Conservation Field Coordinator

Job Summary: The Conservation Field Coordinator is responsible for coordinating and conducting work related to native habitat enhancement, rehabilitation, and restoration through ecological and management practices. This includes proactively managing native habitat health to maintain ecologically resilient and hazard-free Park areas. These native habitats include grasslands and forests of various sizes within Memorial Park. The Conservation Field Coordinator will be responsible for prioritizing work to be completed weekly and leading a team in designated areas. Through oversight and strong collaboration across all Conservation Operations branches, the Conservation Field Coordinator will lead team members to complete native habitat-based practices with the guidance of the Conservation Supervisor.

Base Schedule: Monday-Friday: 6:00am-2:30pm; may adjust based on season. This is a full-time position.

Responsibilities and Duties Include:

• Use best native habitat management practices to maintain native forest and grassland habitats with continuous assessments and monitoring, native plantings, integrative pest management including invasive species removal and herbicide treatment, thinning, and other conservation-based practices.
• Coordinate, lead, and direct team members’ daily tasks to maintain assigned areas and plan for routine upcoming tasks or urgent projects. 
• Work collaboratively with the Supervisor to develop habitat assessments and management programs within the assigned areas of the Park.
• Support training of staff, seasonal workers, interns, and volunteers.
• Physically perform ecological based management practices including mechanical & chemical vegetation removal, planting & seeding, seed collection, and other daily and seasonal tasks.
• Conduct work in a range of native habitats of various sizes including remnant coastal prairies, pine savannas, flatwoods, pine and oak forests, installed prairies and forests on a regular basis.
• Safely operate small and large equipment and oversee others in safe equipment use including utility vehicles, trucks, spray tanks, tractors, backpack blowers, string trimmers, tri-blades, and others as needed. Operation may extend for many hours at a time and over the course of several days as needed.
• Monitor irrigation systems of designated Park areas, as needed.
• Keep inventory of, coordinate maintenance of, and inform Supervisor when to purchase supplies, tools, and equipment assigned to field operations. 
• Identify and document flora/fauna and other monitoring data using various data collection tools, as needed.
• Support the coordination of employee schedules to accommodate weekly tasks.
• Demonstrate ownership of assigned work by upholding and maintaining standards to the highest degree.
• Lead and organize volunteers, delegating tasks to Technicians. This includes occasional weekends. 
• Communicate employee observations to Supervisor for recognition or disciplinary action. 
• Communicate issues regarding infrastructure, furnishings, safety hazards, and quality of the Park user experience issues via work order system.
• Interact with Park patrons in a courteous and professional manner. Ensure team members are trained and adhering accordingly. Be prepared to provide accurate and pertinent information regarding MPC and the Park.  
• Enforce and comply with all MPC rules, safety policies, and procedures, and appropriate use of personal protective equipment (PPE).
• Assist with cleanliness of office and storage spaces.?? 
• Assist with other Park Operations tasks including trash and debris removal, as needed.

Qualifications: the ideal candidate will possess the following qualifications:

• 3 or more years of professional experience in conservation, native plant establishment, land management, invasive species management, or related field; in which 1 or more are in a leadership role. 
• Knowledge and experience of native habitat conservation practices such as: site preparation, integrated pest management, planting/seeding, and plant identification.
• Strong plant ID skills of Texas native and invasive species, preferred.
• Ability to disseminate information regarding industry standards and best practices in native habitat conservation to train team members. 
• Knowledge and experience in the safe operation of native habitat conservation industry tools and equipment, including hand tools, power equipment, heavy machinery and chainsaws.
• Knowledge of irrigation function, a plus.
• Demonstrated success in working in a team-oriented environment, working effectively with others, ability to work independently, make judgment calls, problem solve, while referring more serious problems to a Supervisor.   
• Strong written and oral communication skills; strong time management and organizational skills; highly motivated. 
• Proficiency in PC based Microsoft Office software (i.e., Word, Excel, PowerPoint), Outlook, and asset management systems.
• Comfortable performing work tasks at heights while using proper PPE.
• At times, perform work that requires the use of fall-protection, but only after full completion of MPC provided training. 
• Must possess a valid Texas Driver’s License.

Abilities Required:

• Ability to work in a public park with a high degree of public interaction. 
• Ability to perform heavy, physical labor daily in all weather conditions repeatedly throughout a workday and work week. 
• Ability to lift 50 lbs. repeatedly throughout a workday and work week. 
• Sufficient strength, stamina, and manual dexterity to operate power equipment throughout a workday, repeatedly in a work week. 
• Must be able to bend, crouch, repel, kneel, stand, walk and perform various types of manual labor for extended periods of time      throughout the workday, repeatedly in a work week.

Safety Requirements: 

Establishment and maintenance of a safe work environment is the shared responsibility of this organization and employees at every level. The Conservancy will make every effort to assure a safe environment and follow federal, state, and local safety regulations. Employees are expected to obey safety rules and to exercise caution in all their work activities. Accordingly, employees should be aware of any hazards, which could cause an injury or accident (e.g., spills, obstacles in walkways). If an employee discovers a potentially dangerous condition, they should alert other employees and notify their supervisor immediately.

Disclaimer: 

The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by people assigned to this classification. They are not to be construed as an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties, and skills required of personnel so classified. All personnel may be required to perform duties outside of their normal responsibilities from time to time, as needed.

Compensation:

This is an hourly, non-exempt position. Pay is $21-$24 per hour. Benefits include full medical, dental and vision benefits, paid time off, short-term and long-term disability and 401k retirement plan.