Position Summary
Reporting to Audubon’s Florida Coastal Islands Sanctuaries (FCIS) Senior Sanctuary Manager, the Coastal Biologist will be responsible for management of colonial wading bird colonies along the central Gulf Coast of Florida. The Coastal Biologist will be responsible for managing all aspects of FCIS’s breeding and nonbreeding season monitoring at over 80 locations, and for directly managing more than 28 island sites, in coordination with the Senior Sanctuary Manager. The Coastal Biologist will also develop new projects to reduce threats to birds on the sanctuary islands.  This position will recruit and manage volunteers for Project Colony Watch and other stewardship activities. The Coastal Biologist will collaborate with Audubon Florida, science, policy, and communications teams, as and collaborate with partners, including state and federal agencies, NGOs, and landowners, and communities.

This is a full-time, 40 hours a week hybrid position based out of the Florida Coastal Islands Sanctuaries office in Tampa, Florida.

Compensation: $21.54 - $22.89 / hour

Additional Job Description
Essential Functions

• Lead Audubon Florida’s Coastal Island Sanctuaries nesting birds monitoring and stewardship activities.
• Lead non-nesting surveys of shorebirds, seabirds, and other waterbirds and maintain game cameras to monitor islands
• Coordinate and manage volunteers for Audubon’s Project Colony Watch and to conduct cleanups of the rookery islands to remove discarded fishing gear and other entangling debris.
• Manage sanctuary islands including installing and maintaining sanctuary signs and managing predation and non-native vegetation.
• Design and implement projects, with guidance from the Senior Sanctuary Manager, to advance FCIS’s conservation priorities, including reducing fishing gear entanglement, restoring native vegetation, and managing erosion with nature-based solutions.   
• Manage field data, develop databases as necessary, perform analysis, report conclusions, and share data, including contributing to the Florida Shorebird Database and statewide waterbird database, and preparing annual data reports for the USFWS, FWC, and local and regional partners.
• Develop grant proposals, manage and report on grants, and participate in other fundraising activities and interactions with donors in collaboration with the Senior Sanctuary Manager and other staff.
• Cultivate and maintain strong working relationships with partners, including but not limited to Audubon chapters, state and federal agencies, other non-governmental organizations, and community and government leaders.
• Engage with local and state law enforcement agencies and boaters to avoid and respond to trespass restrictions inside Critical Wildlife Areas.
• Organize and lead boating tours for partners, donors, and the public.
• Safely operate field equipment including trailering, launching and operating boats, and oversee maintenance of vehicles, boats, and trailers.
• Maintain permits and access agreements with state and federal partners as well as private landowners.
• Collaborate with Audubon staff to ensure that equity, diversity, inclusion and belonging principles are incorporated and followed in all aspects of our work.
• Other job-related duties as assigned.

Qualifications and Experience:

• Bachelor of Science Degree in biology, ecology, natural resource management, or a related field and at least 3 years of relevant experience in a similar field is required. An equivalent combination of experience and education will be considered.
• 3 years of demonstrated experience and expertise in shorebird, seabird, and wading bird identification and research or professional experience in performing waterbird surveys strongly preferred.
• Excellent work ethic, a team-focused attitude, and the ability to work well independently in the field and with others, including staff and volunteers, is required.
• 1 year of professional experience with recruiting, training, and managing volunteers in a conservation program preferred.
• Experience with boating, and trailering is strongly preferred.
• Comfort with public speaking about wildlife ecology topics and the importance of protecting bird colonies.
• Must be able to move 30 lbs., and traverse long distances miles on beach in summer field conditions carrying spotting scope, binoculars, and daypack with or without accommodation.
• Proficiency in MS Office, comfortable in using other software applications and capacity to learn new software.
• Strong communications skills are required.
• Must be reliable, self-motivated, and able to work comfortably in a dynamic, non-structured environment.
• Willingness and flexibility to work early mornings, evenings, and weekends as the job demands.
• Must have a valid U.S. driver’s license for operating an Audubon vehicle.
• Commitment to Audubon’s organizational values of care, collaboration, change, integrity, impact, and innovation.
• Demonstrated personal and professional commitment to and experience in advancing equity, diversity, inclusion, and belonging.