Conservation Project Assistant

Employer: Napa County Resource Conservation District
Work Location: Napa, California
Status: Full-Time Hourly, Non-Exempt
Hourly Rate: $26.96 – $29.72 (dependent on experience)

Napa County Resource Conservation District (Napa RCD) is hiring a bilingual Conservation Project Assistant (Project Assistant) in Napa County, California. This role will primarily work to support watershed health and regenerative agriculture projects by monitoring environmental conditions on farms and in streams, assessing soil health and irrigation efficiency, as well as conducting outreach and education. This is an exciting opportunity for you to develop your career pathway in the environmental field with support and training from technical and outreach specialists. You will develop environmental subject matter expertise and gain strong experience in teamwork and bilingual communications. 

Organizational Background and Mission

Napa County Resource Conservation District (Napa RCD) is a non-regulatory local government agency founded in 1945 to help our community take care of the land, water, soil, and wildlife on which we all depend. Napa RCD supports conservation goals through community engagement, education, technical assistance, and scientific research. We use voluntary, cooperative, and scientifically-sound methods to ensure that the natural resources of our region are sustained, restored, and protected. We are a multidisciplinary team of sixteen conservation scientists, outreach, and administrative professionals, and are co-located with the county field office of the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS). The Napa RCD Board of Directors is composed of seven individuals who oversee an $8.5M annual operating budget that is mostly grant and contract funded. Learn more about us here: http://naparcd.org/  

Position Summary

The Project Assistant will support both technical and community engagement projects across Napa RCD’s programs areas, with a special emphasis on watershed health and regenerative agriculture. The primary role for the position is supporting field-based environmental monitoring and assessment using protocols, methods, tools, and software that are common within the environmental field. Much of this work will occur on vineyards as well as in the Napa River and its tributaries. This position will also have an important role in serving Spanish-speaking farmworkers with technical assistance, outreach, and education. The ideal candidate can effectively collaborate with different staff members and clients (e.g., landowners, farmworkers), learn new protocols, methods, tools, and software with training provided, and effectively communicate about environmental topics in both English and Spanish. The ideal candidate is also excited to spend time outdoors conducting surveys, taking measurements, and collecting samples on farms, open spaces, and waterways.

The Project Assistant will work closely with other Napa RCD staff and a range of partners. The position will report to the Program Director. This is a full-time position that requires onsite presence, particularly at field locations within Napa County. We offer a flexible 9/80 schedule option, upon request, and are open to discussing the possibility of partially remote work in the future.

Napa RCD believes in creating a more equitable playing field for applicants and values the depth of relevant skills built through education, work, and life experiences. If you feel your background and skills are suited for this position, you are strongly encouraged to apply. As an Equal Opportunity Employer, Napa RCD strongly encourages applications from those who self-identify as coming from historically marginalized populations and communities.
 

What You’ll Be Working On

• Watershed Assessments, Monitoring, and Restoration:
  • Assist with hydrologic monitoring of local streams (i.e., stream flow monitoring). 
  • Assist with fish and other biological monitoring.
  • Assist with stream habitat surveys and other field surveys.
  • Assist with data processing, entry and management.
  • Assist with planning, implementation, and monitoring of habitat restoration projects, as needed.
• Regenerative Agriculture Assessments, Technical Assistance, and Education:
  • Assist with and conduct vineyard irrigation system evaluations 
  • Assist with on-farm evaluations related to storm water pollution prevention.
  • Assist with soil health and carbon farm planning and technical assistance.
  • Assist with data processing, entry and management.
  • Assist with English and Spanish-language workshops for vineyard professionals, including vineyard managers and farmworkers, related to a range of regenerative agriculture topics. 
• Other related duties as assigned.

Minimum Required Qualifications

• Interest in and ability to carry out outdoor environmental and natural resources data collection either independently or as part of a team.
• Excellent English and Spanish verbal communication skills.
• Desire to embrace the mission of the Napa RCD, including a commitment of diversity, equity, and inclusion.
• Valid driver’s license and good driving record.
• Must successfully complete a background check.

Work Environment and Physical Requirements

Work hours are generally 8 A.M. to 5 P.M. from Monday through Friday, however, some work on weekday nights and weekends will be required. The Napa RCD office is in Napa, California. Local travel within Napa County will be required, with occasional regional travel as needed. Work is performed in indoor and outdoor settings including:

• A professional office environment that includes operation of standard office equipment such as computers, tablet devices, phones, copiers and printers, calculators, and filing cabinets.
• Field settings that include various terrains, and hot, cold, and wet conditions.

The work requires the ability to talk, listen, observe, stoop, reach, sit, stand, and use repetitive motions. The visual capacity to review and edit documents, and the ability to frequently remain in a stationary position, operate a computer and other standard office equipment, and converse by telephone and in person. Ability to occasionally lift and/or move up to 50 pounds. Ability to work outside on uneven terrain in all weather conditions.

Compensation and Benefits

Position Title: Conservation Project Assistant
Status: Full-Time Hourly, Non-Exempt. This at-will position is fully funded for one year, and continued employment is contingent on additional funding. Continued funding is expected.
Reports to: Program Director
Hourly Rate: $26.96 – $29.72 commensurate with applicable experience.
Benefits: Napa RCD’s full-time employees receive paid holiday, sick, and vacation leave, CalPERS retirement benefits, fully employer-paid health, dental, life, and long-term disability insurance plans, cell phone stipend, and access to a voluntary deferred compensation program.