The following positions are currently open at Playa Lakes Joint Venture (PLJV).
About Playa Lakes Joint Venture
PLJV is a regional partnership of federal and state wildlife agencies, conservation groups and private industry dedicated to conserving bird habitat throughout portions of Colorado, Kansas, Nebraska, New Mexico, Oklahoma and Texas. Our mission is to conserve the playas, prairies and landscapes of the western Great Plains through partnerships for the benefit of birds, other wildlife, and people. The Joint Venture facilitates cooperation among a broad coalition of partners on the national, regional, state and local levels to fund and implement habitat conservation. We provide regional planning, value-added efficiency and implementation approaches, while our partners provide financial, technical and local expertise to develop conservation projects. In addition, PLJV supports local conservation partnerships, state agencies and other partners by developing various decision support tools, as well as providing education about how to use the tools to target and deliver the most effective habitat conservation. PLJV also works with a variety of partners to inform landowners about conservation programs and to target conservation efforts in areas that will provide the most benefit.
People are essential to realizing our mission to conserve birds and their habitat across the region. At PLJV, we are committed to implementing conservation work in collaboration with a wide variety of individual and community stakeholders to ensure our work is reflective of their values, beliefs, and ways of knowing. We commit to improving our awareness and understanding of the unique perspectives of people in our region, engaging in dialogue with communities of all backgrounds, and taking actions that support our combined interests in a meaningful way.
NEW MEXICO GRASSLANDS RESTORATION COORDINATOR
The Restore New Mexico partnership has been working for over a decade to improve rangeland conditions for Lesser Prairie-Chickens and other wildlife through removal of honey mesquite, Prosopis glandulosa. This position will support these efforts by working with partners to engage private and public land managers to find innovative solutions to conservation challenges and work with agencies, non-profits, and regional conservation groups to continue the momentum of the grassland restoration partnership. This partnership includes Bureau of Land Management (BLM), New Mexico State Land Office, Center for Excellence in Hazardous Materials Management (CEHMM), Natural Resources Conservation Service, New Mexico Department of Game and Fish, local Soil and Water Conservation Districts, and others. Habitat work has been on the magnitude of tens of thousands of acres per year and is accelerating with influx of Inflation Reduction Act funds through the BLM. This position works within the BLM’s Pecos District of southeast New Mexico, primarily within Roosevelt and Chaves counties but some work in Curry, DeBaca, Eddy, Lea, and Quay counties may occur.
The position requires building relationships with private, local, state, and federal entities, and the incumbent needs to be outgoing, creative, and able to identify and meet the needs of conservation collaborators. This will necessitate frequent in-person meetings and interactions. Day-to-day work consists of connecting with landowners, permittees, JV staff from various disciplines (GIS, biological science, conservation delivery, communications, and social science) and local, state, and regional partners to facilitate bird habitat conservation.
Major Duties
- Facilitate communications between PLJV office staff and other Restore NM partners to ensure progress on program deliverables.
- Ensure project deliverables and reports are completed on time.
- Collect data on landowner demographics, social context and lived experiences.
- Develop understanding of needs of conservation partners and land managers to facilitate innovative solutions to conservation challenges in Eastern New Mexico.
- Develop strong relationships with land managers and local agency offices (BLM, NRCS, SLO) and serve as a liaison for conservation practice delivery.
- Design and implement Communications Strategy with PLJV staff and partners based on land manager interviews.
- Maintain an existing network of partners, and work to engage new partners and re-engage with others.
- Identify and work to build relationships with groups focused on diversity and inclusion in conservation.
- Coordinate and conduct field days with landowners and Restore NM partners to demonstrate impacts of mesquite removal.
- Participate in meetings (mostly in-person, occasionally online) with Restore NM partners to inform future management actions.
- Travel within the designated counties. Some evening and weekend work may be necessary to accommodate landowner schedules.
Required Qualifications
- A degree in Natural Resources Management, Communications, Social Science, Community Organization, Environmental Studies or related experience and 3-5 years experience in natural resources management.
- Experience in seeking funding opportunities from grants, Farm Bill, federal and state agencies, and other programs that offer funding.
- Ability to establish strong relationships with private, municipal, state or federal landowners.
- Demonstrated track record of working with agricultural producers, both farmers and ranchers.
- Ability to organize multiple moving pieces, meet deadlines, and adapt to fit various situations and changes to priorities.
- Creative and open to innovative solutions as they arise.
- Strong communications skills, including the ability to succinctly explain detailed scientific information in a way that is understandable to the average audience.
- Demonstrated ability in coordinating or leading a group in a successful project.
- Ability to connect and communicate with, and listen and learn from people with diverse perspectives, experiences, and values.
- Outgoing personality and clear communication style that can develop strong relationships with partners and land managers
- Ability to forge lasting relationships and build partnerships to find common ground among those with diverse perspectives on issues involving natural resource conservation and management.
Desired Qualifications
- Understanding of livestock/ranching operations in southeastern New Mexico.
- Knowledge of New Mexico and U.S. Federal lessee agreements.
- Ability to communicate in English and Spanish.
Other Requirements and Physical Demands
- Must possess and maintain a valid state driver’s license.
- This position will need to conduct in-person, off-site meetings and evaluations that may include traversing wet, sandy, rough, uneven, or rocky surfaces in hot, cold, or dry environments.
