Wildlife Conservation Advocate

Progressive Data Jobs; California (MO); Remote; USD 64,000 - 91,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Bargaining Unit

Job summary

The Center for Biological Diversity seeks a Wildlife Conservation Advocate for its Urban Wildlands program. The role focuses on protecting wildlife connectivity and habitat in California through policy work, science-based messaging, and coalition building.

You will influence land-use decisions, draft policy positions, speak at hearings, and collaborate with scientists, lawyers, organizers and media professionals to safeguard habitats and climate resilience.

Qualifications

• Minimum three years of professional experience or advanced degree in conservation biology, ecology, public policy, planning or a related field.
• Familiarity with scientific literature on program issues.
• Excellent research and analytical skills.
• Excellent communication skills, including public speaking.
• Ability to write clear, organized research documents.
• Familiarity with environmental laws and regulations (CEQA, NEPA, Endangered Species Act).
• Experience with coalitions and diverse groups.
• Understanding of state land use, growth, climate policy and endangered species protection preferred.
• Experience in public speaking, community outreach, and media engagement.
• Ability to balance multiple tasks and deadlines in a busy environment.

Responsibilities

• Serve as a public expert on wildlife connectivity and conservation, focusing on threats from urban sprawl and climate change.
• Research and draft comment letters, reports, policy documents, factsheets and educational materials.
• Support development and advancement of strategic policy positions benefiting freshwater systems and wildlife connectivity.
• Present at public hearings and work with local planning staff; be available for media interviews.
• Build alliances with environmental and frontline communities; collaborate with lawyers and scientists.
• Challenget poorly-planned developments and advocate for protective land-use policies.
• Perform other job-related duties as assigned.

Skills

Wildlife conservation

Policy analysis

Public speaking

Research & writing

Stakeholder engagement

Environmental law familiarity

Team collaboration

Time management

Education

Advanced degree in conservation biology, ecology, public policy or related field

Job description

Job Title: Wildlife Conservation Advocate

Program: Urban Wildlands

Employment Type: [X] Salary [ ] Hourly

[ ] Part-time [X] Full-time

[ ] Temporary [X] Regular

Reports to: Urban Wildlands Director

Direct Reports to this position: N/A

Salary Range: $63,600 – $91,000
*Salary will be determined based on experience and will strictly comply with local and state minimum wage and salary threshold laws in applicable locations.

Location: Remote, California (San Francisco Bay Area, Sacramento, or Los Angeles preferred)

Is this position in the Bargaining Unit? [X] Yes [ ] No
*Because this position is in the Bargaining Unit, some fees may be required depending on where the candidate lives as a condition of employment.

Deadline to apply: October 15

ABOUT THE CENTER

The Center for Biological Diversity, a national 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, believes the welfare of human beings is deeply linked to nature — to the existence of a vast diversity of wild animals, plants and people. Because diversity has intrinsic value, and because its loss impoverishes society, we work to secure a future for all species, great and small, hovering on the brink of extinction. We do so through science, law, activism and creative media, with a focus on protecting the lands, waters and climate that humans, other species and all communities need to survive and thrive.

We want those who come after us to inherit a world where the wild is still alive.

POSITION SUMMARY

The Urban Wildlands program aims to stop development and land use policies that threatens critical wildlife connectivity and habitat, creates pollution, disrupts hydrology and freshwater systems, exhausts limited water supplies, increases wildfire risk, amplifies climate change, and drives species extinction. By working closely with scientists, lawyers, organizers, and media professionals, the wildlife conservation advocate will be expected to play an active role in influencing and shaping land-use policy, decision-making and planning in California and beyond. In particular, the Wildlife Conservation Advocate will work to advance land-use policies and practices to protect habitats and important wildlife connectivity areas in the urban-wildland interface that support.

ESSENTIAL JOB DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

• Serve as a public expert on wildlife connectivity and conservation, focusing on the threats from unchecked urban sprawl, habitat loss, and climate change.

• Research and draft comment letters, reports, policy documents, factsheets, and educational materials for social media posts based on sound science and principles.

• Support the development, identification, and advancement of strategic policy positions and initiatives that
• benefit freshwater systems and wildlife connectivity vital to threatened and endangered species survival and
• climate change adaptability and resilience.
• Give presentations at public hearings for decision-makers, work with local planning staff and be available for
• interviews with the media.
• Help build alliances with other environmental and community groups, including environmental justice and frontline communities.
• Work collaboratively with lawyers, scientists, organizers and media professionals to challenge poorly-planned, destructive developments while advocating for proactive and environmentally-protective land use policies.

• Perform other job-related duties as assigned.

ESSENTIAL QUALIFICATIONS AND SKILLS

• Minimum three years of professional experience or advanced degree in conservation biology, ecology, public policy, planning or a related field.
• Scientific literacy and familiarity with scientific literature on specific program issues.
• Excellent research and analytical skills.
• Excellent communication skills, including public speaking skills.
• Demonstrated abilities to write clear, organized, research documents.
• Familiarity with relevant environmental laws and regulations, including the California Environmental Quality Act, National Environmental Policy Act and state and federal Endangered Species Act.
• Proven experience working with coalitions and diverse groups of people and organizations.
• Working knowledge of state level policies and trends related to land use and growth, climate change, private land development and endangered species protection preferred.
• Experience with public speaking, community outreach, and engagement with the media.
• Demonstrated abilities to balance multiple tasks and deadlines in a busy working environment.
• Experience working with a conservation organization preferred.
• A strong work ethic and good time-management skills.
• Ability to complete long term projects like listing petitions and comments in a timely manner and produce high quality work products.
• Ability to communicate politely and effectively with individuals from different regions and cultures around the world.
• A demonstrated commitment to environmental protection.
• Ability to work 40+ hours per week.

