The Western Pennsylvania Conservancy is looking to fill nine positions with conservation professionals (a project coordinator, agricultural and watershed specialists, scientists, data and GIS staff) for the following open positions. Applications are due June 10.

All positions are full time and will provide a competitive salary, plus excellent fringe benefits. To apply, send resume, cover letter and salary expectations to: Nancy Bassett, SPHR, Senior Director of Human Resources, Box R, Mill Run, PA 15464 or email to nbassett@paconserve.org .

Special Projects Coordinator, Sideling Hill Creek: Located at the Sideling Hill Creek Center Clearville, PA (Bedford County). This position will implement and oversee several agriculture-related projects in the Sideling Hill Creek watershed.

The ideal candidate will have a minimum of a BS degree in environmental or agriculture science and at least two year’s experience in conservation or related field. Experience in sustainable agriculture and community outreach and engagement is preferred; additional experience in watershed science/planning, land protection/stewardship and partnership building is desirable. Bachelor’s degree in environmental or a related field is strongly preferred.

The successful candidate must be willing to work out of the Sideling Hill Creek Center (located in the heart of rural Sideling Hill Creek) and be willing to participate in WPC activities in the area. Living accommodations are available, if needed. Must be willing to travel to Pittsburgh and other WPC sites as needed and must have access to reliable transportation.

Agriculture Conservation Specialist, Blairsville (2 Openings): Position provides technical assistance to agricultural producers and rural landowners for agriculture Best Management Practice (BMP) planning, implementation and promotion as they relate to WPC’s aquatic conservation goals and agriculture conservation programs. The positions are located in WPC’s Watershed Assistance Center in Blairsville, PA. Travel is required; will include some evening and weekend work.

The successful candidate will have a BS degree in agricultural science, watershed science or a related field and a commitment to conservation and sustainable agriculture. Experience working with the agricultural community in building relationships, educating and hands-on conservation practice implementation. USDA Technical Service Provider and PA Nutrient Management Specialist certifications desired.

Agriculture Conservation Scientists, Northwest Field Station: Position provides technical assistance to agricultural producers and rural landowners for agriculture Best Management Practice (BMP) planning, implementation and promotion as they relate to WPC’s aquatic conservation goals and agriculture conservation programs. The position is located at WPC’s North West Field Station office at Lake Pleasant, near Erie, PA. Travel is required; will include some evening and weekend work.

The successful candidate will have a BS degree in agricultural science, watershed science or a related field and a commitment to conservation and sustainable agriculture. Experience working with the agricultural community in building relationships, educating and hands-on conservation practice implementation. USDA Technical Service Provider and PA Nutrient Management Specialist certifications desired.

Watershed Scientist, Blairsville: Delivers watershed program elements to local and statewide constituents. Participates in field data collection activity related to several watershed restoration/protection project types. Coordinates monitoring components associated with Riparian Restoration and Protection Initiative as well as other agricultural projects.

The successful candidate will have a BS degree in watershed science, stream ecology, environmental planning, geography or a related field. Excellent communication and public presentation skills are required; experience with GIS desired.

Watershed Planning Specialist, Blairsville: Develops and writes river conservation plans as well as all components required in carrying out the DCNR planning process. Delivers watershed-related assistance in areas including water quality, watershed restoration, remediation of pollution from acid mine drainage and agriculture runoff, volunteer training, organizational development, project implementation and monitoring. Minimum of a bachelor’s degree in watershed science, stream ecology, environmental planning or geography required. 3-5 years of experience in completing river conservation plans and participating in the DCNR planning process preferred. Familiarity with hands-on projects to remediate watershed problems caused by non-point source pollution beneficial.

Watershed GIS Technician, Blairsville: Delivers watershed program elements to local and statewide constituents utilizing geographic information systems (GIS). Provides direct technical assistance including GIS training to local groups working on watershed protection and restoration.

The successful candidate will have a BS degree in environmental planning, geography or a closely related field. Experience using ArcView, ArcGIS or ArcInfo software required. Experience with hands-on GIS projects used to depict watershed characteristics regarding water quality, socio-economics, recreation and land use is preferred.

Conservation Data Management Assistant, Pittsburgh: Working in conjunction with WPC’s Conservation Data Manager and Heritage GIS Technician, the primary emphasis for the this position is to assist in the processing of natural heritage program information and entering data into database, map and manual files and to provide information to users as appropriate.

The successful candidate will have a education or background experience in biology, conservation or a related scientific field. Must be able to generally comprehend and summarize basic scientific or biological information. Must have knowledge and experience working with ArcView or other GIS software. Experience with Microsoft Access or Oracle, SQL or VB experience preferred.

Seasonal Polls Project Coordinator, Pittsburgh: Creates and conducts outreach programs for WPC’s Seasonal Pools Registry and Monitoring Program. Responsibilities include literature review and research, outreach program development, website development, creation of monitoring and informational materials, database creation and data entry, grant-writing, and development of citizen scientist network to monitor pool locations. In addition to office work, the seasonal Pools Outreach Coordinator will assist WPC science staff in field sampling and verification of seasonal pools ecosystem.

The successful candidate will have a BS degree in biology, ecology or a related field. Experience in coordinating and developing public outreach programs is required; experience with identification of amphibian species and plant species occurring in the Eastern United States is preferred. Experience with Microsoft Access, PowerPoint, GIS/GPS, and website development software such as Dreamweaver is preferred. Must have good communication skills and be comfortable interacting with volunteers of all types. Some travel is required; may include some evening and weekend work.

5/20/2005