Fisheries Biologist

Cannabis for Conservation is hiring a Restoration Project Coordinator & Fisheries Biologist in McKinleyville, CA. The role involves coordinating restoration projects, conducting fish surveys, and ensuring habitat restoration goals are met. Key responsibilities include project management, communication with stakeholders, site visits, and monitoring water quality. The position requires strong interpersonal skills and experience with project coordination in environmental conservation.
Cannabis for Conservation is a 501(c)(3) environmental nonprofit whose mission is to conserve persisting natural resources, restore degraded ecosystems, and educate communities to prevent further impacts from unsustainable cannabis cultivation. Our focus is on enhancing and restoring landscapes that have been impacted by cannabis cultivation, and transitioning monocrop cannabis farms to functional agroecosystems for the benefit of wildlife, land, water, and our communities. Briefly, we manage a variety of grant-funded projects that include watershed enhancement and restoration, rare and declining pollinator research, wildfire resilience and forest management, aquatic invasive species management, and environmental compliance and education.

We are seeking to hire a dynamic Restoration Project Coordinator & Fisheries Biologist. To apply for this position, please read the following position description and use the Google form (linked below) to submit your application materials. Do not apply through Indeed - those applications will not be reviewed. Send questions or issues with the application process to janelle [at] cannabisforconservation.org:

Linked Applicant Form: Biological Positions

Or copy and paste this link: www.cannabisforconservation.org/careers

Position overview: The primary role of the Restoration Project Coordinator & Fisheries Biologist will be to coordinate restoration projects, ensure adherence to protocols and schedules, and expand capacity for additional project work within the organization. This position involves extensive communication and coordination with CFC staff, subcontractors and collaborators, and cultivators, and with funding organizations and agencies. The Project Coordinator positions will account for restoration project deliverables, coordinate scheduling, conduct site visits with documentation, and conduct project reporting.

The Fisheries Biologist will conduct surveys for salmonids and other native fish for project-related work as needed. This position will play a key role in ensuring project activities achieve habitat restoration goals consistent with the needs of target species and agency standards. This position will also monitor watercourses adjacent to and within the construction and restoration areas to ensure that project activities are not producing sediment or other pollutants that degrade water quality. This position will work closely with a project-specific

Technical Advisory Committee (TAC), Project Director, Construction Administrators, and restoration subcontractors to determine and implement appropriate actions to protect aquatic habitat and species during the implementation phase, and to ensure that post-work monitoring protocols accurately quantify impacts on aquatic species.

Skills:

● Experience with large-scale project management and coordination, deliverable tracking, and task management with staff, subcontractors, and landowners

● Ability to professionally report on all project aspects, identify inefficiencies, and resolve issues in a timely manner

● Strong interpersonal and communication skills, and ability to work with various stakeholders with differing perspectives

● Ability to coordinate and conduct frequent site visits, and take detailed notes

● Ability to navigate in remote environments with 4x4 conditions, use field equipment and power tools, navigate using phone/notebook apps, and manage scheduling for field crews

● Ability to hike and walk in often steep terrain and inclement weather conditions carrying heavy loads

● Knowledge of Northern California ecology, including native species, habitats, ecology, and conservation issues

● Strong technical writing skills

● Coordination and outreach: develop and maintain relationships with cultivators and potential new collaborators, and assist in developing environmental learning opportunities for cultivators

● Familiarity with utilizing the CNDDB/BIOS and ArcGIS, as well as Google Workspace and Microsoft Office

● Familiarity with state and federal environmental policy (e.g., CEQA, ESA, CESA, etc.)

● Skilled in and experienced with technical writing (i.e. manuscripts), ecological research, wildlife field research techniques and survey methods

● Familiarity with the local cannabis industry, i.e. history in the region, environmental, political, and social context

● Experience with aquatic surveys (including snorkel) for special-status fish, including juvenile and adult salmonids, surveying and monitoring redds, and recognizing exotic or invasive aquatic species (e.g., American bullfrogs)

● Ability to design and conduct surveys to collect baseline data and determine whether individuals need to be relocated or if project activities need to be altered prior to instream or adjacent construction and restoration

● Experience with safely and effectively conducting e-fishing, experience obtaining permits for e-fishing, and experience safely conducting fish and amphibian translocations

● Conduct monitoring and develop standard operating procedures for watercourses and known fish populations adjacent to or within project activities to assess water quality, disturbance, and project impact

● Expertise and experience with researching local native fish populations to make informed recommendations and decisions regarding project activities, in consultation with CDFW and the TAC

● Familiarity with management documents and survey methods consistent with special-status species (e.g., Trinity River Basin Chinook Salmon Monitoring Annual Report, Recovery Plan for Oregon Coast Coho Salmon (NOAA), Recovery Strategy for California Coho Salmon (CDFW), Klamath River Anadromous Fishery Reintroduction and Restoration Monitoring Plan (CNRA/CDFW), etc.)

