Biodiversity Research Program Director

Overview: The overall intent of the Biodiversity Research Program Director/Interim Director of Science Operations is to expand BRI’s growth into national and international spaces (e.g., participate with the Convention on Biological Diversity – CBD) and coordinate current working Offshore Wind research teams. The Biodiversity Research Program Director will play an integral role in helping steer strategic growth and high-level coordination of relevant research and policy interests. The Interim Director of Science Operations position will provide high level integration of BRI’s with the Offshore Wind (OSW) teams in coordination with the Applied Ecology for Renewable Energy (AERE) Director/Offshore Wind Science Director. This position will also assist the Executive Director/Chief Scientist, with effective management, communication and strategic collaborative partnerships.

The successful candidate must possess a genuine interest in supporting BRI’s mission, proven experience in managing and directing environmental research programs, well-honed leadership and interpersonal skills, and a strong desire to be part of a dynamic and purpose-driven work environment. Additionally, the candidate should possess the training and experience to lead a multidisciplinary team in the development of scientific discovery and innovation in the understanding of toxicology, renewable energy, biodiversity, carbon projects and other issue-driven topics.

Key Responsibilities:

Biodiversity Research Program Director

• Work with the Executive Director/Chief Scientist to network, organize scientific/policy panels, present scientific findings, develop grant proposals to the Global Environmental Facility, and lead international projects with the United Nations Environment Programme, the Secretariat’s Office of the Minamata Convention, the Convention on Biological Diversity and the IUCN;
• Assist or oversee biodiversity surveys and related research as needed with associated soil carbon projects;
• Work with scientists who are part of BRI’s Center for Conservation and Climate Change and BRI’s Quantitative Wildlife Ecology and Research Lab (QWERL) to develop high quality nature credits (aka, biodiversity credits) that follow the Verra framework that was introduced at the CBD Conference of Parties meeting that can be eventually sold in the marketplace;
• Work with BRI’s AERE, Center for Research on Offshore Wind Energy (CROWE), and the Net Positives Research Program to navigate the needs for developing compensatory fund framework and assist in working with the federal government (e.g., U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and Bureau of Ocean Energy and Management);
• Assist with projects that include federally threatened and endangered species research, monitoring, or management (e.g., Red Knot, Piping Plover, Roseate Tern);
• Represent BRI and attend relevant international conferences held by the CBD and IUCN and other relevant international bodies;
• Support the Center for Conservation and Climate Change carbon projects in Africa (e.g., Kenya, Tanzania and Zambia) and elsewhere;
• Lead, direct, contribute and coordinate peer-reviewed scientific publications.

Interim Director of Science Operations

• Meet and work regularly with the AERE Director related to strategic planning and growth for overall OSW efforts. This team will overlap with the Chief Scientist to harmonize with the broader organizational research interests.
• Ensure that the Offshore Wind teams (i.e., CROWE, QWERL, and AERE) are coordinated with all other areas of BRI including: Administrative, Communication, Data and Analysis, and Field Teams;
• Develop individual development plans for direct staff that facilitate professional development, including potential training, conferences, and personal milestones;
• Work with the Communications Team to relay scientific findings to the United Nations and related international agencies and federal governmental decision-makers and landscape managers;
• Work with the Executive Director/Chief Scientist on new initiatives and networking, serving as an advisory liaison with federal agencies;
• Actively participate in field research when relevant or of interest.

Management/Administration

• Serve as a supervisor for 3-4 senior scientific staff with CROWE and QWERL;
• Attend regular staff meetings with CROWE and QWERL and other Centers, Research Programs and Labs when relevant;
• Work with the Executive Director and Deputy Director to manage relevant project budgets;
• Facilitate and maintain communication between BRI and external science stakeholders;
• All other duties as directed or assigned by the Executive Director.

Knowledge, Skills, and Experience Required

The successful candidate will have a PhD in a relevant scientific field and should be a highly collaborative leader with a demonstrated standing in the scientific community. The position requires the ability to lead and manage projects focused on growing the Biodiversity Research Program and help develop biodiversity-related decision support tools. Other essential abilities include:

• Maintain an expert and current knowledge base of biodiversity and conservation and policy issues;
• Provide technical support for biodiversity development projects, including field designs and report writing;
• Coordinate (i.e., lead or manage) multidisciplinary collaborative working groups to achieve research or policy goals;
• Write and publish papers in scientific journals;
• Travel to domestic and international meetings to communicate project results;
• Work with a collaborative team of colleagues to achieve project objectives;
• Ability to work a flexible schedule, including occasional weekend work or overnight travel, especially for international settings;

This position does not require expertise in OSW but serves with an overarching supervisory role. Specifically, this position helps foster collaboration, scientific synergies and cooperation among OSW staff with CROWE and QWERL. Further, this position assists in implementing new initiatives and participates in program operations, including planning, evaluation and administrative supervision.

Work Schedule and Location: This is a full-time salaried position based at BRI’s Portland, Maine office. Recognizing that wildlife work often requires intensive field seasons, BRI is dedicated to an office culture that is relaxed and supportive of both families and the individual needs of our staff. BRI supports helping professionals in their careers to develop their pathway and providing inclusion, diversity, equality, and acceptance. Field work supervision is envisioned for international projects but field stints longer than two weeks will be rare.

Compensation: BRI is committed to salary equity and our goal is to meet federal Grade-Step (GS) levels that align with years of education and experience (refer to the GS pay scale as an approximate guide for the Boston Region with a 10-15% lowered adjustment for Portland, Maine). BRI offers a fully paid employee health insurance premium, optional dependent coverage, dental, LTD, life insurance, 401k with match, and generous paid PTO and holidays. Costs associated with work travel are reimbursed. Ultimately, BRI’s benefits package, workplace flexibility, international travel options, professional development opportunities, and ability for vertical movement within the organization creates a supportive work environment and opportunities for professional and personal growth. BRI is a member of the United Nations Global Compact and as such meets DEI interests in the US.