Program Coordinator, Golden Gate Raptor Observatory

Organization Description:

Since 1981, the Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy (Parks Conservancy) has served as the nonprofit partner of the National Park Service, collaborating with the Presidio Trust, partners, donors, and the community to support the Golden Gate National Recreation Area (GGNRA). The GGNRA stretches across three Bay Area counties north and south of the Golden Gate Bridge and includes iconic places such as Muir Woods National Monument, Fort Point National Historic Site, Alcatraz Island, Crissy Field, Mori Point, Lands End, and the Presidio of San Francisco.  

The Parks Conservancy engages at the intersection of national park sites, local communities, social justice, and climate resilience. Collaborating with partners, our staff are dedicated to enhancing public awareness and providing volunteer and educational opportunities in the parks. We are park builders, caretakers, ambassadors and educators, all working to connect people to parks in support of our vision Parks for All Forever. Join us.  

Department Description:

The Golden Gate Raptor Observatory (GGRO) is a program of the Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy and the National Park Service and is made up of approximately 150 community volunteers plus a small staff. The GGRO’s mission is to inspire the preservation of California birds of prey, collectively referred to as raptors. Our primary focus is to study and monitor the Pacific Raptor Flyway, particularly at the Marin Headlands, part of the Golden Gate National Recreation Area. We are dedicated to the conservation of raptors through both careful data collection and by engaging the public in our research.

The GGRO program is housed under the Parks Conservancy’s Conservation and Community Science (CCS) department. CCS supports the climate adaptive work of the Parks Conservancy, National Park Service, and agency partners by engaging our local communities and regional conservation practitioners in efforts that address the information needs of park scientists. We develop and carry out biological monitoring and conservation science studies designed to fill critical data gaps, spark curiosity, and engage a more diverse cross-section of Bay Area residents to understand how to improve the climate resilience of our parks as temperatures and seas rise. We work to demystify the scientific process by building bridges between community members, land managers and practicing scientists. We also work to rectify historic injustices built into the practice of science by expanding our collective understanding of what it means to “do science’ and by re-connecting with non-institutional ways of understanding our relationship to the natural world.

Position Overview:

The GGRO Program Coordinator is responsible for helping lead volunteers and projects in preparation for the field season, as well as managing safety and training materials primarily for the GGRO Banding Program. They will work closely with the staff in the GGRO program and other subject-matter experts. They will be a team leader during field operations, implement volunteer safety trainings, organize training materials, and provide other field and office support. A knowledge of raptor identification and raptor banding/handling experience is required, including the ability to lead a crew of volunteers with varied experience levels and personalities. They will assist with the training of the GGRO interns/fellows, if applicable, and novice volunteers. While this position primarily supports the banding program, it will also assist the hawkwatch program and other GGRO areas as needed. This position supports around 150 highly trained National Park Service volunteers producing 10,000+ community science hours annually.

Essential Functions and Responsibilities:

General

• Supports other staff in volunteer coordination and training for banding and hawkwatch programs.
• Supports trainings and meetings, both on-site and virtual.
• Supports vehicle maintenance and upkeep.
• Presents, reports, and prepares social media content and reviews content for accuracy with support from CCS Science Communications and Engagement Specialist as necessary.
• Works with team to maintain a safe work environment through Job Hazard Analyses, permit compliance, and adherence to policies, procedures, and agreements.
• Act as a staff lead on field days for both Banding and Hawkwatch Programs.
• Acts as Senior Program Manager or Hawkwatch Program Manager in their absence as delegated.

Banding

• Leads and performs bird care and facility management in coordination with other staff as advised by Senior Program Manager/Associate Director.
• Keeps equipment and supplies in good working condition, including bird trapping gear, bird blinds, banding tools & materials.
• Coordinates and conducts seasonal gear inventories. Schedules and supports volunteers to ensure daily bird care and completion of other tasks.
• Works with team to assist in volunteer management- ensuring adherence to policies and protocols, reporting hours.
• Assists with training volunteer on raptor banding using GGRO techniques.
• Assists with extracting biological samples (feathers, blood, swabs, etc.).
• Assists with handling and management of biological samples.
• Assists with data entry and proofing, writing end of the season reports.
• Assists with the specimen collection including upkeep, record keeping, and permit reporting.
• Keeps volunteers updated with safety protocols and seasonal changes in coordination with Program Managers as advised by Senior Program Manager/Associate Director.

Hawkwatching

• Assists in data management and quality control.
• Maintains hawkwatch research tools, and data devices.
• Assists with training volunteers in raptor identification and counting.

Position Terms:

This is a full-time position 2-year position.

• Start Date: May 1st, 2025
• End Date: May 1, 2027
• Schedule:
  • Full-time (40 hours a week), 5 days per week
  • Some evenings and weekends for trainings and workdays, schedule will be adjusted accordingly
  • During the field season (late July to early December), the typical work schedule will be 5 consecutive days that will include weekend days and may include holidays
  • Workdays may include working overtime up to 10 hours during the field season (mid-August to early December)
  • Field season scheduling will vary based on program needs
• Location: This position involves a mix of in-person office work at Fort Cronkhite, and field work in the Marin Headlands, Marin County, CA.
• Transportation: Must have reliable transportation to the Marin Headlands.

