About this role
About the Organization: Working Lands Conservation is a small, research-based non-profit located in Logan, UT. Our goal is to improve land management by bringing science to collaborative partnerships, while also supporting communities and livelihoods. Through our work, we are creating resilient Western landscapes and a resilient future for communities that utilize and value these working landscapes. We are a team of field ecologists and communicators. We draw on our extensive experience designing ecological studies, collecting data, and analyzing information to understand how land management contributes to landscape health and stakeholder stewardship objectives. We are a partner-oriented organization. We realize that trust, learning, and change happen when science is shared in conversation and as stories. We thus spend as much time building relationships as we do collecting data. We strongly believe that partnerships of diverse stakeholders lead to innovative management ideas, and that producers are the foundational stewards of working landscapes. We work closely with producers, state agencies, federal agencies, non-profit organizations, and university researchers to fulfill our mission, share ideas, and inspire innovative management. Position Summary: The Laboratory Manager will contribute to Working Land Conservation’s mission by guiding the development of our new Ecosystem Services Laboratory and spearheading its operation. Over the past year, WLC opened its not-for-profit Laboratory that provides ranchers and other stakeholders with cost-effective soil, water, and plant testing so that land stewards have information to adaptively manage their landscapes. The laboratory contains state-of-the-art equipment including an elemental analyzer, mid-infrared spectrometer, and plate reader. Duties will include managing laboratory logistics and budgets, supervising technicians, conducting analyses, delivering high-quality science in service of working landscapes, and working with WLC’s Executive Director and Lead Soil Scientist to create and execute a laboratory business plan. Laboratory Development Roles Work with WLCs Executive Director and Lead Soil Scientist to develop and execute a business plan for the Ecosystems Services Laboratory, including developing analysis packages based on stakeholder demand and determining pricing; Spearhead development of NRCS partnership; Network with potential clients and maintain these relationships, ensuring WLC is responsive to client needs; Develop marketing strategy and materials for the laboratory and its services; Maintain NAPT/PAP certification for the Ecosystems Services Laboratory; Travel as needed to promote the Ecosystem Services Laboratory. Project Development Roles Develop and write grant proposals to support laboratory operations independently and with the WLC team. Scientific Roles: Receive and prepare soil samples for analysis for WLC’s research projects and external contracts; Run and maintain laboratory equipment; Meet with clients (ranchers, agency managers, etc) to understand their goals for soil analyses, and to learn how to best translate analyses into digestible information that can be used by clients for management; Develop reports to effectively share laboratory results with stakeholders; Conduct field work to collect data as needed. Management Roles: Manage WLC's Ecosystem Service Laboratory including purchasing, inventory, safety, and machine upkeep; Hire, train, and manage technicians. General Roles: Collaboratively work with the WLC team to further WLC’s mission; Dedicate time to professional development of organizational and management skills; Contribute to a healthy and inclusive culture at WLC. Other duties that are reasonable and consistent with this position.