Director, Climate Adaptation & Wildlife Resilience

Defender of Wildlife; Washington (District of Columbia); On-site; USD 127,000 - 143,000; Full time

Job summary

DEFENDERS OF WILDLIFE in Washington, DC seeks a Director of Climate Adaptation to lead a small team of scientists and policy analysts focused on climate-informed conservation for at-risk wildlife across the United States.

The incumbent reports to the VP, Conservation Research and Innovation and will guide applied research, stakeholder engagement, and implementation of climate adaptation strategies, ensuring science informs policy, advocacy, and field efforts.

Qualifications

• Advanced degree (MS/PhD) or equivalent (Master’s degree in relevant field or equivalent required).
• At least 8 years of relevant experience, including 3 years managing staff and leading complex interdisciplinary projects.
• Experience with climate modeling, risk analyses, and policy analysis.

Responsibilities

• Leads and develops a team of scientists and analysts.
• Oversees climate science and policy analyses to improve wildlife conservation.
• Forges strategic partnerships with researchers, agencies, NGOs, Indigenous communities, and stakeholders.
• Translates complex data into actionable insights for policy, advocacy, and field action.

Skills

Climate science

Policy analysis

Team leadership

Interdisciplinary collaboration

Communication

GIS

Data visualization

R

Python

Education

MS/PhD in relevant field

Tools

R

Python

Remote sensing

Job description

DEFENDERS OF WILDLIFE in Washington, DC seeks a Director of Climate Adaptation to lead a small team of scientists and policy analysts focused on climate-informed conservation for at-risk wildlife across the United States.

The incumbent reports to the VP, Conservation Research and Innovation and will guide applied research, stakeholder engagement, and implementation of climate adaptation strategies, ensuring science informs policy, advocacy, and field efforts.