SCIENCE EDUCATION JOBS

Title: Senior Environmental Programs Specialist
Organization: Water First
Location: Creemore and/or work at home, Ontario (see below)

Job Description

Looking for a meaningful job with a great team that’s addressing a pressing challenge in Canada? Water First addresses First Nations’ drinking water and environmental water challenges through education, training and meaningful collaboration. As a non-profit organization experiencing consistent and significant growth, Water First is expanding and looking for a vibrant individual who can further develop, implement, and grow our water science training programs in close collaboration with Indigenous communities in Ontario, Quebec, Labrador and Manitoba.

Our Environmental and Drinking Water Internship programs focus on addressing the gap in access to water science training in Indigenous communities by integrating technical training with hands-on, project based learning in partner communities. Project development and delivery is done in collaboration with community and/or tribal council partners and aims to address specific community goals (i.e. strengthen technical abilities in a band office, recruit and train young drinking water operators, develop a network of water quality monitors). This position will support the development and expansion of our Environmental programming as well as the delivery of the Environmental programming and Drinking Water Internship.

Water First supports progressive labour policies including flexible hours, a benefits package, pension plan and generous vacation time that respects work-life balance.

Salary: $75,000 - $92,000 full-time annual salary range, commensurate with credentials & experience
Start date: May, 2021
Duration: Regular, Full-time
Location details: Ontario - A full time desk is available in the Creemore office or if located remotely, the applicant should be able to work from home and attend critical meetings in the Creemore, Ontario office.

Responsibilities

Environmental Program

• Program development and expansion

• Provide technical expertise and guidance during a collaborative development process for our Environmental Program. Potential topic areas include:

• Effects of climate change on water resources
• Modeling and monitoring hydrological systems
• Monitoring and managing fisheries resources
• Data management, visualization, interpretation and communication for communities
• Community mapping
• Environmental Assessments
• Providing project specific technical expertise to support other project leads.

• Environmental project lead

• Developing projects in collaboration with community partners
• Creating and adapting work plans, tracking deliverables, monitoring budgets, applying for permits, troubleshooting and adapting project plans in an anticipatory fashion.
• Developing sampling and/or monitoring plans and coordinating sample analysis.
• Facilitating community technical training workshops and supporting community project based learning, both in person and through remote support.
• Evaluations, internal/external reporting, program refinement.

• Drinking Water Internship
• Support the Drinking Water Internship as needed:
• Co-delivering water science-focused training sessions (ie water chemistry, sampling and monitoring parameters, data management, mapping drinking water and/or source water quality data).
• Facilitating technical training sessions in a respectful, hands-on, project based manner to learners with diverse backgrounds.

Preferred Qualifications & Experience

Education

• Advanced/graduate degree in one or more of the following fields: water resource engineering, hydrogeology, water chemistry, aquatic ecology and/or environmental science.

Work Experience

• At least 5 years of field based project lead experience in some or all of the following areas:

• Environmental restoration (aquatic environments)
• Designing water quality and/or hydrological sampling plans and modeling
• Mapping and spatial analysis of field data
• Experience in designing and delivering technical water related training programs for mature students (facilitating workshops with hands-on, project based learning, developing curriculum, mentoring learners during work experience etc.)
• Experience collaborating with Indigenous communities and/or Tribal councils and coordinating projects with multiple stakeholders.
• Experience blending community knowledge with scientific data in a collaborative, respectful process
• Familiarity with Environmental Assessments, Environmental Management Plans, Impact Benefit Agreements and/or related policy and procedure.
• Certification to teach BEAHR, CABIN or OSAP is an asset

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

• Self-starter, well organized, analytical, flexible, and detail-oriented, with the ability to manage multiple priorities and meet tight deadlines
• Good interpersonal skills with ability to work respectfully and collaboratively in a dynamic, multi-faceted team environment but also able to work independently
• Demonstrated ability in effective oral and written communications with diverse stakeholders
• Willingness to continually expand one’s professional skill set, to learn on the job, and to respond to and thrive in a dynamic work environment

Other Information

• This position will include travel to northern Indigenous communities, successful applicants must have regular access to a vehicle & willingness to travel approximately 15-20% of the time

Qualified Indigenous applicants are encouraged to apply.

How to Apply

Please submit your resume and cover letter to Carli Lang (carli.lang@waterfirst.ngo) at Water First by 5pm on March 19, 2021. Applicants are encouraged to apply early for advanced consideration.

Please indicate you saw this posting at GoodWork.

We thank all candidates who apply. Please note that only those selected for an interview will be contacted.

In accordance with the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA), Water First Education and Training strives to ensure that all recruiting processes are non-discriminatory and barrier-free. If you require accommodation, please advise in advance of attending an interview.