LAD Foundation: Chief Ecologist
position description:
The Chief Ecologist position, headquartered at the Pioneer Forest office in Salem, Missouri, is responsible for the ecological stewardship program on all L-A-D Foundation lands. This includes formulating strategic and annual stewardship plans, implementing and maintaining a natural features inventory on Pioneer Forest, implementing on the ground conservation for defined ecological outcomes, monitoring the results, and partnering with a wide variety of federal, state, and local entities to achieve our goals. An essential aspect of the position is to communicate closely in ongoing fashion with the foundation’s forestry program in planning and implementation of ecological management on Pioneer Forest, particularly with the parallel position of Chief Forester. The Chief Ecologist will work with foundation leadership to define the position’s role and its desired outcomes in cultivating partnerships for conservation results with key stakeholders surrounding L-A-D lands. The position directly supervises a Fire and Stewardship Manager and an Ecologist, maintains close ongoing communication with the Forest and Stewardship Director and the Chief Forester, assists the Stewardship Committee of the Board of Directors in concert with the Chief Forester, and works with a variety of partners and contractors as needed to accomplish the mission. The position requires an approximate 50/50 split of field and office time.
qualifications/requirements:
• Bachelor’s degree in Ecology, Fisheries, Forestry, Wildlife Management, Biological Sciences, Environmental Sciences, or related field. An advanced degree is highly desirable.
• Significant (5 or more years) of progressively responsible professional experience in the ecology field with particular emphasis on implementation of on-the-ground, natural community management, including control of invasive species.
• Staff management and supervision (2 or more years) and mentoring experience.
• Familiarity with plants, animals, and Ozark natural communities or the motivation and ability to acquire this knowledge.
• Experience using ArcGIS for conservation planning and monitoring is highly desirable.
• Experience with prescribed fire implementation and monitoring fire response ecology is highly desirable.
• Ability to pass a work capacity test for wildland firefighters (aka Pack Test) is highly desirable.
• Outdoor recreation management experience, including trail design and building, is highly desirable.
• Experience in writing and administering public and private sector grants for conservation is highly desirable.
• Experience working with a board and partner organizations to achieve stated goals is highly desirable.
desired qualifications:
• Strong organization and project management skills, including interpersonal and communications skills.
• Enthusiasm for, and ability to, inform and inspire staff, partners, and the public about the ecology of the Ozarks.
• Strength and experience in building effective partnerships and working collaboratively.
• Strong problem-solving skills and an eagerness to learn.
• Willingness to travel, within Missouri and occasionally beyond, as needed to meet partners, build understanding of conservation issues, and increase professional knowledge.
• A passion for natural resource conservation, natural community restoration, and sustainable forestry.
how to apply:
TO LEARN MORE
To learn more about the L-A-D Foundation visit www.ladfoundation.org.
To learn more about the position, you may contact our Director of Forestry and Stewardship Jason Green. Jason may be reached at Jason.Green@ladfoundation.org.
TO APPLY
If you are interested in the position, please submit a cover letter and resume to jason.green@ladfoundation.org. Include “L-A-D Chief Ecologist” in the subject line. Please note, applications will be accepted until the role is filled.
EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY:
L-A-D Foundation is an equal opportunity employer and will not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, national origin, sex, age, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, disability, creed, color, ancestry, medical condition, or any other characteristic protected by law.