Travel Required
This position requires substantial workday travel within southeastern New Mexico to meet with landowners and partners. Travel requirements may be greater than 50%; nights away from home may be less than 15%.
Supervisor
This position reports directly to the Conservation Science Director. Job performance is reviewed in the context of responsiveness to objectives and priorities as determined by the Conservation Science Director, and based on input from an advisory team of Restore NM partners. Annual work plans for the position will be developed by the position incumbent in consultation with the Conservation Science Director. Beyond a work plan, the incumbent is largely self-directed in accomplishing objectives.
Salary, Benefits, and Start Date
Starting salary is commensurate with education, experience, and location with an expected range of $60,000 – $70,000 per year. PLJV offers a generous benefits package, including full medical and dental coverage, HSA with annual contribution to defray medical deductibles, and a 7% salary match toward our retirement plan. We anticipate this position will begin working in April 2025.
Job Location
The incumbent will reside in southeastern New Mexico (preferably Chaves, Roosevelt or Lea counties) and will be in a remote work setting. Priority will be given to candidates with a demonstrated connection to the landscape or community.
To Apply
Playa Lakes Joint Venture is an Equal Opportunity Employer and seeks a diverse applicant pool. Please email your application documents as one complete PDF file to jobs@pljv.org with “NM Grasslands” in the subject line. All applications should include a one-page cover letter and a resume. In the cover letter, please include salary requirements and an estimated start date. The deadline for all applications is February 28, 2025.
NEW MEXICO TERRESTRIAL WILDLIFE RECOVERY BIOLOGIST
The role of the New Mexico Terrestrial Wildlife Recovery Biologist is to work on recovery efforts for terrestrial and semi-aquatic Species of Greatest Conservation Need (SGCN; birds, mammals, and herps). This will include prioritizing species to work on, developing and implementing research, monitoring, and management programs for those species, and writing and overseeing implementation of state action plans and recovery plans. Plans will be written based on the best available science, including ecology, life history, and research and management needs for each species.
This position is responsible for working directly with New Mexico Department of Game and Fish (Department) and contract biologists to accomplish these goals. All data gathered will be analyzed to determine next steps, and assessed for progress toward species recovery, down-listing and/or delisting. This position also has an opportunity to assist other Department staff with tasks as needed including data entry, field monitoring and survey assistance, document preparation and review, and data analysis.
Major Duties
- Compile information through field visits, public meetings, meetings with landowners, literature reviews, consultation with Department biologists, university, and federal biologists and other experts to determine species threats, requirements, and management needs.
- Make recommendations to the Department regarding which species should be worked on.
- Develop research, monitoring, and/or management actions to be taken to fill in knowledge gaps or improve the species’ status.
- Work with partners to disseminate information, identify and resolve issues that may arise, collect data, and implement projects in the field.
- Complete written reports.
- Write and oversee contracts.
- Identify fiscal requirements, ensuring projects are within budget.
- Prepare and compile information for State Game Commission meetings.
- Other duties as assigned.
Required Qualifications
The preferred candidate will have a graduate level degree in wildlife management, conservation sciences, or a similar field. We are looking for biologists who have experience working in designing and implementing wildlife research, monitoring, and management projects, particularly with declining species.
Required Knowledge, Skills and Abilities
- Knowledge of ecology, life histories, taxonomic relationships, genetics, behavior, diseases, and population status of SGCN species.
- Highly developed scientific writing skills to effectively and precisely write state action and recovery plans that include recovery strategies and actions.
- Ability to communicate with other wildlife agencies and private landowners to provide information and address diverse opinions, values, and mandates, and to collaboratively implement management actions.
- Ability to work independently to develop original concepts, management tools, and field projects required to recover and protect these species.
- Knowledge of management techniques, and skills in conducting field work and determining effects of present and proposed land uses on species conservation and recovery.
Other Requirements and Physical Demands
- Must possess and maintain a valid state driver’s license.
- Provide and maintain a reliable 4-wheel drive vehicle, with experience driving off-road on rugged terrain.
- Conduct off-site meetings and field work that at times will include hiking in rough, uneven, steep or rocky terrain, in hot, cold, dry, or wet environments.
Travel Required
This position requires substantial travel within New Mexico to attend meetings and perform field work. Travel requirements may be greater than 30%, although nights away from home are likely less than 20%. Overnight camping will be required for many trips, and travel reimbursements are provided.
Supervisor
The position reports directly to and is evaluated by the Assistant Chief of the Wildlife Section at New Mexico Department of Game and Fish. Job performance is reviewed in the context of responsiveness to objectives and priorities as determined by the Department. Annual work plans for the position will be developed by the position incumbent in consultation with the Department. Beyond a work plan, the incumbent is largely self-directed in accomplishing objectives.
Salary, Benefits, and Start Date
This is a full-time position. Starting salary is commensurate with education, experience, and location with an expected range of $60,000-$75,000. PLJV offers a generous benefits package, including employer-paid health coverage (medical, dental, and vision), HSA with annual contributions to defray medical deductibles, and a 7% match on salary toward our retirement plan. We anticipate this position will begin working by the end of January 2025.
Job Location
The job will be located in New Mexico. The specific location is negotiable.
To Apply
Playa Lakes Joint Venture is an equal opportunity employer and seeks a diverse applicant pool. All applications should include a resume, a one-page cover letter, and three professional references. Please email your application documents as one complete PDF file to jobs@pljv.org. In the cover letter, please include an available start date and desired location. This position will remain open until filled.