Associate Director of Field Conservation

Zoo New England is seeking an experienced and creative Associate Director of its unique Field Conservation Department (FCD). The successful candidate must have a graduate degree and at least five years of practical field experience related to wildlife conservation and management. 

 Zoo New England is dedicated to being internationally recognized for the quality of its conservation management and research activities. The FCD is a dynamic and fast-growing department dedicated to restoring populations of rare species and engaging local human residents in our conservation management work. A significant portion of our work is currently focused on improving the status of selected rare turtle, amphibian, fish, plant, and invertebrate populations in southern New England. In many of these programs, we work with local school children and adults who directly help us foster the recovery of rare animal and plant populations in their communities.

 The Associate Director of Field Conservation will oversee our local and regional rare species management programs and their related citizen engagement projects (in coordination with our Associate Director of Conservation Engagement) as well providing assistance with our growing portfolio of international wildlife conservation projects. The successful candidate will have good communication skills, work well in a diverse group, and provide positive leadership. A track record of successful publication and grant applications are a plus.

 Zoo New England is a private, non-profit organization that operates the Franklin Park Zoo in Boston, MA, and the Stone Zoo in Stoneham, MA.  A satellite office for field conservation staff is also maintained in Acton, MA. 

Preference will be given for applications received by November 1, 2023

Target start date of April 1, 2024

Essential Job Functions

Oversees day-to-day management of ZNE regional and local field conservation programs and provides direct support to the Director of Field Conservation and the conservationists in the field.  Oversees the strategic design of field projects and the gathering, analysis, and publication of field conservation data.

Duties & Responsibilities

• In coordination with the Associate Director of Conservation Engagement, manages and implements day-to-day operations of the Field Conservation Department’s local/regional projects.

• Supervises and supports field program personnel and ensures that staff meet project goals and grant/contract commitments.

• Seeks to demonstrably improve the conservation status of rare animal and plant populations through monitoring, demographic augmentation, reintroduction, habitat enhancement and other conservation interventions.

• Works with the FCD Director and the Associate Director of Conservation Engagement to develop and implement an overarching strategic plan for the department that includes attainable conservation and research objectives for all FCD field conservation programs.

• Is personally familiar with all FCD conservation biology programs, both in New England and internationally, and leads in the development of specific conservation and research objectives for each program, periodically revising those objectives as informed by the best available data.

• Works with the FCD staff to ensure that all data needed for assessing the success of field conservation programs are gathered and recorded accurately, entered into suitable spreadsheets and databases, and are regularly analyzed and compared to stated objectives.

• Leads in the preparation of annual reports on each field conservation project for regulatory authorities and project participants, and in the presentation of relevant findings and conclusions to lay and scientific audiences through talks, classes and seminars, and the writing of both popular and peer-reviewed articles.

• Stays current with important scientific literature relevant to FCD field conservation projects.

• Works closely with the FCD Director and the Associate Director of Conservation Engagement to integrate FCD field conservation and education programs and to determine priorities for FCD staff, who often work on both field conservation and education / outreach projects.

• Works with the FCD Director and the Associate Director of Conservation Engagement to secure grants and contracts to fund existing field conservation initiatives and to help develop new ones both in New England and abroad.

• Helps ensure that all field conservation activities of the FCD are permitted appropriately by relevant authorities and are conducted using best practices to protect the safety of humans and non-humans that may be affected by those projects.

• Works with the FCD Director and the Associate Director of Conservation Engagement to integrate conservation throughout the organization, including proactively providing information on projects and conservation outcomes to other departments on an ongoing basis.

• Holds a seat on the ZNE Conservation Committee, providing input and guidance on ZNE’s conservation partnerships and assisting project champions with accomplishing their goals.

• Works with FCD Director to monitor and track operational budgets.

Working Conditions

• Potential exposure and close contact with a variety of animals including mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, fish and insects, including direct handling of large snapping turtles and other potentially injurious wildlife.

• Occasionally required to move heavy objects.

• Work in uneven terrain with exposure to varying and challenging weather conditions (g. heat, rain, snow, ice), and to dust, and allergens.

• Exposure to ticks, mosquitos, and other biting arthropods.

• May work in public and private schools and is therefore required to complete CORI and SORI background checks periodically.

Minimum Job Requirements

• Master’s degree in conservation biology or a related biological discipline.

• Five + years of experience in conducting and managing field research projects and in analyzing and reporting upon the results of those projects.

• Experience and expertise with field work on turtles and other reptiles, amphibians, insects, plants, and other local/regional taxa.

• Excellent organizational skills.

• Superb written and verbal communications skills, including experience with writing and editing non-technical publications and conducting public presentations and educational programs.

• Commitment to teamwork, excellence, continuous improvement, creativity, and innovation.

• Adherence to zoonotic disease prevention protocols as mandated by Zoo New England.

• Must possess a valid drivers' license and be able to lawfully drive in Massachusetts.

 Preferred Job Requirements

• Doctoral level graduate degree in conservation biology or a related biological discipline.

• Record of successful grant applications and grant administration.

• Possesses strong familiarity with the ecology and conservation of animals, plants, and ecosystems of New England.

• Has authored or co-authored scientific peer-reviewed publications in the fields related to wildlife conservation and/or related education programs.

• Experience in working on field conservation projects outside the United States.

Minimum Experience: Senior Manager/Supervisor
Compensation: 75-95k/annually