Grassland loss is the single greatest conservation issue currently facing eastern North American biodiversity. Our precious Southeastern grasslands are nearly extinct, and the species that depend on them are fading fast. Many of our Southeastern grasslands that managed to persist through the past 200 years have disappeared in the past quarter-century. What will the next 25 years bring? As a conservation community, we have only now realized how extensive our grasslands used to be. If we want to reverse the tide of grassland biodiversity loss, our response must be rapid and unparalleled in magnitude. This is an immensely complex and ambitious challenge that will take some of the brightest and most creative minds in American conservation and philanthropy to solve. Are you ready to join the Southeastern Grasslands Institute’s team?

Austin Peay State University’s Southeastern Grasslands Institute (SGI) invites applications for a full-time, nontenure-track position as Director of Project Management. The successful candidate’s primary role will be to manage a four-year, $14M National Park Service (NPS) project that aims to restore thousands of acres of grassland habitat on National Park property across 40 National Parks. The Project Director will work closely with our NPS partners, oversee report writing, scheduling, purchasing equipment, budget management, relationship building, and assist with the oversight of restoration and management activities across the project’s parks in multiple states. This will require setting priorities, high attention to detail, and excellent project management skills. In addition to on-the-ground work in grasslands and coordination of broader efforts, this position will work hand in hand with the Director of Ecological Restoration to ensure project deliverables are being met, contract work is being completed and billed on time, and all the needs of both individual parks and the regional offices at NPS are being met. This position may require travel throughout the year to project sites ranging from Mississippi to Vermont. This position will also manage and organize data related to the project, including but not limited to field data, monitoring data, maps, and more. This position will be based out of Clarksville, TN, and report directly to SGI’s Director of Ecological Restoration.

● Work closely with the Director of Ecological Restoration to ensure project deliverables are being met in a timely manner.

● Provide direction and strategy for SGI’s project with the National Park Service across 16 states in the eastern portion of SGI’s focal region: AL, DE, GA, KY, MA, MD, MS, NC, NY, PA, SC, TN, VA, WV, VT, and the District of Columbia.

● Coordinate and assist in field work related to grassland research, management, restoration, and recreation.

● Assign tasks for up to ten SGI staff members, including Restoration Ecologists, Biologists, and field technicians.

● Monitor team performance and provide feedback to the Director of Ecological Restoration

● Assist with mapping efforts

● Adapt to changes and solve problems proactively

● Manage changes to the project scope, timeline, and costs (change control)

● Create a detailed project plan (timeline, deliverables, milestones)

● Design and implement safety protocols for field work

● Serve as SGI’s primary liaison to our National Park Service partners for the duration of the project.

● Monitor project budgets.

● Lead project report writing as needed.

● Conduct education and outreach events focused on grassland restoration.

Responsible for obtaining licensing and training for herbicide applications, project permits, prescribed burn training, etc.

● Must be able to hike several miles in rugged terrain and a variety of landscapes, including wetlands, grasslands, forests, and hilly or mountainous terrain.

● Must be able to lift 50 pounds.

● Ability to work a non-standard schedule, such as beginning at 5 am to avoid heat-related issues, or occasionally working late hours on time-sensitive needs, such as project management or grant proposals.

● Willingness to camp in remote, undeveloped sites for multiple days, if necessary.

● Willingness and ability to work in harsh, ever-changing environmental conditions, including hot temperatures, independently in remote places, or as part of a team.

● Ability to sit or stand for long periods for desk work, including typing and using a laptop or desktop computer, and mobile app technologies.

● An M.S. in Botany, Ecology, Plant Biology, Conservation Biology, Restoration Ecology, or related fields is preferred. Or a Bachelor’s Degree with a minimum of 5 years of work experience in the coordination and implementation, and design of conservation programs or projects.

● Must have experience managing high-profile projects and excellent organizational skills. Experience using project management software is preferred. A strong candidate will have a successful track record in setting priorities, taking initiative, and multitasking.

● Experience delegating work to multiple employees. Able to provide direction and feedback for multiple projects and manage the team’s priorities and outcomes.

● Prior experience with prescribed fire training or certification, seed mix design, providing technical assistance to private, corporate, or agency stakeholders, and experience with drafting management plans are all strongly preferred.

● Proficient in identifying eastern North American grassland, wetland, and woodland plants.
● Proficient in natural history, ecology, and vegetation of eastern North America.

● Must have excellent communication skills. This includes writing clearly and concisely, responding to emails and phone calls promptly, and being comfortable giving oral presentations.

● Experience in restoring sensitive grassland remnants and reconstructing grasslands is preferred.

● Experience using hand-held GPS equipment and/or mobile apps for data collection and navigation.

● Proficiency with ArcGIS is preferred.

● Must have a valid driver’s license and be able to drive a wide variety of vehicles, including 4WD trucks and ATVs, pull trailers with large equipment, etc.

● Must have excellent interpersonal skills and ability to communicate and collaborate with a wide variety of audiences, from laymen to professionals.

● A background check will be required of the successful candidate.