Chesapeake Bay Program’s Fisheries Goal Team Staffer

The Chesapeake Research Consortium (CRC) is seeking an individual for a three-year Environmental Management Staffer position within its Environmental Management Career Development Program. All CRC Staffers in the Environmental Management Career Development Program support the work of the Chesapeake Bay Program. The Chesapeake Bay Program (CBP) brings together leaders from state, federal and local government, as well as academia and the watershed’s many communities, to collaborate on creating the best strategies and tools for cleaning up the Bay and the rivers and streams that flow into it and engaging with diverse communities to restore habitat health for living resources and promote stewardship for an environmentally and economically sustainable Chesapeake Bay. The Chesapeake Bay Program is fueled by science and driven by partnership.

The Environmental Management Staffer in this position will support the CBP’s Sustainable Fisheries Goal Implementation Team (Fisheries GIT). The Fisheries GIT enhances cross-jurisdictional, ecosystem-based fisheries management in the Chesapeake Bay and uses science to inform management decisions. The Fisheries GIT is comprised of the lead state fisheries managers, scientists, and key stakeholders from around the Bay to improve management and recovery of fish and shellfish species, including oysters, blue crab, menhaden, striped bass, shad, herring, and their habitats. The Fisheries GIT is responsible for implementing the oyster restoration, blue crab, forage, and fish habitat outcomes under the 2014 Chesapeake Bay Watershed Agreement. It also leads the Invasive Catfish Workgroup to improve science and tributary based management strategies for blue and flathead catfish. The Staffer in this role will also provide support to the Plastic Pollution Action Team and the Hypoxia Collaborative Team.

Environmental Management Staffer Role and Opportunities

As the Environmental Management Staffer in this position, you will work closely with the Fisheries GIT chairs, coordinator, and workgroup chairs and will assist them with the coordination, communication, and tracking of collaborative team actions. The activities of all CRC Environmental Management Staffers generally fall into three categories: coordination and administrative support; projects and substantive assignments employing technical, creative, and/or leadership skills; and professional development. As Staffer for the Fisheries GIT and designated workgroups, you will work with the team to plan meetings and other important interactions, prepare briefing materials, track deliverables, and support workgroup member needs. The staffer for this goal team should expect to engage in synthesizing complex scientific issues for use in management and policy discussions. The Fisheries GIT Staffer also assists the chairs and coordinator in translating and implementing Bay Program policies and priorities such as diversity, equity, inclusion, and justice; social science; and ecosystem services to the workgroups. Additionally, you will be engaged in the Chesapeake Bay Program’s innovative Strategy Review System process, which tracks progress towards the Chesapeake Bay Program partnership’s restoration goals by learning from past actions. While these vital coordination and administrative support functions can comprise a large portion of each Staffers experience (40-60%), they are balanced with consistent access to more substantive work such as working with the team to draft plans, strategy documents, and project proposals; data management; tracking progress toward performance targets; developing success stories; and representing this work at various forums. As part of the Environmental Management Career Development Program, you will also spend time on activities to support your own professional growth and development by engaging in activities such as attending training sessions, participating in workshops and conferences, taking a course to develop and enhance a particular skill, volunteering, and more.

As an Environmental Management Staffer in this program, you would have a unique opportunity to develop up to 3-years of professional experience through your day-to-day work activities while having dedicated time and support focused on your individual professional growth. This position offers an opportunity to work with a broad team of partners from across the Chesapeake Bay watershed representing a vast network of government (federal, state, and local) and non-government entities. The skills and network gained from this position will be valuable to someone seeking further education and/or career development in the environmental policy and scientific field with a focus on fisheries and natural resources management.

Environmental Management Staffers work a hybrid work schedule, dividing time each week between in-office work and telework. The selected candidate will work as a CRC employee at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Chesapeake Bay Office located in Annapolis, Maryland.

Summary of Responsibilities

The following provides some specific responsibilities that are likely to be assigned to the person accepting this position. This list is not exhaustive, and not all activities are concurrent. Staffers are considered a critical part of the team, working daily with networks of dedicated and passionate professionals, and can share in guiding and shaping important aspects of the work at hand.

