I.M. Systems Group (www.imsg.com), a contractor to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, seeks an individual to serve as a Coral Reef Management Specialist. This individual will work with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administrations (NOAAs) Office of Ocean and Coastal Resource Management (OCRM- http://coastalmanagement.noaa.gov), part of NOAAs Ocean Service. The position will work within the OCRM Coastal Programs Division (CPD) and will coordinate closely with the NOAA Coral Program to implement NOAAs Coral Reef Conservation Program (CRCP) initiatives. The NOAA Coral Reef Conservation Program (CRCP- www.coralreef.noaa.gov) is a NOAA-wide effort with significant implementation elements in multiple offices. This position will be located at NOAA Headquarters in Silver Spring, Maryland. The position may be relocated from Maryland to Florida, Puerto Rico, or the USVI as soon as one year after the position is filled. The OCRM Coastal Programs Division works closely with state and territory coral reef management programs to support local coral reef management efforts through technical assistance, capacity building, and financial assistance. As part of CPDs coral team, this position requires effective communication and coordination on numerous levels, from states and territories to NOAA staff and leadership. Moreover, due to the multi- faceted nature of coastal and coral reef management, partnership development is critical to the success of all efforts under the Program. Responsibilities:  Leading CPD coordination and implementation of CRCP funded coral conservation initiatives in Florida including the Florida Coral Reef Management Grant and Local Action Strategy initiatives.  Leading Caribbean and Atlantic watershed management capacity building efforts in Florida, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands, by working with government agencies and non-governmental organizations on land based sources of pollution and watershed protection initiatives including development, implementation, and tracking of Local Action Strategies (http://www.coralreef.gov/las/index.html). This position will work with CPD coral staff located in Hawaii to provide a coordinated National CRCP effort to address this issue.  Supporting the coordination and implementation of the CRCP State and Territory Coral management grants sub-program which is administered by CPD. This includes development of funding notices, guidance to applicants, grant submission and review process, and tracking of financial grant funding information.  Leading OCRM efforts to track the status of coral conservation and Local Action Strategy initiative projects through the administration and maintenance of a web-based database.
In addition, the Coral Reef Management Specialist will:  Identify, recommend, and work to implement specific strategies and activities within the annual coral management grant proposals and work plans of assigned island programs,  Conduct site visits to maintain working knowledge and relationships with island coral programs and provide technical assistance (where requested/directed),  Develop financial and technical assistance mechanisms to support local jurisdictional efforts to address land based sources of pollution and support watershed planning and management activities which reduce threats to coral reefs,  Support regional partnership building and coordination to collaborate in initiatives in carrying out the above duties. Qualifications: Required:  Masters degree in environmental management or policy, or the natural and environmental sciences.  Course work and previous professional experience should include marine resource management, in island settings with a preference for coral reef and/or coastal ecology and management topics.  Experience with and knowledge of watershed management planning, watershed protection practices, and non-point source pollution management.  Proficiency with word processing, spreadsheet, and presentation software.  Fluency in oral and written English is required.  Ability to work well individually and cooperatively with a range of individuals  Ability to work on several projects simultaneously and to shift priorities as needed Desired:  Two three years of program or project planning and implementation experience.  Grant, contract or project management experience.  Knowledge and working experience with databases.  Fluency in oral and written Spanish is strongly desired. Most work will be accomplished during normal work hours (Monday - Friday 7:30am - 6:00pm, Federal holidays excluded). However, some work may be accomplished outside of normal working hours in the evening or weekend. Position duties require regular travel to the U.S. Caribbean and Florida for representation at workshops, meetings, and other activities associated with the responsibilities described above. The position may be relocated from Maryland to Florida, Puerto Rico, or the USVI as soon as one year after the position is filled. To Apply: Applicants should email their resume, salary requirements and the names and contact information for three (3) references to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with the following subject line: NOA08008 - Coral Reef Management Specialist. The vacancy announcement is open until filled. The salary for this position is commensurate with experience. IMSG is an equal opportunity employer.
