Lacawac Sanctuary Field Station and Environmental Education Center

Director of Science and Research Job Description

Lacawac Sanctuary is a non-profit nature preserve, biological field station, and environmental education center located in the Pocono Mountains of Northeastern Pennsylvania.  Lacawac’s545-acre property includes a pristine 52-acre glacial lake and its watershed (a National Natural Landmark), two small ponds, bogs, frontage on the largest lake in eastern Pennsylvania, forests with hiking trails, and a Great Camp listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Since its inception in 1966, the Lacawac Sanctuary’s mission has been to preserve Lake Lacawac, its watershed, the surrounding forest and historic structures; provide a venue for ecological research, scholarly interaction and the training of scientists; and offer public education on environmental and conservation issues. For nearly 50 years, Lacawac has accomplished this mission by offering a diverse set of natural areas, facilities, and programs for K-12 and post-secondary educators and students, area residents, scientific researchers, and visitors to the region.

The Director of Science and Research will provide strategic leadership for research and collegiate educational programs at Lacawac.  The Director of Science and Research’s primary responsibility will be to develop, promote and coordinate use of Lacawac's facilities by colleges and universities, various conferences and workshops (30%). In collaboration with other institutions of higher education, the Director of Science and Research will be active in research by conducting field sampling, maintaining instrumentation, supervising undergraduate interns, and interacting with students, postdoctoral scholars, and faculty members (10%). The Director of Science and Research will engage in outreach programs such as PLEON (Pocono Lakes Ecological Observatory Network), other citizen science programs in lake monitoring and sustainable management practices and K-12 outreach programming (20%).  Finally, the Director of Science and Research will develop and externally funded research program that support  collaboration and the continued growth of research and collegiate educational programs at Lacawac(40%).

General duties of the DSR included but are not limited to:

• Promote usage of the field station among colleges and universities.
• Conduct research, maintain instrumentation, supervise interns and assist graduate and undergraduate researchers. 
• Develop an active, externally funded research program involving faculty and students from multiple institutions of higher education.
• Coordinate and facilitate outreach involving workshops, fellowships, and research collaborations.
• Attend annual meetings when possible of the Organization of Biological Field Stations (http://www.obfs.org/), of whichLacawac is a member.
• Act as a liaison and remain accessible and connected with the Global Lake Ecological ObservatoryNetwork (GLEON), National Ecological Observatory Network (NEON) as well as the Upper Delaware RiverAdvisory Council, the Lake Wallenpaupack Watershed Council, and other more regional as well asnational and international organizations and institutions with common research and educational goals inaquatic and watershed sciences.
• Contact regional, and where appropriate, national foundations and funding agencies and work withother members of the Lacawac Community to write proposals to attract funding to establish afellowship fund, or ideally an endowment, that can be used to attract faculty and students to Lacawacby funding their research expenses and residential and use fees at Lacawac.
• Hold special events such as open houses, seminars, and lectures that will be designed to expose thecommunity to the important work being done at Lacawac.
• Interact with Consortium members (Miami University and Drexel University and other active members of the Global Lake Ecological Observatory network (GLEON) with the goal of developing Lacawac as a “Hub for EONs”.  One key component of this will be to provide leadership for the Pocono Lake Ecological Observatory Network (PLEON), a regional lake monitoringand water quality education program. Through PLEON, the DSR will engage regional lake association members in educational initiatives designed to provide a better understanding of limnological processes and link to other regional, state, national and global EONs.
• Provide support to K-12 outreach programs as needed, including an Advanced Water Ecology course.
• Work cooperatively with the Environmental Education Manager to provide K-12 education programs in order to enhance the programs as necessary (ie. Advanced Water Ecology)

Salary Range: $40,000- $45,000. Benefits include medical, dental, vision insurance and housing.  Director’s house is a 2 bedroom, loft chalet home equipped with appliances including washer, dryer, stove, refrigerator, and dishwasher (Value $9,600).