Habitat Restoration Engagement Specialist

The Habitat Restoration Engagement Specialist at Save The Bay in Oakland, CA, leads community-based restoration programs, engaging youth and adult volunteers in environmental education and habitat restoration activities. Responsibilities include managing volunteer groups, supporting community partnerships, and developing educational programs. This role requires hands-on involvement in projects like invasive species removal and shoreline cleanups, working a Tuesday-Saturday schedule to facilitate public programs.
Who We Are and What We Do

Save The Bay’s mission is to protect and restore the Bay for people and wildlife. We are the only regional organization that integrates political advocacy, wetland restoration, and education to shape a healthy and resilient region. We are a team of passionate, creative, strategic and collaborative people, dedicated to the urgent work of building Bay Area resilience and hope in the face of the escalating impacts of climate change.

Over two decades, Save The Bay has become a Bay Area leader in the science and practice of habitat restoration, focused on tidal marsh transition zone habitat at landscape-scale for recovery of endangered species, and for ecosystem resilience in the face of climate change. We enlist thousands of volunteers annually to restore the shoreline and educate Bay Area students to be the next generation of Bay stewards through hands-on experiential education and online learning.

Position Summary

The Restoration Engagement Specialist is responsible for leading Save The Bay’s community-based restoration programs for youth and adult volunteers. This role serves as an environmental educator teaching students the history and ecology of the Bay and cultivating environmental stewards. The Restoration Engagement Specialist also manages large volunteer groups on projects including invasive species removal, native plant propagation, outplanting, and shoreline cleanups. In addition, the Engagement Specialist will assist the Habitat Restoration Team in deepening public engagement by helping to advance community partnerships, aligned with our equity goals. The Restoration Engagement Specialist will support the development and evaluation of new programming and collaborate on methods to increase the impact of our programming.

This position provides an exciting opportunity to apply habitat restoration knowledge, volunteer leadership, and community engagement experience to contribute to the health of San Francisco Bay wildlife, clean water, and resilient shoreline communities.

This position works a Tuesday-Saturday schedule to facilitate weekend public programs.

REPORTS TO: Education Program Manager

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

Community-based Restoration: 70% of responsibilities

Lead Community-based Restoration field programs for student, corporate, affinity and community groups, and for volunteers from the general public (average 3 days a week)Participate in habitat restoration activities such as invasive plant removal, native plant collection, propagation and outplanting, and shoreline cleanups.Support education program by writing program curriculumEnsure best restoration practices for our work, including: invasive plant management, native planting, phytosanitary practices, and volunteer-associated programmatic improvementsSupport summer vegetation biodiversity monitoringAssist with operation and maintenance of trucks, tools, and native plant nurseriesCommunity Partnerships:15% of responsibilities

Help build and deepen community partnerships, aligned with our equity goalsCoordinate restoration programs for community partners Maintain detailed records of relationship development and progress with community partnersAssist with evaluation of program impacts and collaborate on program strategyParticipate in project planning for community and education goalsConduct occasional onsite/virtual partner presentations to support our education and community programs as neededAdministrative & Cross Departmental Work: 15% of responsibilities

Represent the Habitat Restoration Team at bi-weekly editorial team meetings supporting team and organization-wide communications goalsParticipate in cross-departmental and All Staff activities, such as training and planning sessions, monthly meetings, quarterly events, and team building activitiesSupport fundraising campaigns, media events, conferences, and programs with content and messaging to meet Save The Bay’s constituency and engagement goalsAssist in writing and/or sourcing restoration-focused copy for our Communications team to showcase our work and to increase program engagement with community membersOther duties as assignedQualifications and Experience

Ability to work Tuesday – Saturday to lead our weekend public programsCurious and growth-oriented with enthusiasm to work up to four days a week in the field, sometimes in challenging weather conditionsDetail oriented with the ability to stay organized across multiple projects with numerous stakeholdersUnderstanding of Diversity, Equity, Inclusivity, and Accessibility (DEIA) work as it relates to habitat restoration and educationExperience working with diverse student populations & people with differing ability levels2 years experience leading inquiry-based education programs for youth in the fieldExcellent group management & engagement skillsExperience with wetland restoration, ecology, environmental science/studies, biology, conservation, or similar fieldKnowledge of basic Bay ecology, wetland habitats, and CA native plantsStrong initiative, creativity and drive in working independently and solving problemsCollaborative team player that communicates regularly to support team at largeFlexible and easily adaptable to changeClean background checkFirst Aid and CPR certified (If not certified, training courses are offered frequently and subsidized by Save The Bay)Ability to lift at least 40lbsPreferred

