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ISLAND CONSERVATION
CHIEF SCIENTIST

Island Conservation, an international non-profit that prevents extinction by removing invasive species from islands, seeks a Chief Scientist to be based in Santa Cruz, California.

About Island Conservation

Island Conservation prevents extinctions by working where the concentration of species extinction is greatest – islands – and by removing one of the greatest threats to the continued existence of plants and animals there – introduced invasive species. Once damaging invasive species are removed from islands, native plants and animals together with island habitats can recover naturally.

Island Conservation began working as a network of conservationists in 1994 and became a charitable organization in 1997. Island Conservation works collaboratively with government management agencies, local communities, and other stakeholders in island archipelagos. Together with partners, Island Conservation removes invasive species from islands, builds local capacity to undertake science-driven management of islands, develops invasive species removal techniques, and conducts applied research to inform island conservation action. Over the last 15 years, Island Conservation and local partners have removed 48 invasive animal populations from 33 islands.

In 2009-2010, IC will plan or implement restoration projects on more than 20 islands in Canada, the U.S. (including California, Hawaii, Washington, Alaska, Puerto Rico, and the Line Islands), Mexico, Ecuador, Chile, and the Republic of Palau.

Island Conservation is headquartered at the University of California, Santa Cruz. IC’s staff of 24 is based in California, with satellite offices in Charleston, Seattle, Portland, Kelowna, British Columbia and Ecuador. The 2008 operating budget was $5.3 million. The organization incubated and fledged an autonomous partner organization with 20 employees, Conservación de Islas, based in Ensenada, Mexico.

For additional information about Island Conservation’s work, please visit their website: http://www.islandconservation.org/.

Chief Scientist

The Chief Scientist reports to the Executive Director, serves as an active member of Island Conservation’s senior management team. The Chief Scientist will be responsible for leading and/or guiding teams and individuals to develop and apply innovative, adaptable, and scientifically-credible planning frameworks, decision-support tools and analyses. He or she will lead the processes of identifying the highest priority conservation projects and measuring the impact of invasive species removal on conservation targets and ecosystems.

The Chief Scientist is responsible for working with Island Conservation staff members to communicate and publish conservation advances and research findings in academic and other relevant publications. He or she will serve as a spokesperson and fundraiser for Island Conservation, interacting with domestic and international conservation partners, scientific organizations, major donors, the Board of Directors, the media and the academic community. The Chief Scientist, ideally, will be based in Santa Cruz, California. In close collaboration with the Executive Director, the Chief Scientist will ensure that Island Conservation has access to and applies the best available conservation science and establishes productive partnerships with the University of California, Santa Cruz, other universities academic institutions and NGOs.

The broad objectives for the Chief Scientist are to:

• Manage the process of defining conservation priorities;

• Manage the process of measuring the impact of invasive species removal on conservation targets and ecosystems;

• Develop key partnerships with public and private organizations in order to identify and resolve technical issues and to communicate solutions and best practices;

• Develop innovative scientific methods, analyses, tools, and frameworks to address IC’s needs; and

• Communicate the successes and lessons learned to conservation partners, academic institutions, funders and the public.

Professional Qualifications and Personal Attributes

The Chief Scientist ideally will possess the following professional qualifications and personal attributes:

Professional Qualifications:

• A passionate commitment to IC’s core values and mission;

• Advanced degree in conservation biology discipline - Ph.D. preferred;

• 5 or more years of related experience working in international conservation;

• Knowledge of current trends in invasive species management and island conservation;

• Successful experience in developing, directing and managing multiple projects;

• A demonstrated publication record;

• Experience with experimental design and statistical data analysis;

• An entrepreneurial spirit and the ability to think strategically and tactically;

• An ability to perform effectively under pressure and to utilize strong organizational skills when faced with multiple time-sensitive priorities – a willingness to "roll-up sleeves" and personally handle all aspects of position; and

• Exceptional oral and written communications abilities, including public speaking and a facility for translating complex information for a broad range of audiences.

• Fluency in Spanish language also a plus.

Personal Attributes

• An ability to listen to others and learn from their best ideas with a sense of inquisitiveness and intellectual curiosity;

• Outstanding interpersonal skills, including ability to form lasting bonds with partners and to build close working relationships with colleagues at all levels;

• Personable, respectful, trustworthy, diplomatic, and in possession of impeccable and unquestioned integrity;

• A flexible and enthusiastic approach to work, including the humility and grace to work effectively with others in a collaborative workplace; and

• Possessing a keen sense of humor.

Compensation

Island Conservation offers a salary that is competitive with other international not-for-profit conservation/environmental organizations; compensation will be commensurate with experience and includes an excellent employee benefits package.

To Apply:

Please send a cover letter and resume in confidence to:

Daniel A. Sherman
President
Explore Company
E-Mail: resumes@explorecompany.com

Island Conservation is an equal opportunity employer
and welcomes a diverse pool of candidates in this search.

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