The Island Scientist provides leadership and support in conservation biology and ecology for The Nature Conservancy’s Santa Cruz Island Preserve as a member of the California Islands Science Team. The Island Scientist identifies key problems and knowledge gaps; designs, oversees, and facilitates monitoring and research programs; and plans and oversees conservation management, restoration and climate change resilience projects. The Island Scientist works as a member of multidisciplinary project teams which include other scientists and is an island conservation thought leader in the wider conservation and research community.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

The Island Scientist provides technical and scientific leadership and support for conservation projects of The Nature Conservancy on Santa Cruz Island and in partnership with managers of the other islands of the Californias (the Pacific Islands of the states of California and Baja California [Mexico]), with a focus on the terrestrial biota. The Island Scientist leads and supports conservation planning, applied research projects, and implementation of conservation management strategies on Santa Cruz Island and across the islands of the Californias archipelago. The Island Scientist coordinates and advances the Santa Cruz Island Project’s applied research agenda and facilitates field work and logistical support for research, monitoring and conservation management. The Island Scientist works as a member of multidisciplinary teams including other scientists, and with partners from the University of California Santa Cruz Island Field Station, Channel Islands National Park, U.S. Navy and other organizations, agencies, and academic institutions. The Island Scientist has an up-to-date understanding of projected effects of climate change and of strategies to address those effects on conservation targets. The Island Scientist independently identifies conservation challenges and applies the scientific approach to help address them. The Island Scientist strategically and effectively communicates – through publication and oral presentation – the science to inform conservation in islands and island habitats in California and to export select, high priority conservation strategies and practices to islands elsewhere.

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