Save The Redwoods League, Director Of Science

ORGANIZATION 

For over a century, Save the Redwoods League has been dedicated to protecting and restoring California’s iconic redwood forests and connecting people to their grandeur. Through land acquisition, restoration, scientific research, and advocacy, the League works to ensure that these forests thrive for future generations. The organization collaborates with conservation partners, tribal communities, and public agencies to restore ecosystems, enhance biodiversity, and expand public access to these natural treasures. With a strategic vision for expanding conservation impact, Save the Redwoods League is a leading force in forest preservation and climate resilience.

To learn more about Save the Redwoods League, visit www.savetheredwoods.org.

OPPORTUNITY 

The Director of Science plays a pivotal role in shaping the scientific vision and strategy of Save the Redwoods League, leading groundbreaking research and conservation planning efforts to protect and restore coast redwood and giant sequoia forests. Reporting to the Chief Program Officer and overseeing a dynamic Science Team—including the Senior Scientist, Forest Ecologist, and GIS Manager—along with external contractors, the Director ensures that the League’s conservation initiatives are rooted in the best available science. Guided by the Science & Restoration Committee, they collaborate with leading scientists, research institutions, and conservation partners to advance key initiatives, including the Redwoods and Climate Change Research Program, redwood genetics studies, and research on forest restoration and fire resilience. As the League’s scientific thought leader, the Director translates complex ecological principles into actionable insights, engaging a diverse audience of staff, donors, policymakers, and the public to drive impactful conservation efforts. This is an exciting opportunity for a visionary scientist to lead cutting-edge research, inform conservation strategies, and elevate the role of science in protecting some of the world’s most iconic forests.

RESPONSIBILITIES

Key Responsibilities of the Director of Science include:

• Science Program Leadership: The Director of Science works closely with the Chief Program Officer to develop and implement science-based strategies that guide the League’s conservation planning, land acquisition, stewardship, restoration projects, and equitable public access to coast redwood and giant sequoia forests. Serving as a leading voice for redwood science, they facilitate internal and external research collaborations, conservation planning efforts, and land stewardship initiatives to advance the League’s mission. They provide technical expertise to shape government relations, public policy, legislation, and funding strategies, ensuring alignment with conservation priorities. The Director also leads and mentors the Science Team, fostering a culture of innovation, collaboration, and professional growth, while overseeing engagement with research and planning partners. Additionally, they support the Science & Restoration Committee, working alongside the Director of Stewardship & Restoration to develop and execute its vision. A committed advocate for diversity, equity, and inclusivity (DEI), they actively support the League’s DEI goals, programs, and evaluations.
• Strategic Conservation Planning: The Director of Science leads the organization's data-driven conservation planning process, utilizing a GIS-based methodology to establish landscape-scale and site-specific priorities for forest conservation, restoration, and public access strategies. Collaborating with the Science Team, organizational leadership, and key partners, they continuously develop and refine conservation planning tools to ensure the best available data and science inform decision-making. Overseeing all aspects of the League’s GIS Program, the Director determines technical requirements and training needs for GIS staff and consultants. Working closely with the GIS Manager, they assess data quality, develop datasets, and conduct analyses to support conservation planning and other key projects.
• Research and Monitoring: The Director of Science is responsible for developing and implementing the League’s Research and Monitoring strategy, ensuring that scientific research aligns with conservation objectives. They oversee the Senior Scientist’s efforts to design, implement, and evaluate research initiatives, including the League’s competitive research grants program, League-initiated projects, and League-led studies. Additionally, the Director manages the Science Team’s efforts to develop and coordinate ecological monitoring and evaluation protocols, ensuring that League staff and contractors effectively assess conservation outcomes and ecosystem health.
• Science Communications: The Director of Science collaborates with the Parks & Community Engagement, Marketing & Communication, and Development teams to translate complex scientific research into accessible messaging that engages and educates stakeholders, donors, policymakers, media, and the public on redwood conservation and restoration efforts. They provide science-based expertise and interpretation to support the Marketing & Communication Team, ensuring that the League’s conservation vision is effectively conveyed through media outreach, public speaking events, and strategic communications.
• Collaborative Leadership: The Director of Science serves as a thought leader, providing collaborative leadership and technical expertise to advance the science and conservation priorities of both Redwoods Rising and the Giant Sequoia Lands Coalition.
• Organizational Leadership: The Director of Science coordinates program plans, budgets, and resources across the organization, ensuring the management of science files and data while maintaining program accountability and compliance with internal policies and external requirements.

