Restoration of the Chesapeake Bay watershed requires committed, diverse, passionate individuals and the Chesapeake Research Consortium (CRC) seeks two individuals for three-year appointments to provide support to the Chesapeake Bay Program (CBP) partnership’s Protect and Restore Vital Habitats Goal Implementation Team.

The Protect and Restore Vital Habitat Goal Implementation Team (Habitat GIT) works to restore, enhance and protect a network of land and water habitats to support native fish and wildlife populations, and to afford other public co-benefits, including water quality, recreational uses and scenic value across the watershed.  It does this by convening habitat experts from Federal, State, local and non-governmental organizations to identify priorities, seek funding for projects, and leverage resources to facilitate projects that restore degraded and/or conserve high-value habitats. These habitats include wetlands, submerged aquatic vegetation, and streams. Habitat GIT staff provide logistical and communication support to workgroups associated with these habitat types, and workgroups for species that depend on these habitats such as migratory fish, Eastern brook trout and American black duck. They assist these sub-teams in data management, tracking progress toward performance targets, developing success stories, and representing this work at various forums.

Environmental Management Staffer Responsibilities

The candidates selected for this position will be involved in goal team activities will be responsible for organization and support of meetings, member coordination and communication, tracking team action items, and research and synthesis activities, including reporting on performance indicators. The Staffers are key points of contact for delivering information from the CBP to partners across the watershed and are expected to manage the dynamics of each sub-team to help facilitate group consensus and collect pertinent information from group members in a timely fashion. The candidates will also support the goal team’s involvement in the Chesapeake Bay Program’s Strategy Review System process to track progress toward achieving Chesapeake Bay restoration goals and outcomes, including coordinating partnership reviews and consolidating feedback. The selected candidates will work as CRC employees at the U.S. EPA’s Chesapeake Bay Program Office located in Annapolis, Maryland.

Desired Skills and Qualifications

The ideal candidate for the position would have the following background and qualifications:

  • Bachelor’s degree with a focus on environmental management or policy, candidates with natural or environmental science, fisheries, wildlife, forestry or conservation biology degrees are also eligible to apply if those applicants have an interest in management and policy.
  • Knowledge of ecosystem management concepts including its physical, biological, social and economic components as they relate to a large watershed restoration program is also desirable.
  • Knowledge of the Chesapeake Bay Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) and Best Management Practice (BMP) protocol to include BMP establishment, framework, and verification a plus.
  • Ability to compile, track and assess environmental and natural resource data a plus.
  • Basic knowledge and application of GIS a plus.
  • Ability to build and maintain relationships with diverse partners and stakeholders as part of interdisciplinary teams representing a variety of interests in an environment meant to build consensus around large scale conservation needs and goals.
  • Provide support by independently planning meetings, developing agendas, drafting concise meeting minutes, and tracking action items.
  • Excellent verbal and written communication skills and the ability to communicate with partners at all levels of program activities with diplomacy.
  • Ability to prioritize tasks under tight timelines in a fast-paced environment.
  • Demonstrated ability to problem-solve.
  • Excellent organizational skills and attention to detail.
  • Ability to manage and update content for group web pages using a variety of content management systems.
  • Proficiency in Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint is required.
  • Familiarity with using remote meeting technologies such as video conferencing (Web-X, Adobe Connect, Zoom, etc.) and the confidence to troubleshoot in real time.
  • Interest in learning how a diverse, governmental-environmental-management partnership makes decisions effectively and sets and achieves goals through collaborative and regulatory processes.
  • A will to explore your career options, passion and enthusiasm for the work and program.

Salary and Benefits

The annual salary is $40,831 and a competitive vacation and benefits package is included for the three-year position. In addition to the experience gained through their work assignments, Staffers, through individually crafted professional development plans, also attend professional conferences and workshops, and receive training related to their position and identified future career interests. All staffers are reimbursed for work related and professional development fees and travel expenses.

Application Instructions

Applications (a detailed cover letter, resume, list of at least three references, transcript [unofficial accepted] and a short writing sample) should be sent electronically to Melissa Fagan, Environmental Management Career Development Program Coordinator, at faganm@chesapeake.org. Please include information concerning education and professional background as well as immediate and long-term career goals as part of your cover letter.

Application Due Date: June 12, 2019

Additional information about the CRC Environmental Career Development Program is available at www.chesapeake.org. Additional information about the Chesapeake Bay Program partnership is available at www.chesapeakebay.net.

Chesapeake Research Consortium is committed to a diverse workforce. CRC provides equal employment opportunities and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, creed, religion, gender, age, sexual orientation, marital status, disability, veteran status or national origin. CRC maintains a drug-free workplace. All Environmental Management Staffers are required to successfully complete a federal background check upon hire.