Habitat Restoration Native Plant Nursery Fellowship

Habitat Restoration Nursery Fellow

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, creative, strategic and collaborative people, dedicated to the urgent work of building Bay Area resilience and hope in the face of the escalating impacts of climate change.

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 online learning.

Position Summary

Save The Bay’s Habitat Restoration Nursery Fellowship provides valuable exposure to skills in native plant nursery management and restoration ecology. The Habitat Restoration Nursery Fellow primarily works in our native plant nurseries, gaining experience in propagating transition zone native species, seed and division collection, and integrated pest management. They also assist the Habitat Restoration Team at our restoration sites around the bay with invasive removal, monitoring, and out planting.

Reports To

Native Plant Nursery Manager

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

• Support the Nursery Manager in plant propagation tasks at Save The Bay’s 3 propagation sites (Palo Alto, Menlo Park, and Oakland), including seed sowing, transplanting, divisions, pruning, and culling
• Assist in nursery maintenance projects, including, but not limited to, construction, irrigation, weeding, and organization
• Participate in seed collection
• Join staff-only workdays. Projects include site maintenance, out-planting, native seed and division collection, invasive species removal, and monitoring
• Assist Nursery Manager with our community-based volunteer programs at our restoration sites and native plant nurseries (dependent on Covid-19 restrictions)
• Clean and weigh seed collections and update seed collection inventory
• Data entry on seed collections and propagation tasks

Qualifications and Experience

• Interest in plant species native to the Bay Area and/or in nursery operations
• Interest in San Francisco Bay environmental issues and enthusiasm for Save The Bay’s mission and programs
• Minimum commitment of approximately 20 hours a week for 6 months with possibility of extension
• Interest in leading diverse populations in nursery and habitat restoration activities
• Enthusiasm and desire to engage in DEIA work (Diversity, Equity, Inclusivity and Accessibility) as it relates to Habitat Restoration
• Ability to complete administrative and computer-related tasks remotely. Save The Bay operates without a central office location. All staff and fellows work from home
• Detail-oriented, with strong communication and organizational skills
• Ability to complete tasks independently and work well in a team
• Flexibility with changing schedules and plans, responsive to several channels of communication (texting, phone, email)
• Ability to work in the field in inclement weather conditions
• Ability to lift at least 40lbs, work in physically active environment
• Active participation and adherence to Covid-19 guidelines
• Provide background check

Driving requirements

• Fellows must have access to a car they can use to drive to work sites around the Bay (Oakland, Menlo Park, and Palo Alto). Commute times may be up to three hours throughout a day but are considered part of the 8 hour work day
• Current California driver’s license and clean driving record required

Position Logistics

Location: The Nursery Fellow position will work primarily out of the nursery spaces in Palo Alto and Oakland. Commute time to and from these sites is included as a part of the workday, and gas mileage is reimbursed. Save The Bay’s office is based in Oakland, CA, where we have monthly all-staff meetings on first Tuesdays of the month.

Compensation and Benefits:This is a temporary, part-time, non-exempt, 20 hours per week position. The hourly rate for this position is $20.00 per hour. We offer the following benefits to fellows: limited sick leave; 403(b) retirement plan; stipend for working remotely.

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: Save The Bay is an equal opportunity employer. We welcome people of all racial backgrounds, cultural backgrounds, gender expression and sexual orientation to apply. We strongly encourage Black, Indigenous, People of Color, members of the LGBTQIA+ community and those with historically under-resourced identities to apply.

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 –Habitat Restoration Nursery Fellow– in the subject line. In the body of the email, please share where you found this job listing.

Hiring Timeline: The priority deadline for applications is August 8, 2025

We will review resumes and conduct interviews throughout August.

Finalists will be invited to submit three references.

We would like to make an offer to a candidate by Mid/ Late August and have the candidate start in Late August/ Early September.