Position Announcement – Forest Ecology Program Director *About Schoodic Institute:*
Schoodic Institute at Acadia National Park is a non-profit organization that guides present and future generations to greater understanding and appreciation for nature by providing research and learning opportunities through its outstanding Acadia National Park setting, unique coastal Maine facilities, and innovative partnership programs. Schoodic Institute is based within Acadia National Park in a bold physical and inspirational location at Schoodic Point. The Institute partners with the National Park Service in support of science and education initiatives throughout the Park and the region and manages the Schoodic Education and Research Center campus. Schoodic Institute is a regional catalyst for ecosystem research and education, linked to Acadia’s powerful opportunity to reach millions of visitors. Education and research at Schoodic Institute are deliberately intertwined, with experts, students, and participants of all ages contributing and learning through innovative citizen science projects. Programs at Schoodic Institute connect people of all ages to nature through with an emphasis on research that informs natural resource managers in a time of rapid environmental change. *Forest Research:* The Institute currently has opportunity to support research in Acadia National Park and research access to a forest property in close proximity to the park. We seek to partner in the creation of a Community & Research Forest. Acadia, a research forest, and the facilities and professional capacities of Schoodic Institute have potential to attract leading researchers to study Maine coastal forests and their resiliency in the face of a changing climate. Extensive maritime forests at Schoodic are located in an ecological transition zone at the southern edge of distributions of species such as jack pine and spruce-fir forests. Forest research will provide key benefits to managers of Acadia and other protected areas. Engaging the public in forest research and education will build public awareness of the importance of informed and ecologically sensitive forest stewardship. *Forest Ecology Program Director:* This is a new position contributing to the growth and development of Schoodic Institute. It is fully funded for the first year and expected to be a permanent role. Forest ecology and the response of forests to rapid environmental changes are priority research areas at the Institute. We seek a program director with academic qualifications, research interests, and skills and ambitions in building partnerships and connections between science, education, and resource management. *Primary Responsibility:* Develop and lead forest ecology research as well as education programs that increase understanding and appreciation of the natural world, and that are strategically coordinated with the Institute’s programs in bird ecology, citizen science, biodiversity research, and phenology monitoring. Provide collaborative leadership within the Schoodic Institute program team and with its many partners. Contribute directly to increased awareness of and support for Schoodic Institute, including by taking a leadership role in seeking grants to develop the forest ecology program. The forest ecology program director will enhance Schoodic Institute’s capacity to attract visiting research scientists and create and attract programs that engage students and members of the public in science relevant to the forests of the Acadia region, especially as they respond to rapid environmental change. Please see the complete announcement and instructions on how to apply at www.schoodicinstitute.org/position-announcement-forest-ecology-program-director . *Schoodic Institute at Acadia National Park* *w:* www.schoodicinstitute.org <http://www.schoodicinstitute.org/> *m:* P.O. Box 277, Winter Harbor, Maine 04693 *Ecosystem research and inspirational education.*
