Habitat Restoration Field and Office Fellow

Habitat Restoration Field and Office Fellow

Who We Are and What We Do

Save The Bay’s mission is to protect and restore the Bay for people and wildlife. We are the only regional organization that integrates political advocacy, wetland restoration, and education to shape a healthy and resilient region. We are a team of passionate people, and at the core, we are collaborative, supportive, dedicated, and bold. The organization has begun a process to create a workplace that genuinely values diversity and is equitable, inclusive and accessible to all. We are committed to this eternal work and approach it with humility and intentionality. 

Over two decades, Save The Bay has become a Bay Area leader in the science and practice of habitat restoration, focused on tidal marsh transition zone habitat at landscape-scale for recovery of endangered species, and for ecosystem resilience in the face of climate change. We enlist thousands of volunteers annually to restore the shoreline and educate Bay Area students to be the next generation of Bay stewards through hands-on experiential education and on-line learning.      

Save The Bay’s Fellowship Program is a highly regarded and professional program delivering critical support to staff to ensure a thriving and healthy San Francisco Bay. Fellows actively contribute to the organization and receive hands-on experience and individual mentorship as team members of Save The Bay’s talented and passionate staff. This program is an excellent opportunity for professional development and offers insight into a non-profit sector career. 

Position Summary

Save The Bay’s Habitat Restoration Field and Office Fellows receive valuable exposure to skills in restoration ecology and community engagement. Restoration Fellows will gain experience in native plant propagation, invasive species removal, native seed collection, biodiversity monitoring and outdoor education. Fellows will become knowledgeable in the native flora and fauna as they travel around different restoration sites around the Bay.  The Fellow also gains experience in environmental education and program design, helping our staff create content and lead programming for our Bay Discovery programs.   

What environmental issues/problems will the work address?   

Climate Change, Sea Level Rise, Habitat Restoration, Environmental Justice  

REPORTS TO: Education Program Coordinator

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

• Assist restoration specialists out in the field: performing biodiversity monitoring, planting native plants and weeding invasive species at sites inaccessible to the public 
• Help with plant propagation tasks at Save The Bay’s nurseries, including seed sowing, transplanting, divisions, fertilization, culling, and nursery maintenance 
• Enter project record data into Salesforce weekly for monitoring and reporting our work
• Support staff in co-teaching environmental education programming for students from around the Bay Area  
• Help Education Program Coordinator develop environmental education materials for use in the field and online   
• General administrative duties as assigned  
• Produce final project regarding relevant conservation issue at Save The Bay  

Qualifications and Experience

• Interest in San Francisco Bay environmental issues and enthusiasm for Save The Bay’s mission and programs
• Minimum commitment of at least 20 hours a week for 6-12 months  
• Active participation and adherence to COVID-19 guidelines 
• Ability and interest in working in the field with variable weather conditions
• Strong writing, communication, and organizational skills 
• Completion of at least two years of undergraduate education or relevant experience  
• Knowledge of basic html, web-based tools, and software programs 
• Ability to complete tasks independently and work well on a team
• Ability to lift 40lbs repeatedly for specific field and nursery tasks
• Clean background check is required
• Current driver’s license is required

Position Logistics

Location: 4 hours a week will be remote work, conducted from your home office. 16 hours per week will be in the field. Save The Bay has work sites around the Bay (Oakland, Hayward, Palo Alto, and Menlo Park) and the fellow will have the opportunity to work at all these sites. Fellows must have access to a car they can use to drive to work sites around the Bay (Oakland, Hayward, Palo Alto, and Redwood City). Commute times may be up to three hours throughout a day. Fellows will be reimbursed for all transportation from their home to the work sites. Drive time from your home to the site and back is considered part of your workday. Sometimes it will be possible to carpool with staff using work trucks (parked in Oakland garage).

Compensation and Benefits: Fellowships require a commitment of 6 months and can be extended up to 12 months total. This is a part-time (20 hours per week), non-exempt position, compensated at $20/hour. In addition to a Home Office Stipend of $500 for furniture, supplies and equipment and a monthly $75 stipend to ensure adequate internet service, a travel reimbursement will be provided for field days.   

Hiring Timeline

The priority deadline for applications is June 11, 2024 

Preferred start date is July 16, 2024 

How To Apply: This position is open until filled. To apply, please email a cover letter and resume to [email protected]. Please make sure to include the position title Habitat Restoration Field and Office Fellow in the subject line. In the body of the email, please share where you found this job listing.

COVID-19 Policy: All new hires must be fully vaccinated prior to their start of employment unless they are pre-qualified by HR for exemption.

Work Environment: We welcome people of all cultural backgrounds, gender expression and sexual orientation to apply and thrive with our growing team. Save The Bay is an equal opportunity employer that strives to recruit a diverse workforce and provide an equitable, and inclusive workplace for all.

DEI Statement: Committed to attracting and retaining a diverse staff, Save The Bay will honor your experiences, perspectives and unique identity. Together, our community strives to create and maintain working environments that are inclusive, equitable and welcoming.

Our Leadership Philosophy: At Save the Bay, we take a person-centered approach to leadership. As leaders, we strive to embody our organizational core values and create a work environment that fosters belonging, authenticity, accountability, and care.

Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DEI) – Our Journey

Over the past three years, Save The Bay has been reckoning with our positionality within a predominantly white-led environmental movement. Our internal DEI work has matured from identifying opportunities to create safe and welcoming working environments to implementing organization-wide professional development and offering racial affinity-based programs. Multiple DEI efforts began and continue to be fueled by employee leaders, their impact has already made a difference in the programs we offer, the investments we make, and partnerships we build. We are currently working to be effective allies to environmental justice organizations and to support community-driven efforts that protect the most vulnerable people from the impacts of climate change in our region.

In 2023, we adopted organizational core values after collecting feedback and engaging staff and board members. This has proven to be an impactful step in the integration of DEI into the leadership philosophy and operations of Save The Bay. The next phase of our work includes continued efforts to identify equitable outcomes in alignment with the development of Save The Bay’s strategic plan. 

Our DEI work is expansive and ongoing. We are committing significant organizational time and resources to advance DEI efforts and achieve equitable outcomes. We seek candidates who will help us forward this work, and understand that systems work demands resiliency, patience, and endurance.