Experience working with historically excluded communities, who are most impacted by climate changeSpanish language skillsDemonstrated experience building community partnershipsDriving Requirements

Current California driver’s license clean driving record, and access to personal vehicle required. The Restoration Engagement Specialist will be expected regularly to drive a Save The Bay work truck, occasionally with a trailer attachedCommute times may be up to three hours throughout a day but are considered part of the 8-hour workdayPosition Logistics

Location: Field days take place at our various restoration sites around the San Francisco Bay Area. Our office days are primarily performed remotely, with regular in-person staff and team meetings at our office based in Oakland, CA. We offer a flexible work environment and provide equipment, training, and frequent virtual opportunities to connect.

Compensation and Benefits

This is a regular, full-time, non-exempt position. Starting wage for this position is $30.91/hour and is not subject to negotiation. We provide annual cost-of-living increase each January 1, and additional 3 percent increases at service mileposts of 3 years in the position, 5 years, 10 years and subsequent 5-year intervals. To maintain internal pay equity, we do not utilize individual merit increases. We offer an excellent benefit package including medical, dental, vision, acupuncture/chiropractic, and life insurance; 12 paid vacation days per year to start, 13-14 paid holidays and 15 days of sick leave per calendar year; 403(b) retirement plan; stipend for working remotely and funds for home office workstation equipment and furniture. Work transportation expenses (mileage and bridge tolls) are reimbursable for travel from home or the location of the start of their drive to work sites up to 50 miles each way per day.

How To Apply: This position is open until filled. To apply, please email a cover letter and resume as one PDF to jobs@savesfbay.org. Please make sure to include the position title –Restoration Engagement Specialist– in the subject line. In the body of the email, please share where you found this job listing.

Hiring Timeline (This is our ideal timeline, but it may be subject to changes):

The priority deadline for applications is May 15, 2026We will review resumes and conduct interviews in JuneFinalists will be invited to submit three referencesWe would like to make an offer to a candidate by late June or early July and have the candidate start in late JulyCOVID-19 Policy: All new hires must be fully vaccinated prior to their start of employment unless they are pre-qualified by HR for exemption.

Work Environment: We welcome people of all cultural backgrounds, gender expression and sexual orientation to apply and thrive with our growing team. Save The Bay is an equal opportunity employer that strives to recruit a diverse workforce and provide an equitable, and inclusive workplace for all.

DEI Statement: Committed to attracting and retaining a diverse staff, Save The Bay will honor your experiences, perspectives and unique identity. Together, our community strives to create and maintain working environments that are inclusive, equitable and welcoming.

Our Leadership Philosophy: At Save the Bay, we take a person-centered approach to leadership. As leaders, we strive to embody our organizational core values and create a work environment that fosters belonging, authenticity, accountability, and care.

Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DEI) – Progress and Commitment

Save The Bay has been reckoning with our positionality within a predominantly white-led environmental movement, evolving our workplace practices and our program approaches. Most of our DEI efforts began and continue to be fueled by employee leaders, who have informed and continue to influence our internal practices and investments, mission-driven programs and community partnerships. Staff and board input helped create our organizational core values that guide Save The Bay’s leadership philosophy and operations and our Strategic Plan.

We are working to build more respectful and inclusive working environments and have updated our hiring practices to advance inclusiveness and reduce bias. We have implemented new compensation practices to support greater transparency, equity and competitiveness, and established a Living Wage floor. We adopted a new performance management system designed to provide structured, supportive, and regular opportunities for conversation and feedback between supervisors and their direct reports. We have taken steps to expand investment in professional development for all staff, tailored to individual needs with supervisor support.

Our programming embraces community-driven efforts that seek to reduce the the impacts of climate change in our region, and we work to expand funding and support for frontline communities on the Bay shoreline. We offer affinity-based volunteer programs led by staff who share those identities and are designed to invite a broad range of participants to share in the work of habitat restoration. We strive to be accountable and effective allies with indigenous peoples and environmental justice advocates.

We continue to commit time and resources to advance DEI efforts and work toward more equitable outcomes. We seek candidates who will help us advance this work, understanding that it demands compassion, resilience, patience, and endurance, along with a willingness to learn and grow alongside others.