of model-based approaches to assessing, predicting, or monitoring the ability of landscapes to support/sustain wildlife populations.

5. Demonstrated knowledge of field techniques and procedures in monitoring and assessing avian population status and habitat conditions, and knowledge of the natural history of the birds of the Appalachian Mountains.

6. Demonstrated ability in organizing and conducting research projects and studies that lead to peer-reviewed results and publications.

7. Demonstrated knowledge of Geographic Information Systems and statistical software and their role, utility, and application in characterizing, analyzing, and assessing ecological processes, systems, and conditions.

8. Skill in developing grant proposals to support biological research and assessment.

9. Willingness to travel frequently throughout the Appalachians and United States, and occasionally internationally.

Application Instructions:
Please send (email preferred) a cover letter and resume by December 7, 2012 to:
Merrie S. Morrison
Vice President for Operations
American Bird Conservancy
PO Box 249
The Plains, VA 20198
hr@abcbirds.org