BeaverWise Field & Outreach Technician

Position Title: BeaverWise Field & Outreach Technician

Position Status: Part-time, Limited-Term Position (20 hours/week), Non-exempt

Position Level: Entry-level

Location: Hybrid –Carnation WA Office Location, Fieldwork throughout the Lower Snoqualmie Valley, Remote Work from Home

Compensation: $23/hour

Reports to: Executive Director

Position Announcement: December 5, 2025

Application Deadline: December 21, 2025 at 11:59 pm  

Anticipated Start Date: February 2, 2026  

About the SVPA

The SVPA is a community-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit dedicated to protecting and enhancing the lives, livelihoods, lands, and waters of a Pacific Northwest regional treasure, the Snoqualmie Valley. The SVPA works collaboratively to find balanced, long-term solutions to challenges facing the Snoqualmie Valley — land use planning, agricultural viability, watershed management, ecosystem health, and flood risk reduction and mitigation.

The Snoqualmie Valley is comprised of over 440,000 acres of forests, farms, and small towns, all within an hour’s drive of Seattle. As the urban centers expand rapidly, the environmental and economic viability of the Valley are put under great pressure. Since forming in 2010, the Snoqualmie Valley Preservation Alliance has become a steadfast, organized, reliable, and respected advocate for protection of these irreplaceable working lands. We have become a very effective force for forging productive relationships between community members, farmers, residents, tribes, and county and state officials. We have found creative solutions to shared challenges and made significant headway on some key issues central to protecting the Valley, especially in the area of flooding, agricultural viability, development impacts, and water rights.

About SVPA’s BeaverWise Program

BeaverWise is the SVPA’s beaver management program. This program was developed to help valley landowners and land managers, primarily agricultural producers, mitigate and reduce beaver-caused flooding, drainage issues, and damage to property and infrastructure. The goals of this program are to:

• Provide base beaver population data necessary for effective wildlife management
• Deliver technical assistance and beaver-related flood reduction education, resources, and tools to agricultural producers
• Offer financial assistance in the form of cost-share, free technical guidance, and free regulatory navigation guidance
• Provide on-site management implementation, installation, and maintenance assistance

In 2025, SVPA received new funding to expand BeaverWise’s toolbox to include beaver relocation as a last-resort option for high-conflict sites where coexistence strategies have proven ineffective. Beginning in 2026, SVPA will be fully permitted to relocate beavers to ecologically beneficial restoration areas throughout the watershed. This is an exciting next chapter for BeaverWise—and for the Snoqualmie Valley—bridging agricultural resilience, climate-adaptive land management, and wildlife stewardship.

This position offers a rare opportunity to play a key role in launching SVPA’s relocation program in its first season. The Technician will assist with everything from daily beaver care and health monitoring at the holding facility to supporting site assessments, volunteer coordination, and release operations. For the right candidate, this is a chance to help build a brand-new program from the ground up while directly improving conditions for farmers, ecosystems, and the beavers themselves.

Position Overview

The BeaverWise Field & Outreach Technician is a part-time (20 hours/week), limited-term, non-exempt position funded for nine months (February–October 2026) with the possibility of extension if funding allows. This unique role blends hands-on fieldwork, beaver coexistence, beaver relocation support, community outreach, and volunteer engagement to advance SVPA’s BeaverWise program across the Snoqualmie Valley.

From February–April, the Technician will primarily assist SVPA’s BeaverWise team with field-based beaver management and flood-risk-reduction activities on priority farmland, including dam modification (notching/removal), flow-device installation, and site monitoring.

From May–October, the role transitions to supporting beaver relocation, volunteer coordination, and community-facing activities, including:

• Beaver Relocation Support: Assisting BeaverWise staff, as needed, with beaver handling, daily husbandry and feeding at the holding facility when beavers are present, relocation site assessments, and post-release monitoring.
• Volunteer leadership: Helping SVPA build a basic volunteer program framework; recruiting, coordinating, communicating with, and helping lead volunteers for relocation program support, beaver habitat citizen science surveys, and other SVPA volunteer opportunities.
• Community Education & Outreach: Support educational outreach at local events, SVPA program-focused educational sessions/workshops, and general public engagement.

The Technician reports to the Executive Director, with day-to-day supervision from the Beaver Conservation Manager. The position works closely with the Beaver Conservation Manager, the Floodplain Field Technician, volunteers, partners, and occasionally contractors.

Duties and Responsibilities Detailed:

BeaverWise Field Work (~75% of Workload February – April; ongoing as needed May – October):

• Support Beaver Conservation Management and Floodplain Field Technician with ongoing beaver dam management activities on priority agricultural properties on an as-needed basis. Beaver dam management activities may include but are not limited to:
  • Accompanying BeaverWise staff on field visits to assist with landowner-requested beaver management.
  • Assist with seasonal dam maintenance during high-flood-risk periods, including dam notching/modification/removal, installation/maintenance of flow devices.
  • Support water quality monitoring as time allows.
  • Document field activities with photos, data sheets, and digital records.

Community Education and Outreach (~25% workload February – April; 30% workload May – October):

• Table at local events (e.g., farmers markets, partner events) to educate the public about SVPA’s mission and programs, with a particular emphasis on BeaverWise.
• Help produce and distribute outreach materials and simple educational resources.
• Assist with workshops, field tours, and relocation orientation events.
• Engage general public & new audiences (e.g. youth, underserved community members) about beavers, their role in the ecosystem, restoration potential, flooding challenges and impacts on farmland and infrastructure, management strategies, etc.) through social media, website, newsletters, etc.

