Island Project Manager - San Diego State University Research Foundation

Overview

• This position is open until filled and applications will be reviewed after October 18, 2024.
• The compensation for this position is $26.50 per hour, 40 hours per week, plus a full benefits package. 
• Candidates must reside in the state of California and be willing to work on San Clemente island. 

The SERG Project Manager helps facilitate habitat restoration, rare plant surveys, and other botany-related projects on San Clemente Island, a Naval installation on the southern-most of California’s Channel Islands. The Project Manager works closely with the Senior Project Manager on all aspects of the program, as well as communicate with US Navy Biologists. This position requires manual labor, working outdoors in all weather, heavy lifting and carrying, hiking on rugged terrain, as well as significant time spent on office tasks. Housing is provided while working on San Clemente Island. Housing is not provided during the 4-day weekends off-island. Transportation to and from the island is provided from the San Diego area by means of a twin engine 19-seater plane. The work schedule will be 10 days working on-island and 4-day weekends off-island. 

All work will be conducted on San Clemente Island, which is owned and operated by the U.S. Navy as an active training site, as part of the Navy’s Natural Resources Program. San Clemente Island has a particularly unique flora, hosting 2 federally listed plants, 15 plants that are known from nowhere else in the world, and an additional 48 plants that are only known from the Channel Islands as a whole. The program also supports an extensive community of biologists and researchers. The Project Manager lives as part of a small and remote community and is able to maintain a professional and positive attitude. 

Responsibilities

Project Management 55%

• Use principles of adaptive management to prioritize project tasks appropriately
• Adhere to project schedules as outlined in annual work plans
• Coordinate between SERG and other island users, including military and civilian employees
• Respond to requests for data from the US Navy or other island users
• Ensure safety of all crew members, including compliance with Navy practices associated with work on an active Naval base
• Organize, train, and oversee all crew members to balance completing project needs within a biologically-relevant timeframe
• Assist in identifying future project sites
• Train field staff in data entry and management
• Manage geodatabase and create biologically relevant maps as needed
• Write reports and prepare maps and figures for quarterly and annual reports
• Incorporate comments from senior staff and US Navy
• Attend project kickoff meetings, site visits, SCI leads meetings, etc.
• Maintain vehicles, field equipment, greenhouse and nursery areas, as well as computers, GPS units, and other office equipment
• Purchase and coordinate shipment of equipment and supplies

Field Work 40%

• Monitor rare plant populations
• Monitor vegetation cover
• Install, maintain, and monitor native species out-plantings
• Remove/control non-native plant species manually, mechanically, and chemically
• Collect native plant propagules
• Propagate native plants
• Use GPS in the field and GIS software

Other Duties and Responsibilities as assigned 5%

Qualifications

Knowledge and Abilities

General

• Ability to interact effectively with co-workers, clients and study participants
• Ability to understand and follow posted work rules and procedures
• Ability to relate well to others within the project environment.
• Ability to display motivation and strong interpersonal skills
• Ability to communicate effectively, both orally and in writing
• Ability to display organization, meet deadlines, display detail orientation, possess good judgment and common sense
• Ability to demonstrate a high level of cross-cultural sensitivity
• Valid driver’s license, good driving record, and ability to drive 4-wheel-drive vehicles
• Ability to pass a background check to obtain clearance for military base access
• Ability to repeatedly lift loads of up to 45 lbs. throughout the workday and to safely navigate and work off-trail on steep, rocky, cactus-covered terrain
• Safety-minded

Field

• Rare plant survey experience
• Vegetation monitoring experience
• Experience with, and willingness to, apply herbicide
• Skilled in plant identification
• Knowledge of Southern California flora (ChIs preferred), especially coastal sage scrub, chaparral, canyon woodland, and dune ecosystems
• Experience safely operating and maintaining mechanical equipment, hand tools, herbicide application equipment
• Valid California Qualified Applicator Certificate or ability to become certified within 6 months of hiring

Office and Management

• Excellent writing skills with experience writing scientific progress reports
• Demonstrated organizational skills to manage multiple, concurrent, high-priority project tasks
• Detail-oriented and able to maintain and improve on established databases 
• People management experience
• ArcGIS Pro experience or ability to learn and become proficient

Experience/Education

• Bachelor’s degree in botany, ecology, biology, or related discipline
• Equivalent of one years full time progressively responsible related experience

Preferred Qualification:

• Master's degree in botany or related

ADDITIONAL APPLICANT INFORMATION:

•  Candidate must reside in California or live in a commutable distance from SDSU at time of hire.
• Job offer is contingent upon satisfactory clearance based on Background Check results (including a criminal record check).
• San Diego State University Research Foundation is an EEO/AA/Disability/Vets/Title IX Employer.