Habitat Restoration Operations Specialist

Habitat Restoration Operations Specialist

Who We Are and What We Do

Save The Bay’s mission is to protect and restore the Bay for people and wildlife. We are the only regional organization that integrates political advocacy, wetland restoration, and education to shape a healthy and resilient region. We are a team of passionate people, and at the core, we are collaborative, supportive, dedicated, and bold.

Over two decades, Save The Bay has become a Bay Area leader in the science and practice of habitat restoration, focused on tidal marsh transition zone habitat at landscape-scale for recovery of endangered species, and for ecosystem resilience in the face of climate change. We enlist thousands of volunteers annually to restore the shoreline and educate Bay Area students to be the next generation of Bay stewards through hands-on experiential education and on-line learning.

Position Summary  

The Restoration Operations Specialist is responsible for leading Save The Bay’s community-based restoration programs for youth and adult volunteers. This role includes working as an environmental educator to teach students the history and ecology of the Bay and to cultivate environmental stewards. The Restoration Operations Specialist also manages large volunteer groups on projects including invasive species removal, native plant propagation, outplanting, and shoreline cleanups. In addition, the Operations Specialist manages and maintains field and office equipment for all aspects of the Habitat Restoration Team’s (HRT) work. They ensure high standards of safety in the field by leading safety training for our team. They track spending and operations budget, maintain relationships with vendors and site partners, and complete other administrative record keeping. This position reports to the Restoration Program Manager 

Reports To: Restoration Program Manager 

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

• Work Tuesday-Saturday to lead our weekend public programs, with up to four days a week in the field, sometimes in challenging weather conditions 

Equipment Maintenance & Safety: 30% of responsibilities  

• Manage/maintain inventory of restoration tools, equipment, safety gear & program supplies  
• Manage and maintain three trucks and trailers  
• Oversee HRT staff safety and train HRT staff in safety best management practices & protocols  
• Train new staff and fellows in field and safety protocols  
• Ensure rigorous safety standards during programs 
• Develop and enforce Phytophthora base management practices for the nursery and the field in collaboration with Nursery Manager  

Community-based Restoration: 60% of responsibilities  

• Lead Community-based Restoration field programs for students, corporate and community groups, and volunteers from the general public (average 3 days a week) 
• Participate in habitat restoration activities such as invasive plant removal, native plant collection, propagation and planting, and shoreline cleanups 
• Ensure best restoration practices for our work, including invasive plant management, native planting, phytosanitary practices, and volunteer-associated programmatic improvements  
• Assist with operation and maintenance of native plant nurseries 
• Support Summer monitoring  
• Support outreach and fundraising campaigns, media events, conferences, and programs with content and messaging to meet Save The Bay’s constituency and engagement goals 

Administrative Responsibilities: 10% of responsibilities  

• Manage program paperwork and receipts and assist with administrative record keeping 
• Manage vendor relationships and payment for restoration-related equipment & services
• Oversee all purchasing of equipment and supplies for restoration programs
• Track equipment and supplies budget
• Participate in project site planning and strategy 

Other duties as assigned  

Qualifications and Experience

2 years’ experience leading inquiry-based education programs for youth and volunteers in the field, including experience working with diverse student populations & people with differing ability levels

Experience with equipment maintenance and/or a demonstrated willingness to problem solve and learn new skills 

Detail-oriented with a high degree of reliability in managing data and records. 

Experience with wetland restoration, ecology, environmental science/studies, biology, conservation, or similar field 

Demonstrated interest in diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives

Initiative, flexibility, and adaptability in changing situations

Spanish language skills, preferred

Clean background check 

Ownership or unrestricted access to a vehicle to use for work purposes; valid California driver’s license, favorable driving history, and proof of auto insurance

First Aid and CPR certified (If not certified, training courses are offered frequently and subsidized by Save The Bay)

Physical demands associated with this position include extensive driving (up to 3 hours a day), kneeling, squatting, walking on uneven terrain, lifting and carrying heavy materials up to 40 pounds, bending over to record field data, and working in rainy and cold weather conditions

Position Logistics

Location: Field days take place at our various restoration sites around the San Francisco Bay Area. Our office days are primarily performed remotely, with periodic in-person staff and team meetings at our office based in Oakland, CA. We offer a flexible work environment and provide equipment, training, and frequent virtual and in-person opportunities to connect. Employees must reside in the Bay Area. 

Compensation and Benefits: The hourly range for this full-time, non-exempt position is $26 - $27.50 per hour, depending on experience. The high end of this range is reserved for candidates who are fluent in both Spanish and English. This is a full-time 40-hour per week position. The workweek is Tuesday through Saturday. 

We offer an excellent benefit package including medical, dental, vision, acupuncture/chiropractic, and life insurance; 12 paid vacation days per year to start, 13-14 paid holidays and 12 days of sick leave per calendar year; 403(b) retirement plan; stipend for working remotely and funds for home office workstation equipment and furniture. 

Hiring Timeline (This is our ideal timeline, but it may be subject to change): 

• The priority deadline for applications is June 7, 2024 
• We will review resumes and conduct interviews in June and July 
• Finalists will be invited to submit three references 
• Preferred start date is July 16, 2024

How To Apply: This position is open until filled. To apply, please email a cover letter and resume to jobs@savesfbay.org. Please make sure to include the position title Restoration Operations Specialist in the subject line. In the body of the email, please share where you found this job listing. 

COVID-19 Policy: All new hires must be fully vaccinated prior to their start of employment unless they are pre-qualified by HR for exemption.

Work Environment: We welcome people of all cultural backgrounds, gender expression and sexual orientation to apply and thrive with our growing team. Save The Bay is an equal opportunity employer that strives to recruit a diverse workforce and provide an equitable, and inclusive workplace for all.

DEI Statement: Committed to attracting and retaining a diverse staff, Save The Bay will honor your experiences, perspectives and unique identity. Together, our community strives to create and maintain working environments that are inclusive, equitable and welcoming.

Our Leadership Philosophy: At Save the Bay, we take a person-centered approach to leadership. As leaders, we strive to embody our organizational core values and create a work environment that fosters belonging, authenticity, accountability, and care.

Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DEI) - Our Journey

Over the past three years, Save The Bay has been reckoning with our positionality within a predominantly white-led environmental movement. Our internal DEI work has matured from identifying opportunities to create safe and welcoming working environments to implementing organization-wide professional development and offering racial affinity-based programs. Multiple DEI efforts began and continue to be fueled by employee leaders, their impact has already made a difference in the programs we offer, the investments we make, and partnerships we build. We are currently working to be effective allies to environmental justice organizations and to support community-driven efforts that protect the most vulnerable people from the impacts of climate change in our region.

In 2023, we adopted organizational core values after collecting feedback and engaging staff and board members. This has proven to be an impactful step in the integration of DEI into the leadership philosophy and operations of Save The Bay. The next phase of our work includes continued efforts to identify equitable outcomes in alignment with the development of Save The Bay’s strategic plan. 

Our DEI work is expansive and ongoing. We are committing significant organizational time and resources to advance DEI efforts and achieve equitable outcomes. We seek candidates who will help us forward this work, and understand that systems work demands resiliency, patience, and endurance.  

We offer an excellent benefit package including medical, dental, vision, acupuncture/chiropractic, and life insurance; 12 paid vacation days per year to start, 13-14 paid holidays and 12 days of sick leave per calendar year; 403(b) retirement plan; stipend for working remotely and funds for home office workstation equipment and furniture