eDNA Project Manager

Position Title: eDNA Project Manager 

Employment Type: Full time 

Contract Type: Renewable – 24 -month fixed-term expiring December 2027 

Location: Remote (Located in New Zealand, Australia, Samoa, Hawaii, Guam, American Samoa, and Northern Mariana Islands). 

Salary Range: $60 – $90K USD, $100k – $120k NZD, $95 – $135K AUD annually, depending on location and experience 

This is a full-time role based on a 32-hour work week, with remote flexibility and international travel. Compensation may vary based on legal minimums and cost-of-living differences across locations where Island Conservation operates. 

About Us 

Island Conservation (IC) envisions a world filled with vibrant biodiversity, resilient oceans, and thriving island communities. We are the only international non-profit conservation organization with the mission to restore islands for nature and people worldwide. Islands are special places that provide outsized returns on our conservation investments. IC is committed to holistic island-marine ecosystem restorations that combine efforts to improve community livelihoods and climate resiliency, manage invasive species, and reestablish native animals and plants. Learn more about us at www.islandconservation.org. 

Position Overview  

Island Conservation seeks a strategic and collaborative eDNA Project Manager to lead our IslandScope initiative, a two-year partnership with the Minderoo Foundation to co-develop community-led marine environmental DNA (eDNA) monitoring programs across island ecosystems.  

The eDNA Project Manager will be responsible for delivering the project’s strategic goals and helping shape a replicable model for community-driven ecosystem intelligence. This role will coordinate across internal teams and island partners to guide implementation, support shared learning, and ensure the project delivers scientifically robust, ethical, and locally meaningful outcomes.  

This role reports to the Senior Director of Impact and Innovation, who provides strategic guidance and supports partner relationships. The Project Manager will lead day-to-day delivery and coordinate across teams, with the autonomy to make decisions and raise issues when needed. 

Essential Duties 

 40% Strategic Project Leadership 

• Translate high-level goals into actionable workstreams across teams and partners.
• Facilitate coordination across Field Operations, Partnerships, Impact and Innovation, Communications, and Finance teams.
• Lead adaptive planning and decision-making to keep the project on track and responsive to emerging needs.
• Guide development and implementation of the Measurement and Learning (MEL) plan
• Coordinate the development of a standardized land-sea restoration index in collaboration with science leads, scientific advisors, and community partners.
• Ensure alignment with Island Conservation’s strategic priorities and funder expectations.
• Serve as the face of the project.

30% Community partnerships and engagement 

• Build and maintain trusted relationships with island communities and local institutions.
• Support co-development of community-led monitoring programs and data governance agreements.
• Deliver training, webinars, and capacity-building activities.
• Elevate community voices through storytelling and participatory science.

20% Project Management 

• Manage project budget, financial planning, and reporting.
• Administer microgrants and data sharing agreements.
• Oversee open-access data collection, analysis, and communication.
• Ensure compliance with funder guidelines and ethical research standards.
• Conduct periodic field visits to support implementation and relationship-building.

10% Team Leadership 

• Mentor internal leads and partner staff.
• Champion a team culture that values scientific excellence, authentic engagement, and shared leadership with island partners.
• Support professional development and performance alignment.

Additional Responsibilities 

Flexibility Requirement: Approximately 5% of the duties and responsibilities may be adjusted based on the evolving needs of the supervisor and the organization. This may include carrying out tasks outside of or in addition to those outlined in the job description. This flexibility is essential to support a dynamic response to evolving priorities and objectives. 

Benefits 

This is a full-time exempt position with a competitive salary and a full benefits package, including a four-day work week. Island Conservation offers a flexible work schedule with a remote, online work environment. 

Requirements  

Essential 

• Minimum three years’ experience managing conservation or science-based field projects, ideally in marine or island ecosystems.
• Proven track record of delivering multi-year projects on time and within budget.
• Strong understanding of eDNA or molecular ecology methods, including sampling protocols and data management.
• Demonstrated success in community engagement, participatory science, or stakeholder coordination.
• An ethic of service and/or conservation to benefit the natural world and people.
• Must have a valid passport and a valid driver’s license from any country.
• Must have authorization to work in country of residence.

Desirable 

• Experience with stable isotope analysis or marine nutrient monitoring.
• Familiarity with data sovereignty, open science, and ethical research practices.
• Experience working with Indigenous or local communities in conservation contexts.
• Comfort with remote work and digital collaboration tools.
• Experience working in remote field settings and conservation environments.

Skills & Attributes 

• Results-oriented leadership with strong interpersonal and communication skills.
• Ability to present complex technical information clearly to diverse audiences.
• Collaborative mindset with a proactive and constructive approach.
• Strong time management, prioritization, and delegation skills.
• Commitment to learning, innovation, and continuous improvement.

Flexibility and travel 

• This is not a field-based role. Candidates should be comfortable supporting field operations remotely, coordinating across time zones, and enabling others to lead on-the-ground implementation.
• Willingness to travel for short periods (1 – 2 weeks) to Pacific, Latin American, and Caribbean partner countries throughout the project.
• Must be prepared to coordinate across time zones and manage relationships with remote teams and community partners (e.g., America/Pacific, America/Mountain, America/Puerto Rico, U.S./Hawaii, Pacific/Palau, Pacific/Auckland, Pacific/Perth, Chile/Continental).