NOW HIRING: Watch for Wildlife Collision Prevention Program Assistant

Full Time Summer Staff Position, Colchester County, NS

Sierra Club Canada Foundation – Atlantic Chapter is searching for an outgoing, energetic, and dedicated individual to carry out tasks associated with our Watch for Wildlife program (www.watchforwildlife.ca). This position will be based in Colchester County, Nova Scotia.


The candidate will involve education outreach and citizen science regarding our Watch for Wildlife (www.watchforwildlife.ca) program to tourists, drivers, wildlife organizations and others through attendance at festivals, events, meetings and presentations. The focus of the outreach is on both road safety and wildlife protection. The position will involve regional outreach, public education and citizen science activities in the Colchester County region and surrounding areas, attendance at applicable regional events and related opportunities.


This is an interdisciplinary position in that the program, Watch for Wildlife NS, provides education that is both about road safety and driving behaviour, while it is also about wildlife behaviour and understanding the impacts of vehicle collisions on wildlife and populations. It also includes elements of engaging volunteers to participate in citizen science collision tracking (using INaturalist app/website).


About Sierra Club Canada Foundation

Sierra Club Canada Foundation empowers people to protect, restore and enjoy a healthy and safe planet. SCCF’s objective is to protect and restore the health of the natural environment, including communities, by empowering Sierra Club members and its citizens through education and action.


About this Position

This is a Canada Summer Job Position, so you must meet these criteria to be eligible for this position:

  • be between 15 and 30 years of age at the start of the employment;
  • have been registered as full-time students in the previous academic year and intend to return to school on a full-time basis in the next academic year;
  • be a Canadian citizen, permanent resident, or person to whom refugee protection has been conferred under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act; and,
  • be legally entitled to work in Canada in accordance with relevant provincial or territorial legislation and regulations.

To find out more about Canada Summer Jobs, go here:
https://www.canada.ca/en/employment-social-development/services/funding/youth-summer-job.html


Tasks:

  • provide education to the public through attending events, markets, community meetings, festivals etc.
  • help to write media releases and articles promoting the program
  • limited travel to different events, meetings and outreach opportunities
  • write blogs on wildlife collision prevention for the Watch for Wildlife website (www.watchforwildlife.ca)
  • contribute regular social media posts
  • develop and be able to educate others about: the impacts of wildlife vehicle collisions on people (health and psychological impacts), the economy (insurance, health, collision repair costs), wildlife, and ecology
  • develop an awareness of species at risk species in Nova Scotia
  • use INaturalist Canada Watch for Wildlife collision tracking project to track collision data and/or to educate visitors and drivers about the potential for citizen to contribute to developing larger data sets of collisions encountered
  • engage with reps. of the Dept. of Natural Resources, Transportation, Wildlife Rescues, corporate partners and other collaborators on the project, if necessary
  • report on activities, educational materials disseminated, number of people engaged
  • provide recommendations for blog posts, community partners, and opportunities for the program to grow and have an impact on the safety of people and wildlife on our roads


Qualifications

  • Must have valid Driver’s License
  • Must be enrolled in or have completed a Post-secondary Degree
  • Background in: Wildlife Biology, Environment and Resource Management, Wildlife Management, Public Relations, Road Ecology, Communications, other depending on candidate’s suitability
  • Adept in Microsoft Office or MacOS (Word, Excel, or Pages, etc.) programs
  • Familiarity with web and social media platforms (Twitter, Facebook etc.)
  • Ability to speak more than one language (French, English, Mi’kmaq) an asset
  • Have a smart phone and/or willingness to use one
  • Familiar with INaturalist Canada application and/or willingness to learn


Skills

  • Outreach and communications skills
  • Public presentation skills
  • Self-directed
  • Quick learner
  • Project management skills (work planning, tracking results, working within a budget, etc.)
  • Volunteer engagement
  • Excellent writing skills
  • Ability to engage partners and supporters from other organizations and sectors
  • Wildlife handling and/or wildlife rescue experience an asset
  • Knowledgeable of wildlife in Nova Scotia, wildlife groups in NS, outdoor groups.


This is a full time, 8-week position.

Start Date: early July. 8-week work period must be complete by August 31st.

Remuneration: $11 / hour

Hours: 37.5 hours / week


Please email your CV and cover letter in a single document to atlantic@sierraclub.ca by 5 pm Atlantic Time, Friday June 22, 2018. Please write “Watch for Wildlife Collision Prevention Program Assistant” in the subject line of your application email.





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