• Provide meeting support by scheduling meetings and developing meeting agendas, setting up hybrid meeting technologies such as video conferencing and collaborative tools (training provided), drafting concise meeting minutes, and tracking and following-up on action items with various staff and partners.
• Engage closely with Fisheries GIT coordinator and leadership by providing meeting pre-briefs and other planning meetings.
• Work with staff at the NOAA Chesapeake Bay Office to link work with the Fisheries GIT.
• Manage and update content, contacts, and calendar items on goal team and workgroup webpages on the Chesapeake Bay Program website (content management system training provided). Maintain internal workgroup email distribution lists.
• Update, track, and consolidate feedback on documents or resources as necessary from workgroup members, leadership, and other experts.
• Assist with coordination, implementation, and tracking of actions specified in the two-year logic and action plans for relevant fisheries outcomes, particularly: Blue Crab Abundance; Blue Crab Management; Oysters; Forage; and Fish Habitat.
• Participate in the Strategy Review System (SRS) process for the fisheries-related outcomes, including the review and development of management materials, action plans, presentations, and associated materials.
• Assist with grant funding processes and management responsibilities and project oversite. This requires identify project ideas and setting priorities with the Fisheries GIT, drafting project statements of work, and working with technical leads to track project status and provide project leads feedback from key Fisheries GIT members (this usually involves helping to coordinate a project steering committee).
• Participate as needed to write reports and communication pieces, perform analysis, consolidate data, report on performance indicators and other tasks as assigned, or as desired for professional growth.

Desired Skills and Interests

The ideal candidate for the position would have the following background and interests; however, if you meet more than 75% of the qualifications of this description, we encourage you to apply. We welcome inclusion of nontraditional or non-formal education and experiences, volunteer, and lived experience that contributes to your fit for the position.

• Bachelor’s degree with a focus on natural or environmental science and/or policy (or a related area of study), emphasis on marine ecology or fishery science and/or management a plus.
• Knowledge of ecosystem management concepts including its physical, biological, social, and economic components as they relate to a large watershed restoration program is also desirable.
• Ability to perform background research, analysis, and synthesis on policy and science related topics.
• Ability to provide support by independently planning meetings, developing agendas, drafting concise meeting minutes, and tracking action items.
• Familiarity with using hybrid meeting technologies such as video conferencing (Google Meets, Zoom, Microsoft Teams, Webex, etc.).
• Proficiency in Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint is required.
• Experience with or interest in collaborating with a range of partners and stakeholders as part of interdisciplinary teams representing a variety of interests, in an environment meant to build consensus.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• Excellent organizational skills, attention to detail and problem-solving skills.
• Ability to prioritize tasks under tight timelines in a fast-paced environment, to multi-task and remain flexible with shifting demands.
• Ability to take initiative and work collaboratively with a team.
• Interest in learning how a multi-stakeholder, regional governmental-environmental-management partnership sets and achieves goals through collaboration, adaptive management, and science-based decision making.
• A willingness to explore career options and interest in engaging in professional development activities.

All Environmental Management Staffers are required to successfully complete a federal background check upon hire.

Chesapeake Research Consortium is committed to a diverse workforce and encourage people from all backgrounds to apply. CRC recruits, employs, trains, compensates, and promotes regardless of race, religion, creed, national origin, ancestry, gender identity (including gender nonconformity and status as a transgender individual), sexual orientation, age, physical or mental disability, veteran status or any other characteristic protected under applicable federal, state, or local law.

Salary and Benefits

The annual salary for all Environmental Management Staffer positions is $49,905. Our competitive benefits package includes paid vacation, sick, and personal leave; affordable health, dental, and vision insurance options; paid holidays; and access to retirement saving options with an employer contribution. In addition to the experience gained through your work assignments, CRC can support your attendance at professional conferences, workshops, and trainings related to your position, identified future career interests and individual professional development plan.

Anticipated Start Date

We are looking to start a new Staffer in this role in early September 2024. An exact start date will be determined collaboratively with the selected candidate.