Midwest Save Our Streams Coordinator

Working under the direction of the Clean Water Program Director, the Midwest Save Our Streams (SOS) Coordinator is primarily responsible for coordinating, training, and mobilizing a network of volunteer stream monitors in the Upper Mississippi River region as part of the nationally recognized IWLA Save Our Streams program. Save Our Streams, founded in 1969, is the oldest national volunteer water quality monitoring program in the country, with a 50+ year legacy of grassroots engagement in macroinvertebrate and chemical testing. The coordinator will also facilitate participation in crowdsourced monitoring programs, such as Salt Watch and Nitrate Watch, in this region. The coordinator will contribute to regional and national communications efforts designed to foster an interconnected network of community scientists and clean water advocates. This position will be based in Iowa, with regular travel for in-person work in surrounding states.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Stream Monitoring Training and Support

• Recruit, train and support Izaak Walton League members, partner organizations and community volunteers to serve as certified SOS water quality monitors.
• Coordinate and conduct in-person events in the Midwest to recruit and train existing and new stream monitors and individuals qualified to train monitors.
• Communicate regularly and frequently with volunteer monitors, watershed organizations, and others to support local SOS stream monitoring efforts and foster an interconnected network of volunteer monitors in the Midwest.
• Oversee the quality assurance of the field methodologies, protocol comprehension and proper safety and equipment cleaning practices to produce data that is reliable and valid while minimizing stream site disturbance.
• Replenish, maintain, and promote the SOS equipment loan program across Iowa, which will also involve the promotion of the equipment loan program to existing and new SOS volunteers monitoring in Iowa.

Crowdsourced and Remote Engagement

• Facilitate crowdsourced monitoring (engaging many people with little to no in-person contact and no training) such as Salt Watch and Nitrate Watch, including recruiting and coordinating volunteers and partner organizations, collating and distributing monitoring kits, managing data collection and distribution, and communicating results to partners, local governments, and volunteers.
• Coordinate and conduct online events and webinars in the Midwest to recruit new supporters, advocates, and monitors.
• Develop advocacy resources for volunteers and partners to utilize when a pollution problem is detected, including sample letters to government representatives and media kits.

Data Management

• Input data into database (the Clean Water Hub) to analyze trends, monitoring sites and frequency of monitoring.
• Support volunteers with data management, including how to input and manage data in the Clean Water Hub.
• Support volunteer use of the Clean Water Hub to communicate with the public, policymakers and the media about water quality information collected by volunteers.

Communications

• Develop content for IWLA website, social media, and publications, including Outdoor America magazine.
• Serve as liaison between League members and chapters; other volunteers; state agencies responsible for water quality, public health, and natural resource management; and the national office of the IWLA.
• Collaborate with the Clean Water Program Director and IWLA communications department to proactively engage print, broadcast and other media using volunteer-collected water quality data on a local, state and/or regional scale.

QUALIFICATIONS

• Bachelor’s degree in environmental education, natural resources management, natural sciences, or related field.
• Proven knowledge of stream monitoring protocols, macroinvertebrate identification, and field equipment used for water quality monitoring.
• Two years of experience directly coordinating volunteers engaged in water quality monitoring or other citizen science activities.
• Understanding of quality assurance / quality controls for data collection and analysis.
• Interest and demonstrated experience in environmental education, volunteer management, community outreach and water quality assessment.
• Experience with public speaking and providing engaging training workshops online and in person.
• Demonstrated ability to work independently and to organize and manage multiple tasks and set priorities.
• Experience with Microsoft Excel, ArcGIS, or other database/mapping platforms to organize, visualize, manipulate and understand complex data sets.
• Ability to work constructively and cooperatively with a diverse array of staff, members, volunteers, and colleague organizations.
• Experience with social media (including, but not limited to, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter).
• Possess a valid driver’s license and own a car for travel.
• Ability to work from home or a location other than traditional leased office space.
• Ability and willingness to travel including for multiple days consecutively and overnight.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS

• Work involves both physical exertion and sedentary activities and includes work that involves exposure to the outdoors, including various biological and chemical elements, especially those that are water-based, and periods of standing and walking on rough terrain.
• Must be able to sit or stand for up to eight hours at a time while performing work duties.
• Must be able to travel.
• Must be able to bend, stoop, push, and pull, and to lift up to 50 pounds, in the performance of both office-related and field duties.
• Must be able to operate office equipment.
• Must have vision and hearing corrected to be able to perform essential job functions.
• Must be able to maintain punctuality and attendance as scheduled.
• Must be able to perform essential job functions in an environment that will sometimes include increased levels of work-related stress.

How to apply:

Visit www.iwla.org/jobs for more info and to apply.