Biologist, Important Bird Areas Program National Audubon Society Now in its second century, Audubon's mission is to conserve and restore natural ecosystems, focusing on birds, other wildlife, and their habitats, for the benefit of humanity and the earth's biological diversity.
Audubon is dedicated to engaging people in bird conservation on a hemispheric scale through science, policy, education and on-the-ground conservation action. By mobilizing and aligning its network of Chapters, Centers, State and Important Bird Area programs in the four major migratory flyways in the Americas, the organization will bring the full power of Audubon to bear on protecting common and threatened bird species and the critical habitat on which they depend. As the U.S. Partner of BirdLife International, Audubon joins people in over 100 in-country organizations all working to protect a network of Important Bird Areas around the world, leveraging the impact of actions they take at a local level. What defines Audubon's unique value is a powerful grassroots network of nearly 500 local chapters, 23 state offices, 43 Audubon Centers, over 2,600 Important Bird Areas, and 700 staff across the country. Audubon is an Equal Opportunity Employer (EOE). Position Summary: The Important Bird Areas (IBA) Program works to identify, prioritize, monitor, and engage a broad community of stakeholders in the conservation of sites essential for birds. As Audubon's centerpiece conservation program, the IBA Program integrates science, education, and policy to deliver site and community-based conservation. Audubon has the responsibility for identifying and working to conserve a network of Important Bird Areas throughout the U.S. This network of sites is composed of state level IBAs that are prioritized as continentally or globally significant by the IBA Program's U.S. IBA Committee, a panel of nationally recognized bird experts. The Important Bird Areas Program Biologist will play a lead role in helping to determine high priority conservation targets for the organization and the IBA network. He/she will be responsible for the management of data about Important Bird Areas, including spatial data, and will manage and maintain information about species triggering IBA criteria. Data about Important Bird Areas include information about sites, species, criteria, ownership, habitat, land use, and threats and are currently stored and managed via a centralized web-based database. The IBA Program Biologist will coordinate with the IBA network as well as regional and national level partners to obtain and analyze data to determine additional hot spots for birds of conservation concern and high concentrations, and will work with IBA staff to ensure data updates and facilitate the Global IBA process. He/she will compile national level summaries and will be integral to analyses of Important Bird Areas as projects are developed. The Biologist will help support Audubon's State and Chapter programs and the network of IBA coordinators in identifying and conserving Global Important Bird Areas across the Audubon network. As a member of the National Science division, he/she will collaborate with Audubon staff and partners in helping to create projects designed to address conservation issues. This position reports to the Director, Important Bird Areas Program and is based in Ivyland, Pennsylvania. Essential Functions: * Management of data about Important Bird Areas, via a centralized database system * Obtain and analyze national level data in efforts to isolate potential Global IBAs; coordinate with state IBA staff to facilitate preparation of data for Global review. * Analyze and evaluate IBA data for technical reports, compilations, and other summaries and specific projects. * Maintain and update information about species, as relevant to the application of IBA criteria. * Assist with the development of additional IBA resources to support conservation efforts across the network. * Assist in the development and enhancement of data output from the IBA Database for purposes of tracking, review, and data analyses. * Other duties as necessary. Qualifications and Experience Required skills: * Degree in biology, conservation, or related field, advanced degree preferred * Experience in ornithology and conservation * Data maintenance skills (observations, project data, etc.) * Excellent GIS skills (building, maintaining, editing geodatabases) * Experience with ARCserve/ArcIMS and creating web map services * Demonstrated ability to work on multiple projects * Flexibility and ability to work with and train others Preferred skills: * Demonstrated cartographic skills and experience (examples appreciated) * Experience scripting with Python or other similar scripting languages To apply go to https://careers-audubon.icims.com/jobs/1503/biologist%252c-important-bird-areas-program/job
