Land and Facilities Coordinator

The Coordinator, Land and Facilities plays a vital role in advancing Audubon South Carolina’s (ASC) conservation mission and Flight Plan goals through the sustainable management of Audubon’s Francis Beidler Forest (Beidler)—an 18,000-acre bird and wildlife sanctuary and conservation action center in the heart of South Carolina’s low country.

Under the supervision of the Sanctuary Manager, the Coordinator is responsible for implementing the sanctuary’s land, wildlife and timber resources management plans, with an emphasis on bird-friendly silviculture and the restoration of natural systems and the valuable ecosystem services they support.

Under the direction of Beidler’s Center Manager, the Coordinator also implements regular maintenance, repair and improvement of center and sanctuary facilities and infrastructure and helps facilitate a safe, positive, and enriching experience for visitors and staff.

While this is a predominantly field-oriented position, with most days spent working outdoors, the Coordinator also has exposure to—and opportunities for education, training, and involvement in—various other facets of center and sanctuary operations, including interpretation of Beidler’s natural and cultural history resources, events and programming, finance and development, and volunteer recruitment and management.

Finally, the Coordinator will provide support as needed for habitat management and restoration efforts at other Audubon-owned or managed properties, including Audubon’s Silver Bluff Sanctuary in Aiken County and various private lands where ASC is engaged in outreach or education efforts.

This full-time position is based at the Francis Beidler Forest Audubon Center and Sanctuary in Harleyville, SC, with occasional in-state travel required to other sanctuaries and properties.

Interested candidates should attach a cover letter to be considered for this opportunity.

Essential Functions

• Support the creation, coordination, and implementation of effective long-range land management and outreach strategies to support Audubon’s habitat conservation goals.
• Assist in the restoration of historically occurring native ecosystems at Beidler and other Audubon-owned or managed lands.
• Maintain sanctuary roads, firebreaks, boundary lines, fences, gates, culverts, trails, bridges, levees, and other land-based infrastructure. Mow, grade, plow, fill potholes, trim limbs, and clear debris from sanctuary grounds and facilities.
• Maintain an electronic GIS database of boundary, road, gate, and forest stand characteristics.
• Assist with timber inventory using GIS, aerial photography, clinometers, increment borers, Biltmore sticks, and GPS units.
• Prioritize forest stands for prescribed burns; be trained to lead, conduct, and evaluate burns.
• Control invasive and exotic plant and animal species through burning, herbicide application, trapping, and removal as needed. Support active feral pig control efforts within ASC and in partnership with external groups.
• Regularly patrol Audubon-owned property and enforce safety and security protocols and procedures. Enforce hunt lease regulations and maintain property boundaries.
• Repair and maintain Beidler’s facilities and equipment, including but not limited to visitor center and other facilities, boardwalk, housing, trails, trucks, tractors, ATVs, boats, power equipment, and hand tools.
• Document repairs and develop and implement preventative maintenance schedules for all equipment and facilities.
• Identify and as needed, engage local contractors to assist with projects that are beyond staff’s expertise or capacity, or as prudent to control costs and/or maintain project deadlines. Develop and maintain a list of said contractors to streamline contract process and timelines. Provide oversight of key operations and contractors, including logging, pine straw raking, and facilities maintenance and repairs.
• Meet and communicate regularly with Center staff and leadership; collaborate on Center maintenance tasks and build out regular maintenance schedule.
• Assist with Audubon staff to ensure that equity, diversity, inclusion and belonging principles are incorporated and followed in all aspects of our work.
• Other job-related duties as assigned.