Job Title: Field Director, North America Climate Change Field Center Reports to: Director of Field Centers, Earthwatch Institute Department: Field Management Position: Grant Funded, full-time, salaried, exempt Position location: North America Regional Climate Center (NARCC) located on the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center (SERC) campus in Edgewater, Maryland Earthwatch Institute is an international environmental organization that engages people worldwide in scientific field research and education to promote the understanding and action necessary for a sustainable environment. Our research program focuses on Climate Change; the sustainable management of resources; oceans; and communities in order to better understand critical environmental issues and inform and influence local agendas. Earthwatch is seeking a Field Director to lead Earthwatch programs at the NARCC, to close out the final year of the HSBC Climate Partnership (HCP), as well as to participate in strategy for the continuation of NARCC activities beyond HCP funding. HCP is a global, 5 year program initiated in 2007 to reduce the impacts of Climate Change on people and their livelihoods, by promoting action in some of the world's major cities, river basins and ecosystems. Earthwatch's focus within this partnership is engaging corporate employees and the general public in a field research and learning program that enables participants to investigate climate change impacts on forest ecosystems while participating in a formal learning program. The Field Director will be based out of the North America Regional Climate Center on the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center (SERC) in Edgewater, Maryland. The Field Director will have two direct reports - Learning and Communications Manager and a Program Officer. Principal responsibilities include: A. Program Delivery a. Deliver a program of climate change research and field-based learning at the NARCC in adherence with Earthwatch Institute's health and safety policies and field standards. b. Oversee implementation of Earthwatch's risk management system at the NARCC. c. Maintain primary responsibility for implementation of Emergency Response Plan as well as coordinate incident response. Function as primary point of contact with the Incident Management team during incidents and emergencies. d. Coordinate the fielding relationship between the research partner and Earthwatch to ensure that Climate Partnership goals are delivered in the field. e. Oversee all participant teams at the NARCC from rendezvous to departure and assist research partners in the field as agreed. f. Deliver learning content as required to participant teams to include content on the science of climate change and the socio-economic impacts of climate change. g. Ensure that the field learning program is integrated with the research project and meets the program key performance indicators. h. Develop and manage relationships with local stakeholders: education groups, conservation NGO's, local public and business communities, and with local government in order to maximize the impacts of the program. i. In conjunction with the Director of Field Centers and other Earthwatch staff, develop and implement the business/legacy plan for the NARCC after HSBC funding ceases, including possible networking with local businesses, individuals and government in order to identify potential local sponsors. j. Liaise with other Earthwatch Field Directors to share best practice and learning across all field centers and to input into shared systems and research monitoring processes for all climate change research projects. B. Management a. Line Management of two Field Center employees. b. Manage and maintain the partnership between Earthwatch and SERC. c. Manage fiscal and administrative reporting duties including budget and expense reporting, team outcomes, quarterly reports on climate change outcomes, and impacts of activities against agreed key performance indicators. d. Ensure the NARCC is 'fit for purpose'. e. Manage the local communications program, working with the office PR team and Learning & Communications Officer to deliver agreed communications messages to local and regional audiences, including attending local conferences and other events to promote the NARCC. f. Central point of communication to the Earthwatch office for the Field Center. C. Other Responsibilities a. Oversee the training and development for Field Center staff. b. Coordinate Field Center IT requirements and database development needs in liaison with the Earthwatch and research partner's IT resources. c. Overnight at the Climate Center when teams are present, sharing responsibility with the Learning & Communications Manager, Program Officer and SERC security. d. Maintain current certifications for Advanced First Aid, cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and automatic external defibrillator (AED). e. Maintain a safe driving record and facilitate team transport including to/from the team rendezvous, around the Field Center and off-Field Center for team activities. Qualifications * Strong familiarity with the region and with environmental issues within the Chesapeake Bay area, with proven networks in the environmental and education communities. * M.S. plus 2 - 5 years of field research experience. Preference will be given to those candidates possessing a background in forest ecology. * Demonstrated leadership skills, ideally with teams in the field * Excellent track record in people and project management * Excellent communication skills- written and verbal * Strong networking skills - able to network with local stakeholders, government, environmental NGO's and corporate partners. * Proven financial management skills * Proven logistical planning and organizational skills * A commitment to 'citizen science' and the ethic of environmental volunteering * As required by the federally-funded research partner, be willing to submit to a background check. Salary range: $50,000 - $60,000. Competitive benefit package including 20 days of Paid Time Off. Due to limited time and financial resources we are only able to accept applicants who are already eligible to work in the United States. Please submit cover letter and resume to h...@earthwatch.org; fax 978-897-0935; or mail HR, Earthwatch Institute, 114 Western Ave, Boston, MA 02134 ************************************************************************ *********************************** Daniel B. Stover, Ph.D. Field Director, North America Regional Climate Center Earthwatch Institute Smithsonian Environmental Research Center P.O. Box 28 647 Contees Wharf Road Edgewater, MD 21037-0028 Phone: 1-443-482-2374 www.earthwatch.org <http://www.earthwatch.org/> ************************************************************************ ***********************************
