The Chesapeake Monitoring Outreach Coordinator will provide support for a Chesapeake Bay watershed-wide project focused on integrating community-based monitoring groups into the Chesapeake Bay Program partnership. This project, also known as the Chesapeake Monitoring Cooperative (CMC), is the result of a collaborative partnership between four service provider organizations throughout the Chesapeake Bay watershed (Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay, Alliance for Aquatic Resource Monitoring, Izaak Walton League of America, and the University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science). The goal of the CMC is to increase the amount of water quality monitoring data available to make management decisions and track progress of Chesapeake Bay restoration efforts. The CMC envisions a Chesapeake community where all data of known quality are accessible and openly available to everyone, used by communities to advocate for local needs, and used to inform regional watershed management decisions and restoration efforts.

The mission of the Izaak Walton League of America, founded in 1922, is to protect and conserve our shared heritage of wildlife, clean air and water, forest and soils. Our members and staff combine hands-on conservation action, policy work with legislatures and resource agencies, and public education to pursue our conservation goals at the local, state and national levels. As a strong responsible voice representing outdoor recreationists, we occupy a special niche in the conservation community.

SUMMARY OF POSITION

The Outreach Coordinator will support the CMC by coordinating a broad group of partners, including federal, state, and local government agencies; national, regional, and local nonprofit organizations; universities and research institutions; and other partners to integrate volunteer and other non-governmental water quality monitoring data into the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Chesapeake Bay Program’s system for tracking progress toward Bay restoration goals. The Coordinator will assist with recruiting, training and managing volunteers to collect water quality data to fill temporal and spatial gaps in existing state and federal agency datasets. In addition, the position also will gather data and information to help develop new, scientifically rigorous water monitoring protocols as needed. The Outreach Coordinator will also work closely with the Chesapeake Bay Program partnership to identify and capitalize on new opportunities for collaboration with volunteer community-based and other non-governmental monitoring networks. This position is based at the Izaak Walton League of America, located in Gaithersburg, MD.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Project Coordination

  • Assist CMC project manager to meet CMC team needs: setting agendas and taking notes for team meetings, tracking multiple grant deliverables, maintaining CMC website, and other tasks as they are assigned.
  • Work with the CMC team and Chesapeake Bay Program to identify and prioritize spatial and temporal gaps in water quality data currently collected by professionals and determine where community data can fill those gaps.
  • Work with CMC team to include federally recognized tribes and other underrepresented and environmental justice communities into the CMC project, as either data collectors or data users.
  • Assist with coordination and facilitation of conference calls, webinars and/or meetings of monitoring groups that focus on citizen monitoring program integration.
  • Represent the Izaak Walton League and the CMC at meetings of the Chesapeake Bay Program’s Scientific, Technical Assessment, and Reporting (STAR) workgroups, as well as at regional and local workshops, conferences and forums.

Recruit, Train, and Support Volunteer Monitoring Programs in Chesapeake Bay Region

  • Recruit, train, and manage networks of volunteers to monitor benthic macroinvertebrates, primarily in Maryland, Virginia, Delaware, West Virginia and the District of Columbia. This will include training volunteers to conduct water quality monitoring following the Izaak Walton League’s Virginia Save Our Streams protocols.
  • Develop website content in the way of tools, resources and announcements for monitoring groups.
  • Provide data management and quality assurance oversight as needed for volunteer monitoring groups participating in this project including the Izaak Walton League’s monitoring networks.
  • Coordinate resources such as equipment loan and grant programs for local monitoring programs.
  • Assist with development/refinement of scientifically valid and user-friendly water quality protocols and quality assurance project plans to meet needs identified by program partners.

Promote Project and Track Progress

  • Assist Clean Water Program Director and CMC in identifying and applying for program development opportunities.
  • Track, manage and report on tasks and funding obligations for Izaak Walton League related to this project.
  • Promote volunteer monitoring through conference presentations, local media, partner organization email lists and social media.
  • Track and draft reports on program accomplishments.

Other

  • Travel throughout Chesapeake Bay Watershed (MD, VA, PA, DE, WV) in connection with and support of the above.

QUALIFICATIONS

  • Bachelor’s degree in natural sciences or related field.
  • A minimum of three years of experience with project management, community outreach and volunteer coordination.
  • Demonstrated experience in water quality assessment, benthic macroinvertebrate sampling and stream monitoring.
  • Experience with following quality assurance protocols.
  • Ability to comprehend and communicate scientific information to different audiences.
  • Public speaking and teaching experience.
  • Possess a valid driver’s license and own a car for travel throughout the Chesapeake Bay watershed.
  • Demonstrated ability to work independently and as a team.
  • Ability to work constructively and cooperatively with a diverse array of audiences and partners.
  • Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
  • Ability to set priorities, organize, and manage multiple tasks.
  • Computer proficiency in word processing and database programs.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS

  • Work involves both physical exertion and sedentary activities and includes work that involves exposure to the outdoors, including various biological and chemical elements, especially those that are water-based, and periods of standing and walking on rough terrain.
  • Must be able to sit or stand for up to eight hours at a time while performing work duties.
  • Must be able to travel.
  • Must be able to maintain punctuality and attendance as scheduled.

COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS

Salary range for the Chesapeake Bay Monitoring Outreach Coordinator is $40,000 – $42,500. A comprehensive package of employee and health benefits is available.

HOW TO APPLY

Please email cover letter and resume to the attention of the Clean Water Program Director at sos@iwla.org. Please submit all materials no later than April 15, 2022.

The Izaak Walton League of America is an equal opportunity employer.