Associate Manager, Community Science Program

at  California Academy of Sciences

ABOUT THE OPPORTUNITY:

Reporting to the Director of the Center for Biodiversity & Community Science, the Associate Manager will be responsible for running and strategically growing community science programs and will supervise the Community Science Coordinator. The Center for Biodiversity and Community Science works to bring people together to document biodiversity, connect people to their local nature, collect data critical to science and management, and build partnerships to support community science and the use of community-collected data. We accomplish these goals through a variety of programs, including community bioblitzes, intertidal surveys, City Nature Challenge, and Snapshot Cal Coast, which scaffold collecting biodiversity observations using the iNaturalist platform with in-person community science field experiences. The Community Science Associate Manager will work closely with the Director of the Center, will oversee and set the day-to-day work of the current Community Science Coordinator (and possibly additional coordinators as the team grows), will be the primary Center staff partner to the Community Science Department at the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County to organize the global City Nature Challenge, and will liaise with partners both internally and externally. This is a full-time, temporary 4-year position, with the possibility for extension.

ORGANIZATIONAL CULTURE:

Join a team dedicated to the Academy’s mission, vision and values! Currently, the Academy has a new strategic plan including three initiatives – Hope for Reefs, Thriving California, and Islands 2030 – that leverage biodiversity science, environmental learning, and collaborative engagement to regenerate fragile ecosystems around the world. Learn more at https://www.calacademy.org/about-us/major-initiatives.
We are committed to ensuring diversity, equity, accessibility, and inclusion are intrinsic to Academy culture and operations, from recruitment and retention to science and advocacy.
We hope you are inspired by what we do and are excited to contribute to our mission. The mission of the California Academy of Sciences is to regenerate the natural world through science, learning, and collaboration. The Academy is looking for candidates who do great work, and we know they may come from a number of different backgrounds and experiences. We encourage you to apply even if you do not believe you meet every one of the qualifications for the position.
This position is based in San Francisco, California. Staff are currently expected to work from the Academy offices at least 2-3 times per week, which may fluctuate based on business needs. Please do not apply if you are not able to work onsite. Candidates are required to have up-to-date COVID-19 vaccination as a condition of employment, absent qualifying exemptions in accordance with applicable laws. Individuals receiving a conditional offer of employment from the California Academy of Sciences will be provided the full text of the vaccination policy. The California Academy of Sciences is committed to providing a safe and healthy workplace, to protect its employees, volunteers and guests.

EXPERIENCE AND/OR EDUCATION:

• Four (4) years of experience managing program design and expansion, preferably in formal or informal science or nature education, such as environmental education, museum/science centers, classroom teaching, college-level teaching, field courses/experiences
• Four (4) years experience supervising staff
• Project management experience
• Experience developing and overseeing a budget
• Experience setting strategy and developing and delivering on a strategic plan
• Experience independently creating and maintaining productive partnerships with external collaborators
• Experience using iNaturalist including how to navigate and use its many features (e.g., projects, identifying, filtering data, discord server, forum)
• Natural history and/or taxonomic expertise in one or more California ecosystems or groups of plants or animals found in California
• Bachelor’s degree in natural science (e.g., biology, ecology, geology) or closely related field

SKILLS AND ABILITIES:

• Commitment to diversity, equity, accessibility, and inclusion; ability to welcome and honor diverse perspectives, values, and identities
• Knowledge of and willingness to learn more about California’s species, habitats, and ecosystems
• Strong interest in the natural world, and ability to communicate that passion
• Excellent attention to detail
• Ability to work independently, including setting priorities and timelines to manage projects and meet deadlines and to help mentor and coach staff to do the same
• Ability to spot potential issues before they become problems and take initiative to come up with solutions
• Excellent leadership skills and commitment to positive team dynamics
• Excellent public speaking, written, and interpersonal communication skills across diverse audiences
• Strong project management skills; ability to advance multiple projects simultaneously and implement efficient work strategies
• Adapt and maintain flexibility in changing and fast-paced environments
• Work well independently and as part of a team
• Proficiency with Google apps
• Proficiency in Spanish is a plus
• Ability to travel throughout the Bay Area

• Collaborate with the Director of the Center for Biodiversity & Community Science to develop and execute a strategic growth plan for community science programs
• Supervise and mentor the Community Science Coordinator, setting their tasks and day-to-day work program to achieve Center objectives; conduct annual performance evaluation and goal-setting
• Lead the development of new community science events and campaigns and the scaling of existing events and campaigns to reach new audiences and to help fill biodiversity data gaps
• Grow community science partnerships and programs in California by supporting existing collaborators and making new connections to reach at least 8 new counties within 4 years
• Liaise and meet with existing partners to support their continued engagement in community science efforts
• Partner to execute the annual City Nature Challenge: help train, provide resources and support to, and hold planning meetings for the global network of City Nature Challenge organizers (over 1000 people across 650+ cities); work closely with the CNC organizing team, which includes Community Science staff at the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County
• Develop, manage logistics for, and host off-site community science events throughout the Bay Area with the Coordinator
• Coordinate and convene listening sessions with project partners, cross-functional teams, and other appropriate audiences as needed to inform program plans
• Develop and manage the program budget
• Provide up-to-date program statistics and stories of impact for fundraising, marketing, and grant reporting efforts; inform, and/or review grant proposals as needed
• Represent the Academy internally and externally, locally and nationally. May need to travel for business
• Contribute broadly to the Academy’s mission and assist with projects and initiatives that leverage strengths across the Center for Biodiversity and Community Science’s portfolio
• Follow all Academy safety regulations and complete all HR-assigned trainings
• Support the Academy’s mission, vision, and Academy-wide initiatives
• Other duties as assigned
  Qualifications: A successful candidate will have the following: