Chief Conservation Officer

The Chief Conservation Officer (CCO) provides exceptional leadership for MDLT’s conservation programs—the organization’s largest branch. The CCO leads strategic conservation initiatives, ensures operational excellence within conservation activities, manages a talented team, and fosters partnerships to support mission impact.

As a core member of MDLT’s organizational leadership and conservation work, the CCO plays a pivotal role in connecting all staff with work in the field and is a strategic thought partner for the Executive Director and others. It is essential that the CCO understands desert ecosystems, brings a strong academic and professional conservation background, and has demonstrated leadership skills and can mentor, inspire, and support a wide variety of people from diverse backgrounds and life experiences.

The ideal candidate is an experienced conservation professional with the proven ability to navigate complex, changing conservation situations and provide topical expertise and ideas relevant to MDLT’s core desert ecosystem focus. They will have outstanding interpersonal and relational skills and excel at developing, leveraging, and sustaining MDLT’s conservation work with integrity, accountability, and humanity.    

Compensation

This is a full-time, exempt, benefit-eligible position. The CCO’s anticipated annual salary range is $105,000–$120,000, commensurate with knowledge, abilities, and experience. 

MDLT’s comprehensive benefits package includes: 

• Medical, dental, and vision benefits: the organization pays 80% for employee, 50% for dependents
• 401(k) Retirement Savings Plan with 3% company match
• Paid time off, including vacation, holidays, administrative time, personal time, and sick time as well as a paid Winter Break between Christmas Eve and New Year’s Day
• Flexible 9/80 schedule in which employees work 80 hours over a two-week period with an extended weekend every other week

Location

The CCO must be located within a reasonable commuting distance to MDLT headquarters in Joshua Tree, California.

Flex scheduling for occasional weekend and evening work and eligibility for hybrid/remote work 1–4 days/month are possible.

Start Date

Summer 2025