Requirements

In order to fulfill these responsibilities, the ideal Director of Science candidate will be:

• Graduate degree (Ph.D. preferred) in applied ecology, conservation planning, forestry, forest or fire ecology, conservation biology, landscape ecology or a related field or equivalent experience.
• At least five years of relevant experience working for a nonprofit, public agency, or research institution.
• At least five years of demonstrated supervisory and leadership experience to motivate, lead, set objectives, and manage a multi-disciplinary team.
• A minimum of five years of demonstrated hands-on experience in some or all the following: forest conservation, restoration, and stewardship; timber land use and management issues; conservation planning and conservation planning tools; business operations and compliance; government and non-government contracting and grant making; government and legislative relations.
• Demonstrated ability to design, implement, and direct complex and diverse projects encompassing multiple programs, coordinate the work of other professionals inside and outside of the organization, and incorporate cross-disciplinary knowledge to support program objectives.
• Demonstrated understanding and experience in ecology of California or western U.S. forests preferred.
• Demonstrated experience in promoting conservation programs by coordinating with public agencies, research institutions, non-profits, and other conservation partners.
• Direct experience designing and implementing robust scientific research and interpreting and communicating results.
• Direct experience with the use of scientific information in support of successful environmental education and interpretation programs preferred.
• Demonstrated knowledge of current trends in conservation, natural resource protection, restoration, and land management and experience applying this knowledge to set and achieve conservation priorities.
• Demonstrated knowledge of tribes, tribal relations, tribal issues, and respectful use of traditional ecological knowledge is strongly preferred. Knowledge of California tribes is desirable.
• Solid research, writing, editing, and oral communication skills. Able to assemble, assess, and organize scientific data, conduct analyses, and report findings clearly on complex technical issues.
• Excellent public speaking, presentation, and written and oral communication skills.
• Ability to work with others in a non-adversarial, professional, and diplomatic manner.
• A strong commitment to the League’s DEI values and commitments and the League’s cultural attributes – empowering, accountable, continuously improving, supportive, and inclusive.
• Demonstrated cultural competency and ability to communicate and interact effectively with people across cultures, ethnic groups, and identities; verbal and written fluency in a language other than English is desirable.
• Demonstrated experience in MS Office, Word, Excel, PowerPoint and video-conference tools such as Zoom and Teams. Experience with data management, spatial, and statistical analysis in R and desktop GIS highly desired.
• Commitment to the League’s non-confrontational approach to conservation.

WORKING CONDITIONS

• Frequent travel, predominantly within California.
• Some weekend and evening responsibilities.
• Valid driver’s license and safe driving record.
• Regularly sits at a desk or computer workstation.
• Actively utilizes computers, telephones and other office equipment.
• Frequently moves about the office to collaborate with colleagues.
• Frequently required to hike through forest land while working off-site, including walking on uneven ground, climbing over obstacles, and accessing remote locations.
• Occasionally lifts, carries, or otherwise moves and positions objects weighing up to 30 pounds.

WORK SCHEDULE

This role is hybrid with a minimum of 1-2 days onsite in our San Francisco headquarters per week. Our weekly in office day is Tuesday (when everyone living in the SF Bay Area is required to come in). Additional days are based on business needs.

Benefits

As a full-time salaried employee, you will be eligible for full benefits, which include medical, dental, and vision insurance, three weeks of vacation annually plus holidays, and a 401k retirement plan, currently with an up to 8% company match. We offer competitive salaries commensurate with experience and internal/external equity considerations; the salary range for this position is $ 175,000 - $185,000 per year.

DIVERSITY, EQUITY, AND INCLUSION

Save the Redwoods League is fully committed to its Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Goals. The League welcomes candidates with diverse backgrounds and/or multicultural skill sets. However, we are open to the possibility that a great candidate for this job may not precisely meet all the above criteria. If you believe you are the right person for this job and can persuasively make that case, we encourage you to apply.

TO APPLY

Please submit a resume online at https://apply.workable.com/j/EFA9DB7679/.

Save the Redwoods League is an equal opportunity employer and an organization that values diversity. Recruiting staff to create an inclusive organization is a priority, and we encourage applicants from all backgrounds. Candidates are evaluated solely on their qualifications to perform the work required.