Community Conservation Specialist - Chicago Field Museum

Community Conservation Specialist

Supervisor: Jennifer Hirsch, Urban Anthropology Director

Term: 1 year with possibility of renewal

The Division of Environment, Culture, and Conservation (ECCo) at The Field Museum seeks Community Conservation Specialist for a full time (35hrs/wk) position on its Chicago Region Urban Anthropology Team.

Position Summary: The Community Conservation Specialist works as part of ECCo’s Urban Anthropology Team to help facilitate the development and implementation of community-based environmental action projects that build on ECCo’s ethnographic research and on Field Museum collections and scientific resources. ECCo’s projects focus on climate change mitigation and adaptation; strengthening relationships between urban communities and nature; and drawing on cultural heritage to address contemporary issues. The Community Conservation Specialist works closely with ECCo’s diverse staff members, including anthropologists, educators, ecologists, and communications specialists.

Duties and Responsibilities include but are not limited to:
Work with ECCo teams to facilitate implementation of regional and city-wide environmental action plans on a community scale (such as the Chicago Wilderness Climate Action Plan for Nature and Green Infrastructure Vision, the Chicago Climate Action Plan, the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning’s GoTo2040 Plan, and others), by:
• Serving as a technical advisor for community-based, environmental action projects that creatively build on local assets. Projects may include community gardens, native landscaping, rain gardens, community walks, residential energy and water audits, energy and water conservation practices, environmental education, natural areas stewardship and monitoring, etc.
• Coordinating and delivering training workshops and programs related to integrating environmental action into community and cultural heritage programs.
• Connecting community partners to Chicago Wilderness and other regional sustainability initiatives, for networking and resources (e.g., contractors, landscape suppliers, technical advisors, environmental educators and educational tools, etc.) and to contribute community and cultural perspectives

Skills required:
• Strong understanding of local ecology and natural history. Knowledge of Chicago region flora and fauna.
• Ability to distill complex scientific information related to the environment for community partners.
• Broad understanding of key partners and resources available through Chicago Wilderness.
• Willingness to travel frequently (2-3 times a week) to different communities in Chicago, including on some evenings and weekends.

Required qualifications:
• Bachelor’s degree in ecology, natural resources, landscape architecture, or related field. Master’s degree preferred.
• Experience working in diverse Chicago neighborhoods with community-based organizations
• Experience implementing ecological restoration and/or green infrastructure projects preferred.
• 2 to 3 years of work experience in community-based conservation or a related field.

Preferred qualifications:
• Knowledge of museum practice
• Some educational background in a social science focused on the study of contemporary societies, in a field such as anthropology, sociology, human ecology, sustainable development, cultural geography, natural resource management, or a related interdisciplinary degree with a social science emphasis
• Working knowledge of another language commonly used in Chicago (e.g., Spanish, Polish, Arabic, Chinese, Korean)
• General familiarity with the latest thinking on eco-system approaches in urban areas, related to issues such as habitat corridors, urban agriculture, and density and open space

ECCo staff work in the Chicago metropolitan region and South America and comprise an interdisciplinary team of anthropologists and other social scientists, ecologists, communicators, and educators. Our goal in the Chicago region is to use The Field Museum’s collections and resources as tools for enhancing urban conservation and cultural understanding. In all of its work, ECCo partners with local agencies and organizations to help them draw on their environmental, social, and cultural assets to build green and sustainable communities that benefit people and the natural environment. The successful candidate must be able to work collaboratively, creatively, and rapidly with local partners, including community-based organizations, conservation organizations, schools, government agencies, and regional consortia.

The Field Museum is an equal opportunity employer. Salary will be commensurate with experience.

Applications are accepted online at http://www.fieldmuseum.org/.