What You Will Do 

The Conservation Director at the Ogden Nature Center (ONC) is a full-time position responsible for the day-to-day management of our 152-acre nature preserve, including upland and riparian habitats, and the 23-acre ONC North preserve along with developing/implementing a long-term plan for the overall health of the properties. The Conservation Director manages all habitat restoration and conservation projects on the property, most of which are grant-funded.  Conservation and habitat restoration projects at the Nature Center focus on invasive species management, revegetation with native species, riparian restoration, wildlife surveys, and monitoring of land condition. This position will also be working closely with community partners and research collaborators. The Conservation Director will serve as a member of ONC’s Executive Team, is responsible for supervising the habitat restoration team, and is an active member of the Land Management Committee.  

Specific Responsibilities 

Leading the Conservation Program 

• Collaborate with ONC’s Land Management Committee to keep the land management plan updated with relevant landscape-level habitat goals  
• Develop and implement restoration projects to meet habitat goals. Primary objectives include implementation of an integrated invasive species management plan, revegetation with appropriate native species throughout planting and seeding, riparian corridor restoration, water quality improvements, mitigations to coexist with urban wildlife populations, and site health assessments.  
• Conduct wildlife surveys through camera traps, acoustic detectors, and point count surveys 
• Survey water quality seasonably through Utah’s Water Watch program 
• Coordinate water conservation, habitat restoration, wildlife monitoring and research activities on the ONC Main and ONC North Property with community partners and collaborators. 
• Manage geospatial data through ArcGIS 
• Develop and manage storm and irrigation water systems and implement projects to improve water quality and quantity. Work with city partners, such as Dinsdale Water and Ogden City, to manage water related issues.   
• Complete annual Urban Bird Treaty City reporting and compliance as the project lead for the city. Develop and manage large-scale and local conservation projects, promote student research, conduct scientific outreach, and present research and findings 
• Collaborate with and support regional conservation partners on larger-scale projects and monitoring efforts that tie into the ONC mission and goals such as the Weber River Partnership and Northern Utah Collaborative Weed Management Association.  
• Participating in outreach and educational opportunities 
• Lead volunteer groups assisting in Habitat Restoration projects 

Grant Funding and Management 

• Seek out significant grant opportunities  
• Manage grants, budgets, contracts, and opportunities that support conservation, restoration projects, and operational funding  
• Partner with various federal/state/local agencies and organizations to secure grant funding 
• Draft and submit a yearly application for Utah’s Invasive Species Mitigation Grant Program 
• Responsible for project and budget management, creating project reports, analyzing collected data, and adding to the ONC ArcGIS map 

Staff and Volunteer Supervision 

• Work cooperatively with Volunteer Coordinator to recruit, train, steward, and manage volunteers for community science projects, restoration initiatives, and site monitoring 
• Supervise the habitat restoration team: This includes hiring, training, funding, and managing multiple technicians, including an AmeriCorps/UCC intern and seasonal habitat restoration assistants, and student research interns 
• Serve on ONC’s Executive Team and attend monthly board meetings 

 Required Qualifications 

• Bachelor’s degree in ecology, biology, wildlife, forestry, range management, or related field 
• Experience in western native plant and wildlife identification and survey techniques 
• Previous experience with habitat restoration projects Experience with mapping and GIS 
• Strong writing and oral skills with an emphasis on grant writing and partnership building 
• Computer skills associated with report-writing, data analysis, and proposal development 

Preferred Qualifications 

• Master’s Degree in ecology, biology, wildlife, forestry, range management, or related field; OR equivalent experience (Bachelor’s + Two (2) years of related work experience in addition to required experience below.  
• 3-5 years’ experience in natural resource management or implementing habitat restoration projects 
• Experience with geospatial mapping and operating ArcGIS 
• Strong writing and oral skills with an emphasis on grant writing and partnership building 
• Computer skills associated with report-writing, data analysis, and proposal development 
• Experience supervising and managing a team 
• Experience with range, forest, and wetland management principles 
• Wildlife survey experience  
• Experience collaborating with conservation partners 
• Experience with educational outreach and science communication 

Description of Physical and Office Environment Demands 
You will work outdoors under occasionally inclement weather, a wide range of temperatures, and field-related conditions. This position also includes sedentary work associated with computer emails, report and grant writing, data analysis, and project proposal work plans. 

Description of the Work Environment 
The 152-acre nature preserve, which includes forested corridors, open grasslands, wetlands and ponds, and a developed infrastructure environment. There will be occasional travel and work on the ONC North property, which is a mountainous area located on the Wasatch Front, as well as travel across the state assisting partners with habitat restoration projects as schedule allows. 

Work Schedule 
Salaried, exempt employee, working approximately 40 hours per week. Some evenings and weekends are required. Participation during ONC Events is required.  

Compensation and Benefits 

• $50,000-$55,000 starting pay, depending on experience and qualifications 
• Employer-supplemented health, dental, and vision insurance plans 
• Simple IRA with 3% employer match 
• Professional development and certification opportunities 
• Paid time off 
• 8 paid holidays plus paid vacation time between December 26th and December 31st