POSITION ANNOUNCEMENT Position Title: Science Coordinator, USA National Phenology Network, The Wildlife Society
Location: Tucson, AZ About The Wildlife Society and the USA National Phenology Network: The Wildlife Society (TWS; www.wildlife.org) is an international, membership organization dedicated to excellence in wildlife stewardship through science and education. Since 1937, TWS has worked to advance the science and practice of wildlife management and conservation, promote continuing education of wildlife professionals, and advocate for science-based wildlife policy. These activities further the Society?s mission to represent and serve wildlife professionals ? the scientists, technicians, and practitioners actively working to manage, conserve, protect, and study wildlife and their habitats worldwide. The Wildlife Society currently has nearly 8,000 members in the U.S., Canada, and worldwide. The USA National Phenology Network (USA-NPN; www.usanpn.org) is a relatively new partnership (established 2007) among non-governmental organizations, academia, citizen volunteers, federal agencies, and others established to monitor and understand the influence of seasonal cycles on the nation?s biological resources. This effort employs the observational skills of both scientists and interested laypersons to document dynamic aspects of plant and animal biology that are affected by seasonal changes, such as foliage emergence, flowering, migrations, and hibernation. The study of phenology and the consequences of changes in phenology have taken on new importance as society works to understand and manage the impacts of global climate change. The National Coordinating Office (NCO) of USA-NPN is situated in Tucson, Arizona at the University of Arizona; the incumbent would work with other federal and state scientists and program developers and coordinators at the NCO in a dynamic, collaborative, team-oriented environment. General Qualifications: The Wildlife Society (TWS) seeks an individual with knowledge and/or training in ecology, and with exceptional communication and interpersonal skills, who can serve as an effective planner, facilitator and ambassador for the science activities of USA-NPN. This is a temporary two-year position, which has the possibility of support for a third year, depending on performance and the availability of funding. Duties and Responsibilities: The Science Coordinator, under the direct supervision of the TWS Executive Director/CEO, provides leadership for research, natural resource management, and decision support in the field of phenology. Specific Responsibilities include: 1. Coordinate and facilitate phenological research across the United States though the auspices of the USA-NPN. 2. Coordinate the development of decision-support or resource management tools using phenology data and information. 3. Test the quality of data in the USA-NPN National Phenology Database and develop quality assurance/control methods for data in the database. 4. Develop methods to integrate among phenological, other biological, and/or physical data sets. 5. Conduct exploratory or summative research using data from the National Phenology Database. 6. Contribute scientific and statistical expertise to facilitate development of standardized and scientifically rigorous phenology monitoring methodologies and protocols 7. Coordinate with other local, regional and national environmental monitoring programs to facilitate adoption of standardized methodologies and data standards. 8. Lead development of proposals for collaborative research activities or for development of environmental monitoring programs or decision support tools. 9. Lead peer-reviewed or other publications on program development, or science or decision-support applications or activities conducted by USA-NPN Qualifications: Education: Doctoral degree in wildlife biology, ecology, geography, environmental science, agricultural meteorology, ecoinformatics, or related fields, preferably with knowledge of seasonal phenomena that occur in animal and plant taxa at organismal to landscape scales Experience: Experience with grant proposal development and meeting facilitation preferred; experience with multiple taxonomic groups preferred; experience across multiple scales Other: Excellent communication skills required, both verbal and written. Ability to communicate effectively with both scientists and non-scientists critical. Salary: $60-70,000/year, depending on educational background and experience. Benefits: Package includes health insurance, worker?s compensation, annual and sick leave, and paid holidays. Application process: Qualified candidates should submit a resume and letter of interest to: Janine (Yanin) Walker [email protected] (email preferred) Operations Manager The Wildlife Society 5410 Grosvenor Lane Bethesda, MD 20814 Application deadline: 9 July 2010 Anticipated starting date: 1 September 2010