Reports To: Senior Program Manager, GGRO and coordinates daily tasks with Program Managers and other Program Coordinators.

Desired Education and/or Experience:

• Bachelor’s degree in ecology, wildlife biology or related field
• Prior raptor banding/handling experience is required, including the ability to lead a crew of varied experience levels in all aspects of banding station operation. Specifically:
  • Three field seasons of raptor-banding and raptor identification/surveys.
  • Has operated bownets, mist nets, and/or dho-gazas (a combination of the three techniques is acceptable).
  • Experience aging and sexing raptors using molt and plumage.
• A strong sense of ethics and knowledge of safety practices for raptor trapping and banding raptors.
• Experience managing and coordinating volunteers and/or field crews.
• Animal care experience.
• Interest in communicating about science to a broad public.

Desired Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

People Skills

• Has the ability to enthusiastically and skillfully work with and be responsible for a wide range of volunteers with various levels of expertise and personalities.
• Effectively manages time with multiple assignments and deadlines to ensure timely completion of projects.
• Demonstrates curiosity and adaptability, readiness to help a team tackle challenges and find solutions.
• Shows interest in adult learning and is curious about volunteers’ strengths and challenges, and how to support them on their path to improvement.
• Maintains awareness of changing field conditions, adapts to maintain safety
• Exhibits sound and accurate judgement.
• Possesses excellent problem-solving skills, interpersonal skills, and a positive attitude.
• Understands the power of teamwork, balances team and individual responsibilities.
• Possesses excellent inter-personal communication skills and the ability to work in a team toward common goals.
• Demonstrates attention to detail, accuracy, and thoroughness.

Technology

• Strong knowledge of MS Office (Excel, Word, PowerPoint, Access, Outlook, & SharePoint) and avian data collection software.
• Familiarity with Zoom, Teams, and other virtual online meeting tools.
• Familiarity with social media platforms.

Driving

• Valid Driver’s license and clean driving record.
• Must drive 4WD vehicles over rough dirt roads.
• Reliable transportation to and from the Marin Headlands, CA.

Raptors/Birds

• Knowledge of binoculars and spotting scopes.
• Knowledge of bird husbandry, health, and handling techniques.
• Knowledge of raptor biology and raptor research.
• Knowledge of raptor trapping techniques, specific skills include using bow nets, mist nets, dho-gazzas (50+ preferred) and extracting raptors from these types of nets.

Physical Requirements and Work Conditions:

• Ability to summarize safety guidelines into field trainings and situations.
• Adequate vision to spot and ID birds of prey, as well to read small fonts – may include corrective lenses.
• Adequate hearing to be able to respond to situations where you may not have a visibility of the person speaking or animals that you are working with – may include hearing devices.
• Frequently lifts, carries, and positions objects weighing up to 50 lbs.
• Field work will include sitting on a stool for up to 8 hours, squatting and kneeling, also standing for 6 hours.
• Ability to walk up and down a rocky fire road ½ mile in length with a steep grade, carrying up to 20 lbs.
• Some work is performed sitting at a desk and in front of a computer
• Work location is Ft. Cronkhite and the Marin Headlands.
• Work week will include working weekend days, some holidays, and some evenings.
• Workdays may include working overtime up to 10-hour days during the field season (mid-August to early December).

Certifications or Licenses:

Additional Banding Resume is required and must include:

• Dates and locations of experience/project.
• The name of the master bander who was responsible for this project
• Please list the BBL bird banding permit number (recommended but not required).
• Capture techniques that were used and the species/species groups and approximate number of birds captured with each technique.
• The species/species groups and approximate number of birds that were handled and banded.
• If auxiliary markers were used in the project, the type of marker(s), the attachment method(s), species, and number of individual birds that were marked.
• Any other banding-related activities such as blood sampling and feather sampling.
• If any formal training courses have been taken, please list the course title, dates, location, instructor, and a short summary of the course content. Additionally, include the species and approximate number of birds that were handled during the course, capture techniques used, and any other relevant information.

Pay Rate and Benefits:

• Pay rate: $28/hour (Grade 12)
• Benefits include:

• Free medical, dental, and vision plans for employee and family
• Paid vacation and personal days, paid holidays, and sick days
• 403(b) retirement plan
• Employer-match Commuter Program
• Employee Assistance Program, employee discounts and more
• Work in a beautiful location in the Golden Gate National Recreation Area.

Health and Safety:

It is the goal of the Parks Conservancy to create and maintain a safe and healthy workplace. We work to mitigate hazards and risks that may cause harm to employees, consistent with state and federal laws. Employees play an active role in creating a safe and healthy workplace and are expected to comply with all applicable health and safety rules. 

Application Deadline Date: Applications will be reviewed as they come in. Priority consideration will be given to applications received by April 30, 2025. After that date, applications will be accepted until the position is filled. Please apply with a resume and thoughtful cover letter.

The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by people assigned to this classification. They are not to be construed as an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties, and skills required of personnel so classified. All employees may be required to perform duties outside of their normal responsibilities from time to time, as needed.

The Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Recruitment, placement and promotions are conducted without regard to an individual’s race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, physical handicap, veteran status or sexual orientation, or any other classification protected by Federal, State, and local laws & ordinances.  We will consider qualified candidates with criminal history in a manner consistent with the requirements of the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance. All qualified applicants are encouraged to apply.