NW Cascades Project Coordinator

Trout Unlimited (TU) is a national organization with 350,000 members and supporters organized into over 400 chapters and councils nationwide. These dedicated grassroots volunteers are matched by a respected staff of organizers, lawyers, policy experts, and scientists, who work out of more than 25 offices across the country. Our mission is to bring together diverse interests to care for and recover rivers and streams, so our children can experience the joy of wild and native trout and salmon.

TU’s NW Cascades Program aims to improve native fish habitat within Washington’s Cascade Mountains on the Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest (MBSNF). In 2023, the MBSNF kicked off a new landscape-scale restoration effort in the foothills of Mt. Rainier – the Snoquera Landscape Initiative (Snoquera). This first-of-its-kind interdisciplinary US Forest Service restoration program seeks to restore 191,000 acres of forest land at the watershed scale with a strong focus on salmon and steelhead recovery. TU’s role in Snoquera is focused on addressing fish passage barriers, restoring instream habitats, reconnecting floodplains, and restoring degraded riparian zones. After only 3 years of operation, our program has 15 projects underway, and our work portfolio continues to grow. Project types include a diverse mix of planning, design, and implementation with a variety of daily work tasks and annual professional growth opportunities.

The NW Cascades Project Coordinator will primarily support landscape-scale planning and design activities for instream restoration across Snoquera, with an emphasis on Low-tech Process-based Restoration (LTPBR) projects. Responsibilities for this position will primarily be focused on fieldwork support, but will also include some reporting, data analysis, and administration.

The position location is flexible within the greater Central or South Puget Sound region (e.g., between Seattle and Olympia, WA). Regular regional travel is required, and company vehicles are not provided. Travel reimbursement (mileage, lodging, & per diem) is provided for all qualifying work-related travel. The position is currently 100% remote and does not offer access to a brick-and-mortar office space (i.e., work-from-home or the field).

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
With support from their TU Supervisor, the successful candidate will:

• Co-lead field data collection, Q/A, analysis, and summary reporting for landscape-scale LTPBR assessment and design efforts.
• Co-lead restoration site selection, LTPBR technical design development (conceptual & preliminary), and on-the-ground project implementation in partnership with agency partners, seasonal technicians, and field youth crews.
• Perform project-specific administrative duties, including drafting field sampling protocols, data collection  sheets/applications/databases, reporting, invoicing, and budget management.
• Collaborate with state and federal partner agencies and hired subcontractors to present science-driven field results and help guide site prioritization efforts with regional Technical Advisory Group (TAG).
• Collaborate with U.S. Forest Service staff, city/agency officials, private landowners, and other key program partners to provide project status updates, navigate interdepartmental logistics, and ensure cohesion between co-occurring projects on the landscape.
• Attend Water Resource Inventory Area (WRIA) 9 (Duwamish/Green River) and 10/12 (Puyallup/White River) Salmon Recovery Lead Entity Meetings, and other regional watershed meetings as requested.
• Assist with LTPBR project outreach work with TU Communications staff, including creating content for TU’s platforms and audiences. Availability and willingness to cofacilitate congressional, press, film, or other field tours of project areas as needed.
• Work with local/regional partners and TU staff to fundraise for both program and project support, including identifying potential funding sources, drafting grant proposals, and developing relationships with funders.
• Coordinate with the USFS & TU grassroots State Council and Chapter volunteers to plan LTPBR education & implementation events in tandem with project construction schedules.
• Coordinate with TU staff and TU members to support science-based advocacy for salmon and steelhead conservation, as needed.

QUALIFICATIONS

• A bachelor’s degree in biology, natural resources, or related field, plus at least 1 year of relevant professional experience in fisheries, natural resource management, or ecological habitat restoration.
• Strong understanding of natural resource management issues related to conservation of salmon and steelhead in Washington State.
• Experience with Pacific Northwest river restoration principles, methods, and practices, including a solid understanding of Low-tech Process-based Restoration (LTPBR) techniques, is required; knowledge of LTPBR structure design, permitting, installation and monitoring logistics a plus.
• Demonstrable experience working with landowners, agencies, and project stakeholders desired.
• Outstanding verbal and written communication skills required.
• Ability to problem-solve and think creatively. Strong time management and organizational skills required.
• Self-motivated; Willing to work both independently and as part of a team.
• Demonstrable ability to manage multiple tasks and deadlines simultaneously.
• Ability and willingness to travel regularly across the Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest and Seattle-Tacoma-Olympia Metro Areas, with occasional additional Washington-based travel for field visits, staff meetings, conferences, etc.
• Valid driver’s license and access to a reliable personal vehicle required.
• Extensive experience with MS Office Suite required; additional software experience (e.g., ArcGIS, R, Canva, mobile data collection apps, etc.) is preferred.
• Experience working with non-profit organizations a plus, but not required.

COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS
This is a temporary, full-time position with a starting pay rate of $24 – $26 per hour at 40 hours per week, including benefits. This temporary position has an initial set term of approx. 5 months beginning ASAP during summer 2026 and an expected end date of December 31, 2026. Funding is secured for a second work period during 2027, where the exact term is TBD. There may be potential to renew or extend the position beyond this timeline, dependent on additional secured funding, skills and interests of the successful candidate, and the needs of the NW Cascades program team.

COMMITMENT TO DIVERSITY EQUITY AND INCLUSION
At TU, we value diversity, and we actively seek candidates for this position who come from communities that have been historically under-represented in conservation and those who have been most impacted by degraded rivers and streams. We are committed to building space for all people to participate in our work to care for trout and salmon and clean our shared waters. We are proud to be an equal opportunity employer.