● Familiarity with Clean Water Act Section 404 and 401, Porter-Cologne Water Quality Act, CDFW Fish and Game Code 1602, California ESA 2081, and ESA Section 7 and 10 processes

● Knowledge of relevant permitting and licensing requirements for fisheries monitoring, and experience working in local waterways

● Ideal candidate will have experience with scientific collecting permits (CDFW) and knowledge of salmon recovery in the region

Minimum Qualifications:

● Bachelor’s degree in Wildlife Conservation, Wildlife Management, Ecology, Biology, or a related field

● 5+ years of experience conducting ecological surveys, with preference given to work in the Humboldt, Trinity, or Mendocino areas; preference will also be given to applicants with diverse employment experience, e.g., experience with agencies, private industry, and nonprofit organizations

● Willing to use personal vehicle for field travel with mileage reimbursement; safe driving record and ability to drive off road in remote and difficult terrain

● Comfortable working in/around a variety of watercourses, e.g. small streams as well as large rivers; knowledge of and experience with field safety

● Knowledge of relevant protocols, including Aquatic Invasive Species Decontamination Protocols (CDFW), and knowledge of recognition of invasive species, e.g., American bullfrog, and the ability to remove invasive species

● Familiarity and comfort communicating biological findings to a variety of audiences, including biologists, consultants, landowners, agency staff, restoration crew members, construction operators and members of the public

● Strong desire to be part of a growing, highly collaborative, and results-driven team

● Strong desire to continue to professionally develop, hone skills, and expand knowledge

● 5+ years of experience conducting freshwater juvenile, adult, and redd surveys in regional watercourses, particularly for special-status fish; knowledge of invasive aquatic species and proper reporting and control methods

● Knowledge and experience coordinating and carrying out the relocation of fish and other aquatic species prior to construction activities

● Knowledge and experience with monitoring techniques and standards to determine level of impact from project work (e.g., water quality monitoring related to restoration activities)

● Knowledge and experience with mitigation efforts to prevent spreading invasive species between project locations, e.g., mud snails and chytrid fungus

Desired Qualifications:

● Experience with habitat modeling and other relevant statistical approaches and survey techniques

● Advanced field skills such as Wilderness First Aid (WFA) or Wilderness First Responder (WFR); experience working, navigating, and communicating in backcountry settings, navigating on foot and in vehicles through remote and rugged terrain; experience working and operating with limited cell phone reception or communication, and challenging field settings

● Experience working directly with regulatory agencies, obtaining proper permits and ensuring reporting requirements are met before, during, and after project work

● Awareness of emerging issues in relevant natural resource fields, experience managing or writing scientific grants

● 7+ years in aquatic project work, including project management and oversight, and a Masters degree or higher in fisheries management or a related field

● Relevant certifications or licenses, e.g. Swift Water Certifications; demonstrated experience working in challenging aquatic conditions

● Demonstrated experience managing or contributing to multi-disciplinary projects involving wildlife, engineering, and other restoration tasks; demonstrated experience working with private landowners

● Experience managing a crew, including scheduling field work and communicating with a variety of project staff to ensure project goals are met

● Familiarity with regional agencies and organizations related to fish monitoring and research, e.g., CDFW, local nonprofits, USFWS, NOAA, Cal Trout, SRF, etc.

● Advanced knowledge of hydrology, geology, and sediment dynamics as related to project work

● Proficiency in using GIS and other analytical tools for mapping project work and conveying results, strong writing skills applicable to applying for future grants, strong verbal communication skills

Timeline and Hours

The Project Coordinator positions are both full-time (40 hours per week), permanent positions. This position is hybrid remote, with weekly required in-office time and flexible remote time. Field work and travel will be required of this position and will typically involve ten-hour field days and will primarily be during the field season (March-August). Overnight travel for field work is anticipated to be limited.

Reporting and Communication

The Project Coordinators will report directly to the Project Manager at CFC and will collaborate closely with all consultants and subcontractors with whom we work. Regular weekly check-ins

and updates will be required to ensure alignment with project goals and timelines, with tasks and progress tracked in Asana to enhance coordination and accountability.

Compensation

This is an hourly position. Compensation can range between $37.50-45/hr/hour DOE, with annual raises with sufficient performance.

Benefits

Benefits included with this position are: two weeks paid vacation plus specific federal holidays; paid sick, bereavement, and maternity/paternity leave; healthcare plan reimbursement for employee and families (QSEHRA rates apply); 403(b) retirement plan; flexible schedule; opportunities for paid professional development.

Application Process

Interested candidates should fill out the Google Form linked at the top of this page, which includes a number of long answer questions and requests the following:

● One-page cover letter

● One-page CV/resume

● Transcripts

● Name and contact information for two professional references

Job Type: Full-time

Pay: $37.50 - $45.00 per hour

Expected hours: 40 per week

Benefits:
• Health insurance
• Paid time off
• Parental leave
• Professional development assistance
• Retirement plan

Schedule:
• 10 hour shift
• 8 hour shift
• Day shift

Work Location: Hybrid remote in McKinleyville, CA 95519