Long-time CoastWatch Volunteer Coordinator Fawn Custer, who held that post for most of this decade, stepped down in April.  She continues to work with us as a teacher and trainer, thankfully, but we’ve been seeking a new Volunteer Coordinator to direct the program.  We are close to making the final choice among some great candidates for the position.

We circulated a job announcement and invited applications.  We were fortunate enough to attract more than 25 applicants, without exception capable people with interesting backgroundfs.  The position, guaranteed for a year, is half-time, although the goal is to increase it to full-time. We have not closed the application process, which had no deadline until we actually filled the position.  However, we are close to that point now.

CoastWatch organizes volunteers who monitor one-mile segments of the Oregon coast, noting both natural changes and human impacts.  The program also conducts a suite of seven citizen science projects, over and above regular CoastWatch monitoring, with an eighth soon to be added.  The Volunteer Coordinator, working with Oregon Shores’ Executive Director, will organize educational events and volunteer training activities, lead some of these activities, provide volunteer support, assist in recruiting volunteers, and handle some publicity tasks.

The ideal candidate has a background in coastal natural history and science, plus experience in public education and volunteer organizing and training.

If interested, contact Executive Director Phillip Johnson, (503) 754-9303, phillip@oregonshores.org.  Feel free to circulate this announcement to others who might have an interest in the position, until an announcement is made that a new coordinator has been hired.