Beaver Relocation Pilot Support (~30% workload June – October 2026):

• Assist with beaver handling, husbandry, feeding, and facility sanitation at the temporary holding facility.
• Monitor held beavers for signs of illness or injury and report observations to senior staff.
• Help coordinate and lead volunteers for animal care shifts.
• Support relocation trapping operations and logistics as needed.
• Participate in relocation site assessments and post-release monitoring.

Volunteer Leadership & Citizen Science (~30% workload May – October):

Supports BeaverWise Citizen Science Program deliverables.

• Recruit and train volunteers for beaver habitat surveys and relocation support.
• Help develop and deliver training materials and safety guidance.
• Lead or co-lead small groups during citizen science surveys, documenting beaver features using Survey123 application.
• Support volunteer recruitment through events, partnerships, and local schools.
• Maintain volunteer communications, scheduling, and tracking.
• Collect volunteer feedback and assist in evaluating program effectiveness.
• Contribute to development of a simple Volunteer Program framework (Standard Operating Procedures) and end-of-season summary report.

Other Duties (~10% workload February – October):

• Aiding with miscellaneous SVPA projects and tasks as identified by the SVPA Executive Director and Board of Directors, as needed. These tasks may include but are not limited to administrative, outreach, data entry, and fundraising support tasks.

Required Qualifications:

• Ability to pass a background check.
• Must possess a valid Drivers’ License and a clean driving record.
• Education or experience in natural resources; at least one of the following:
• A bachelor’s degree in a relevant field (e.g., wildlife biology, zoology, ecology, fisheries science, hydrology, natural resource management, environment science, or similar), OR
• Currently working toward a degree in a relevant field of study and seeking hands-on experience to complement academic studies, OR
• A high school diploma/GED and at least two years of relevant experience in natural resources, conservation, environmental science, wildlife management, ecology, environmental education, or a related field, OR
• Equivalent work experience and education demonstrating competency in natural resource management or conservation-related fields.

• Ability to work on-site throughout the lower Snoqualmie Valley as field projects require.
• Comfort working outdoors for extended periods in all weather conditions, including working on uneven terrain, wading in wetlands or rivers, and navigating challenging field environments.
• Ability to work safely and effectively with SVPA staff, partners, volunteers, and landowners.
• Strong public communication skills and comfort engaging with community members, partners, volunteers, and landowners.
• Ability to self-manage tasks, work independently in the field, and collaborate as part of a small team.
• Strong communication, reliability, and professionalism when working remotely.
• Aptitude for working with and supporting volunteers, including helping guide or oversee small volunteer groups.
• Ability and comfort using hand tools and basic field equipment, such as T-post drivers, brush-clearing tools, weed whackers, GPS units, camera traps, fish nets, and similar tools.
• Ability to lift, carry, and move up to 50 pounds of equipment or supplies.
• Ability to safely drive a 4WD truck in remote areas, across uneven and/or steep terrain.
• Commitment to justice, diversity, equity, and inclusion, and to fostering an inclusive environment for volunteers, partners, and community members.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Familiarity or experience working on agricultural lands or within working-lands systems.
• Experience or coursework related to flooding, hydrology, or water-resource management.
• Familiarity, experience, or coursework related to wildlife management, wildlife coexistence, or habitat restoration.
• Experience wading in streams, wetlands, or other aquatic environments as part of fieldwork.
• Experience completing field projects as part of a small, collaborative team.
• Experience working independently to meet project goals and deadlines.
• Experience with community engagement or volunteer coordination, especially in outdoor or conservation settings.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, especially when engaging with the public, landowners, or volunteers.

We Encourage You to Apply

SVPA encourages applicants from all backgrounds to apply—even if you do not meet every preferred qualification or every requirement. This is an entry-level position designed to help someone build hands-on skills and professional experience in natural resources, wildlife coexistence, volunteer management, and environmental outreach.

If you are passionate about conservation, eager to learn, and excited about contributing to a growing and innovative program, we welcome your application and would love to hear how your interests and experiences make you a strong fit for this role.

SVPA Work Culture

The SVPA is a small team that works in a highly collaborative way with many partners, community members, landowners, government agencies, tribes, and more. We strive to create a fun and safe work environment, both in the field and in the office. Our team is passionate about what we do, and we approach our work with each other, our partners, and our community with positive attitudes, open minds, mutual respect, direct communication, and a high level of productivity. The SVPA provides a space for all staff to voice their ideas and provides a degree of flexibility for individuals to explore projects of personal interest, when feasible and relevant, and develop professionally in a variety of ways.

Hours and Compensation:

Target hourly wage is $23/hr for 20 hours a week with potential for position extension, depending on funding availability. The SVPA office is currently located on the Carnation Farms campus in Carnation, WA. The candidate must be willing to work on site in the Carnation office or in the field throughout the Snoqualmie Valley, as projects demand and assigned by the supervisor. However, the position does allow for remote work from home, when appropriate.

The selected candidate will coordinate with the Executive Director to determine a consistent part-time schedule that accommodates both organizational and employee needs.

Benefits:

This position will include sick leave and 5 paid holidays occurring throughout the 9-month employment period: President’s Day, Labor Day, Memorial Day, Juneteenth, Independence Day. If the holiday falls on a weekend, you may take the allotted vacation day the Monday or Friday of that week. As a 20 hour per week position, holiday pay is prorated, meaning the employee will receive 4 hours paid for each holiday falling within the employment period. This position is not eligible for Paid Time Off (PTO). Sick time accumulates at 1 hour for every 40 hours worked, according to Washington State law. This position does not include healthcare insurance benefits but does include workers’ compensation. SVPA payroll is processed semi-monthly.

Snoqualmie Valley Preservation Alliance (SVPA)

Physical Address 29005 NE Carnation Farm Rd Bldg H, Carnation, WA 98014

Mailing: P.O. Box 1148, Carnation WA 98014

Ph: 425-549-0316   Email: info@svpa.us