Collaborative Earth is hiring a hands-on Restoration Ecologist to support preliminary site assessments, species identification, and site restoration design and planning for an early-stage Payments for Ecosystem Services (PES) program focused on tributaries of the Brazos River in Waller County, Texas. This is a great opportunity to help shape the ecological foundations of a growing program supporting landowners in Texas.

The Waterways Program’s Brazos Basin project will focus on planting native vegetation to support landscape restoration in the forested wetlands along waterways in the Brazos River watershed, and will be primarily based in Prairie View in the Houston Metro Area. This project is being developed alongside partners at Prairie View A&M University (PVAMU) and in collaboration with local landowners.

As a Restoration Ecologist, you’ll work closely with our team to develop tailored site plans with participating land stewards that align with project goals and ecological best practices. This is a primarily field-based position with some remote desk work. During site visits you will conduct baseline ecological measurements and perform ecosystem delineation to inform project planning. In the office, you’ll translate field observations into practical site plans and recommendations, while helping to develop the ecological guidance, technical standards, and planning approaches that will shape the program, including processes for plant species selection, site plan design, planting strategies, and monitoring timelines. This is a long-term project; given our use of PES financing, planting activities are not expected to begin until 2027 at the earliest.

About the Role‍

‍Key responsibilities will include:

- Conducting baseline ecological measurements to support project planning and possible future PES development. This may include vegetation surveys, soil and erosion observations, tree measurements, and photo documentation.

- Supporting our on-the-ground partners in developing a physical project at PVAMU. This may include assisting with planning, site preparation, planting, and monitoring activities.

- Developing site-specific restoration plans for individual landowners that incorporate historical research, ecological considerations, monitoring and maintenance plans, and planting guidelines.

- Collaborating with the broader team (including legal and carbon specialists) and community partners to support overall project planning & coordination.

- Helping establish ecological protocols for planting design, species selection, monitoring and management.

An ideal candidate will be someone who is:

- Experienced performing field inventories and creating actionable restoration and reforestation plans for forested wetlands, bottomland hardwood systems, and Texas river tributaries.

- Knowledgeable about riparian ecosystems, forested wetlands, Texas ecosystems, or reforestation.

- Proficient in ecological data collection and management, including systematic field observation, plant species identification, vegetation surveys, and wetland delineation.

- Experienced using geospatial software such as ArcGis Suite or QGIS and geospatial analysis, and/or remote sensing data collection tools to support ecological assessments, site planning and mapping.

- Comfortable working independently and developing new processes to fit community, ecological, and program needs.

- Detail-oriented and able to synthesize information obtained from field visits into actionable site plans and recommendations.

- Comfortable working outdoors in hot and dry conditions for extended periods, able to lift 50 lbs, and able to navigate uneven or loose terrain.

Qualifications

While not required, the following experience would be helpful

- Skilled in community collaboration, outreach and relationship-building.

- A strong communicator who can effectively collaborate with scientists, land stewards, and interdisciplinary project teams and is able to represent the Waterways Program Project at public events.

Position Details

- Role is based in Prairie View, TX, with some potential for travel to other nearby locations. Our strong preference is for a local hire located within 1 hour of Prairie View.

- Landowner engagement and field visits are required components of the position.

- Must have access to a vehicle. Mileage reimbursement is provided.

We are hiring for a part-time contractor position, likely 1–3 days per week, with the potential for additional hours as needed. We’re flexible regarding the duration of the role and will shape it based on both project needs and the applicant’s circumstances. Most importantly, we’re looking for someone who is a strong fit for both the project and our organization. Compensation is $28–$42 per hour, commensurate with qualifications and experience.

Applying

If you are excited about working at the intersection of science, community, and ecological regeneration, we’d love to hear from you! To apply, please send us your resume and an email outlining your experience and interest in the position to team@collaborative.earth with the subject line “Restoration Ecologist Application: [YOUR NAME]”.

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