eDNA Project Manager

Island Conservation – Newmarket, North Island

Contract Type : Renewable – 24-month fixed-term expiring December 2027

Location : Remote (Located in New Zealand, Australia, Samoa, Hawaii, Guam, American Samoa, and Northern Mariana Islands).

Salary Range : $60 – $90K USD, $100k - $120k NZD, $95 - $135K AUD annually,depending on location and experience

About Us

Island Conservation (IC) envisions a world filled with vibrant biodiversity, resilient oceans, and thriving island communities. We are the only international non‑profit conservation organization with the mission to restore islands for nature and people worldwide. Islands are special places that provide outsized returns on our conservation investments. IC is committed to holistic island–marine ecosystem restorations that combine efforts to improve community livelihoods and climate resiliency, manage invasive species, and reestablish native animals and plants. Learn more about us at

Position Overview

Island Conservation seeks a strategic and collaborative eDNA Project Manager to lead our IslandScope initiative, a two‑year partnership with the Minderoo Foundation to co‑develop community‑led marine environmental DNA (eDNA) monitoring programs across island ecosystems.

The eDNA Project Manager will be responsible for delivering the project’s strategic goals and helping shape a replicable model for community‑driven ecosystem intelligence. This role will coordinate across internal teams and island partners to guide implementation, support shared learning, and ensure the project delivers scientifically robust, ethical, and locally meaningful outcomes.

This role reports to the Senior Director of Impact and Innovation, who provides strategic guidance and supports partner relationships. The Project Manager will lead day‑to‑day delivery and coordinate across teams, with the autonomy to make decisions and raise issues when needed.

Responsibilities

Strategic Project Leadership (40%)

• Translate high‑level goals into actionable workstreams across teams and partners.
• Facilitate coordination across Field Operations, Partnerships, Impact and Innovation, Communications, and Finance teams.
• Lead adaptive planning and decision‑making to keep the project on track and responsive to emerging needs.
• Guide development and implementation of the Measurement and Learning (MEL) plan.
• Coordinate the development of a standardized land‑sea restoration index in collaboration with science leads, scientific advisors, and community partners.
• Ensure alignment with Island Conservation’s strategic priorities and funder expectations.
• Serve as the face of the project.

Community Partnerships and Engagement (30%)

Project Management (20%)

Mentor & Team Culture (10%)

Additional Responsibilities

Flexibility Requirement : Approximately 5% of the duties and responsibilities may be adjusted based on the evolving needs of the supervisor and the organization. This may include carrying out tasks outside of or in addition to those outlined in the job description. This flexibility is essential to support a dynamic response to evolving priorities and objectives.

This is a full‑time exempt position with a competitive salary and a full benefits package, including a four‑day work week. Island Conservation offers a flexible work schedule with a remote, online work environment.

Requirements

Skills & Attributes

Flexibility and Travel

This is not a field‑based role. Candidates should be comfortable supporting field operations remotely, coordinating across time zones, and enabling others to lead on‑ground implementation.

Willingness to travel for short periods (1 – 2 weeks) to Pacific, Latin American, and Caribbean partner countries throughout the project.

Must be prepared to coordinate across time zones and manage relationships with remote teams and community partners (e.g., America / Pacific, America / Mountain, America / Puerto Rico, U.S. / Hawaii, Pacific / Palau, Pacific / Auckland, Pacific / Perth, Chile / Continental).

How to Apply

Qualified candidates should apply to

Equal‑Opportunity Employer

Island Conservation is an equal‑opportunity employer committed to building and sustaining an inclusive and equitable working environment. We value the cultural diversity of our team, and we encourage applications from individuals of diverse backgrounds and experiences.

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