About Trout Unlimited

Trout Unlimited (TU) is America’s oldest and largest coldwater fisheries conservation organization. TU’s mission is to conserve, protect, and restore North America’s native trout and salmon and their watersheds. Founded in 1959, TU has more than 150,000 members nationwide organized into 450 local chapters. In California, TU has a full-time staff working across the state—from the Klamath and Shasta to the Sierra Nevada and the coastal streams of central California—in coordination with our over 10,000 members.

TU has an excellent track record of conservation results. TU operates under a simple conservation formula – protect, reconnect, restore, and sustain. We protect intact habitat and fish populations, reconnect habitat patches throughout a watershed or the landscape by improving streamflow and removing barriers, restore degraded habitat and ecosystem conditions, and sustain the beneficial effects of this work by building a diverse support base for conservation outcomes which ensure healthy fish populations, good water quality, and healthy, integrated habitat.

Job Description

Trout Unlimited (TU) is pleased to announce an opening for the California Staff Scientist to support ongoing efforts to conserve and recover California’s native salmon, trout, and riverine ecosystems. This position will help develop, synthesize, advocate for, and implement collaborative, science-based, and community-centered solutions to recover watershed and ecosystem function for the benefit of fisheries and people.

The California Staff Scientist will 1) be a thought partner to the California Science Director and others both internally and externally 2) support the inception and creation of scientific tools and 3) communicate and advocate on behalf of TU’s efforts to recover thriving salmon and trout populations in California, including restoration of valley rivers and floodplains in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Basin, restoration and management of the Shasta River and watershed, enhancement of mountain meadows and streams in the Sierra Nevada and southern cascades, recovery of coastal watersheds and estuaries, fish passage barrier removal and flow enhancement, landscape-scale conservation planning throughout California, and advocacy for an integrated vision of species recovery, water stewardship, and water justice. 

The California Staff Scientist will work in close collaboration with TU’s California Science Director, other TU science, policy, communications, and field staff, as well as a diverse range of partners including Tribes and Tribal organizations, other conservation and environmental justice groups, government agencies, private landowners, foundations, universities, and local communities. We seek a scientist who brings not only technical excellence but also a genuine commitment to inclusive conservation efforts.

Job Responsibilities

• Provide scientific consultation on the development of measurable objectives and response metrics for the recovery of native salmon, steelhead, and trout, and the ecosystems and communities they sustain.
• Identify and evaluate on-the-ground habitat and ecosystem enhancement efforts to recover salmon and trout populations and their critical habitat and ecosystem conditions, with an emphasis on floodplains, estuaries, and meadows.
• Design and conduct field monitoring (e.g., instream flow, water temperature, geomorphology, habitat assessments, and fish and macroinvertebrate sampling) using established protocols, and, where appropriate, co-developing approaches with partners.
• Manage, QA/QC, analyze, and visualize ecological and hydrologic datasets and conduct quantitative analyses as needed to support scientific research and planning.
• Provide comments and feedback on the scientific content and merit of proposed projects, environmental impact assessments, or regulatory actions (e.g., FERC relicensing, CEQA/NEPA, water rights, and instream flow proceedings), including their implications for environmental justice and disproportionately affected communities.
• Conduct research, including literature reviews, interviews and field data collection related to fish and aquatic ecosystem conservation and restoration; respectfully incorporate Traditional Ecological Knowledge when appropriate.
• Draft and submit grant and other fundraising proposals for science-based restoration and planning projects.
• Represent TU both in technical leadership and support capacities, in collaborative science forums, technical advisory groups, confidential settlement discussions, and public planning forums, engaging diverse audiences with respect and accessibility.
• Author and co-author science-based written documents related to research, planning, restoration, and monitoring efforts conducted by TU and our partners.
• Prepare and give oral presentations, including to community audiences and decision-makers.
• Participate in outreach to key decision makers in local, state and federal government, and build authentic, reciprocal relationships with Tribes and community-based organizations.
• Mentor TU science interns, graduate students, and other emerging scientists—particularly those from communities underrepresented in conservation and the sciences—in support of their long-term commitment to conservation and stewardship.
• The position is remote, with the option to work from TU’s Berkeley office, and will involve travel to locations in the Central Valley, Sierra Nevada, the Shasta basin, and elsewhere in northern and central California. Fieldwork may involve hiking over uneven terrain, wading in cold or swift water, and working in variable weather conditions.

We seek a kind, experienced, and organized self-starter who will be a thought partner to the Science Director to evolve our vision for the application of science to conservation and the ability to work collegially with a diverse suite of partners. Competitive candidates will have qualifications including:

• PhD or Master’s Degree and at least five (5) years of experience in salmonid ecology, fish biology, aquatic ecology or another closely related discipline (or equivalent combination of education and lived or professional experience will be considered).
• Experience developing, funding, and advancing on-the-ground scientific research projects and/or science-based restoration projects.
• Strong analytical skills and the ability to develop and apply conceptual frameworks to large and diverse datasets, including proficiency with statistical software and GIS.
• Demonstrated field skills in aquatic and fisheries monitoring and data collection.
• A demonstrated commitment to working across difference and the ability to work respectfully and effectively with people across cultures, identities, and lived experiences.
• Experience or genuine interest in partnering with Tribes, frontline communities, and community-based organizations.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, including the ability to communicate science to non-technical and community audiences.
• Strong public speaking and writing skills.
• Strong sense of initiative and self-management.
• Creative and strategic thinking skills.
• Willingness to travel occasionally as necessitated by projects.
• Familiarity with California’s watersheds and water management system a plus.
• Familiarity with the regulatory structure surrounding rivers and fish a plus.
• Proficiency in Spanish or another language spoken in California’s watershed communities a plus.
• This is not an all-inclusive list of duties and responsibilities.

Salary and Benefits

Staff and leadership at TU understand that life outside of work is important to personal health, and we strive to create a healthy and family-friendly atmosphere. This is a full-time position with a generous benefits package and a salary range between $90,000 and $105,000 annually.

Trout Unlimited offers a competitive salary and a comprehensive benefits package, including medical, dental, and vision coverage; company paid short and long term disability and life insurance; 403(b) retirement plan with employer contribution; generous paid time off and holidays.

At TU, we value diversity and actively seek candidates for this position who come from communities that have been historically underrepresented in conservation and who have been most impacted by degraded rivers and streams. We are committed to building space for all people to participate in our work to care for trout and salmon and clean our shared waters.

How To Apply

Applications will be considered immediately and can be submitted from the posting date until the position is filled.

Applicants should submit a resume and cover letter online via our job application system.