Navigation and Ecosystems Sustainability Program Coordinator; NESP; Remote w

Akima is seeking a Navigation and Ecosystems Sustainability Program Coordinator (NESP) to support the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in navigation improvements and ecosystem restoration in the upper Mississippi River Basin. The role involves collaboration across agencies, adaptive management, and scientific communication. While the preferred location is LaCrosse, WI, the position is remote for candidates residing in Minnesota, Wisconsin, Illinois, Iowa, or Missouri, with 25% travel required.
Position: Navigation and Ecosystems Sustainability Program Coordinator (NESP) (Remote w/ 25% travel) Akima Systems Engineering (ASE) is seeking a Navigation and Ecosystem Sustainability Program (NESP) Coordinator to support the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ Navigation and Ecosystem Sustainability Program (NESP) – a long‑term effort focused on navigation improvements and ecosystem restoration across the upper Mississippi River Basin and Illinois Waterway System.The NESP Coordinator will help advance this work. The position centers on collaboration across broad, multi‑agency partnerships, with an emphasis on restoration ecology, science translation, interdisciplinary science needs, and effective communication. Experience with adaptive management and large‑river systems is highly desirable.WORK LOCATIONPreferred location is LaCrosse, WI; however, this position may be remote if you reside within the five states in the upper Mississippi River Basins where NESP has authority: Minnesota, Wisconsin, Illinois, Iowa, and Missouri. Travel for scientific and partner meetings and occasional travel to the La Crosse, Wisconsin USGS office will be required as needed.About the contract/customer: NESP is a collaborative, multi‑agency program that advances large‑scale and small‑scale navigation measures, nonstructural navigation strategies, fish passage and dam point control measures, and a broad suite of ecosystem restoration projects. The upper Mississippi River System (UMRS) is one of the nation’s most valuable natural resources, supporting commercial and recreational fisheries, floodplain agriculture, drinking‑water supplies, migratory bird habitat, recreation, and a navigation system essential to U.S. agricultural exports.The program’s success relies on strong coordination among federal and state partners, including the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Headquarters, Mississippi Valley Division, and the St. Paul, Rock Island, and St. Louis Districts), the U.S. Geological Survey, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and the states of Minnesota, Wisconsin, Iowa, Illinois, and Missouri.RESPONSIBILITIESUnder the guidance of the USGS Supervisory Ecologist, the NESP Coordinator will contribute to planning, design, and adaptive management of NESP projects. Responsibilities include:Providing scientific and programmatic expertise to develop and implement adaptive management strategies through shared, multi‑agency approaches.Identifying critical data needs and relevant data sources.Assisting with conceptual model development and data collection, management, and analysis.Offering scientific and technical expertise related to mitigation, cultural resource considerations, and habitat restoration and rehabilitation projects.Working within existing partnership structures to identify, synthesize, and address science needs.Participating in NESP policy, budget, and programmatic discussions limited to information already publicly released; any out‑year discussions will remain general and non‑specific.Supporting strategic planning for key program elements, including project selection, adaptive management, cultural resource mitigation, and systemic mitigation.Evaluating issues facing the UMRS and identifying potential solutions or pathways to advance them.Engaging leadership and technical staff to develop positions and carry forward implementation responsibilities.Coordinating with Project Delivery Teams and similar groups.Assisting in developing and implementing communication strategies through agency channels.Reviewing Project Implementation Reports, NESP design materials, and fact sheets.Participating in NESP meetings, including Coordinating Committee and River Team meetings.Attending Upper Mississippi River Restoration Program Long‑Term Resource Monitoring meetings to identify opportunities for collaboration across programs.Traveling for project site visits, partner meetings, scientific meetings, and conferences (estimated average of 1–2 trips per month).QUALIFICATIONSMust be a U.S. citizen able to pass a background check prior to starting, including obtaining PIV government access.Master’s degree or equivalent graduate degree in ecology, biology, environmental/ecological restoration, or a closely related field.Experience…