WORKING CONDITIONS

Occasional travel to conferences and meetings. Requires work in an office setting, with a typical schedule of Monday-

Friday with some night and weekend work required at times due to deadlines. Will need to use typical office equipment

such as computers, printers, copiers, etc.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS

The ideal candidate must be able to complete all physical requirements of this job with or without a reasonable accommodation. This is not a complete description of all workplace conditions, and conditions are subject to change per the Organization’s discretion.

Cognitive

Ability to process and analyze information: [ ] Rarely [ ] Occasionally [ x ] Frequently

Exchange accurate information: [ ] Rarely [ ] Occasionally [ x ] Frequently

Communicate and express oneself with others: [ ] Rarely [ ] Occasionally [ x ] Frequently

Interaction with other colleagues: [ ] Rarely [ ] Occasionally [x ] Frequently

Interaction with the public/co-collaborators: [ ] Rarely [ ] Occasionally [ x ] Frequently

Physical

Reading (ingest data): [ ] Rarely [ ] Occasionally [x ] Frequently

Working on a computer: [ ] Rarely [ ] Occasionally [ x ] Frequently

Typing: [ ] Rarely [ ] Occasionally [ x ] Frequently

Writing by hand: [ ] Rarely [x ] Occasionally [ ] Frequently

Sitting: [ ] Rarely [ ] Occasionally [ x ] Frequently

Walking: [ ] Rarely [ x ] Occasionally [ ] Frequently

Standing: [ ] Rarely [x ] Occasionally [ ] Frequently

Lift/Carry 0-25 lbs: [ ] Rarely [ x ] Occasionally [ ] Frequently

Lift/Carry 25-75 lbs: [ x ] Rarely [ ] Occasionally [ ] Frequently

Hiking: [ ] Rarely [ x ] Occasionally [ ] Frequently

Climbing up or down stairs: [ ] Rarely [ x ] Occasionally [ ] Frequently

Bending: [x ] Rarely [ ] Occasionally [ ] Frequently

Squatting: [x ] Rarely [ ] Occasionally [ ] Frequently

Reaching overhead: [ x] Rarely [ ] Occasionally [ ] Frequently

Repetitive motions: [ ] Rarely [ ] Occasionally [ x] Frequently

Ability to drive: [ ] Rarely [ x ] Occasionally [ ] Frequently

Location Conditions

In person required (versus remote work): [ ] Rarely [ x ] Occasionally [ ] Frequently

Travel required*: [ ] Rarely [ x ] Occasionally [ ] Frequently

Night or weekend work: [ ] Rarely [ x ] Occasionally [ ] Frequently

Work in outdoor conditions: [ x ] Rarely [ ] Occasionally [ ] Frequently

Other? _________________ [ ] Rarely [ ] Occasionally [ ] Frequently

*Attendance at our remote annual all-staff retreat is encouraged. This could require travel and 4-5 days of time away from home each year.

BENEFITS

(Subject to change—see Handbook for more details)

For regular staff working 30+ hours a week

• Fully paid medical premiums for staff, and greatly discounted for families.
• Fully paid dental and vision premiums for staff and their families.
• Generous employer contribution to HSA and HRA’s.
• Lifestyle Spending Account (LSA) provided for reimbursement of eligible wellness expenses.
• Center paid premiums for Short Term and Long-Term Disability provided for all staff.
• Center paid premiums for Basic Life Insurance for all staff.
• Discounted premiums for pet discount program.

For all regular staff

• 403(b) plan with employer match and increasing employer paid contributions.
• Generous time off policies, including 13 paid holidays per year and 5 “personal” days awarded each year.
• Vacation accrual starts at a rate of 15 days annually, but it may be higher commensurate with experience, and paid sick days accrue at a rate of 10 days per year.
• Center Paid Time Off for parental leave, personal leave, caretaker leave and even pet caretaker leave.
• After 5 years of service, all employees receive a 12-week paid sabbatical.
• Relaxed work atmosphere and dress code.

JEDAI STATEMENT

The Center for Biological Diversity deeply values, and is committed to sustaining and promoting, both biological and cultural diversity. We welcome, embrace and respect diversity of people, identities and cultures. We are committed to fostering an organizational culture of diversity and inclusion. The Center believes staff and board diversity is critical to saving life on Earth.

We are an equal opportunity employer.

The Center complies with all federal and local laws regarding work authorization for new hires. We welcome and encourage anyone interested to apply to any of our open positions. Everyone, regardless of current work authorization, will be considered.

Exempt Classification: Exempt

Applicable Exemption: Professional

Reasoning behind this classification: High degree of discretion and work is predominantly intellectual in nature and varied in character. The output produced can’t be standardized in relation to a given period of time.