|
|
|
|
Qamar Schuyler (CNMI 03-05) conducts a children's marine education program as part of the CNMI Local Action Strategies public awareness initiative.
Photo credit: John Moreno, CNMI Coastal Resources Management Office
This page provides background information and application guidance for the NOAA Coral Reef Management Fellowship. Supplemental documents are available for download as pdfs.
Fellowship Overview
Fellowship Locations
Eligibility 2013-2014 Fellowship Information
Fellows' Projects
Contact Information
Fellowship Overview
The NOAA Coral Reef Management Fellowship Program was established to respond to the need for additional coral reef management capacity in the U.S. Flag Pacific and Caribbean islands. The program has been expanded to include Florida in the 2010-2012 cycle. The program provides the state and territorial coral reef management agencies with highly qualified candidates whose education and work experience meet each island's specific needs, while providing the individual fellows with professional experience in coastal and coral reef resources management.
Each jurisdiction develops a separate Statement of Work which contains project descriptions, goals and objectives, minimum and desired qualifications, and salary, among other information. The Statements of Work uniquely reflect each jurisdiction's particular needs, complementing other ongoing local projects and management activities. Successful candidates will meet these needs.
Pay and Benefits
"The fellowship program has been an incredibly challenging and rewarding experience..."
--Raimundo Espinoza (PR 08-10)
Fellows are government contractors and receive a non-negotiable yearly salary. The salary varies, depending upon location, and will remain the same for the duration of the fellowship. The salary for each position is set by the individual jurisdictions and is listed in each jurisdiction's Statement of Work, listed below in the 'Fellows Projects' section. Relocation assistance of up to $2,000 is available for fellows relocating from outside of the jurisdiction for which they are hired. These funds are for shipment of personal belongings before, and upon completion of, the fellowship term. There is a standard benefits package available including paid local and government holidays, leave, and medical benefits. Funding is also provided to support professional development that is relevant to the fellowship.
top
Fellowship Locations
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) maintains seven (7), two-year fellowships under the Coral Reef Management Fellowship Program. Fellows are located in Pago Pago, American Samoa; Saipan, Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI); Miami, Florida; Adelup, Guam; Maui, Hawai`i; Rincón, Puerto Rico; and St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands (USVI). Click here to meet the current and past fellows.
Karlyn Langjahr (USVI 06-09) gives an interpretive tour of the coastal and marine resources of the St. Croix East End Marine Park at Jack Bay.
Photo credit: Lisa Fisk, The Nature Conservancy Hosts for the fellowship include:
top
Eligibility
Educational Requirements
"There is truly no other job out there like the Coral Management Fellowship....I have the luxury of working directly with both people and the natural resources themselves. To me the Coral Fellowship is a proverbial 'dream job.'"
--Karlyn Langhjahr (USVI 06-09)
Applicants typically have a master's degree and two years of
experience or a bachelor's degree and four years
of experience. Jurisdictions may require additional
or alternate skills, such as outreach and education experience. Jurisdictions may set other specific eligibility requirements which are provided when new fellows are being recruited.
Although most applicants hold either Bachelor's or Master's degrees, applicants holding a PhD or JD are welcome to submit an application for consideration when the Program is recruiting.
Previous experience in participating jurisdictions is desired, but not required.
Citizenship Requirements
Must be U.S. citizen or U.S. permanent resident.
top
2013-2014 Fellowship Information
Fellows have been hired and placed in each of the seven US coral reef jurisdictions for the 2013-2014 cohort. top
Fellows' Projects
Fellows spend two years working on specific projects determined by each jurisdiction's coral reef management agencies. Each host jurisdiction provides a staff member who serves as a supervisor to the fellow. The supervisor guides the fellow on project-specific issues and helps to integrate the fellow into the daily life of the agency.
Project descriptions for all fellows are listed below by jurisdiction.
The project descriptions include the following information specific to each jurisdiction and its fellowship position: location of the fellowship, background information on the Fellowship Program and the host agency in the jurisdiction, project goals and objectives, project description, listing of the supervisor and partners, in-kind support, minimum eligibility requirements specific to the jurisdiction, etcetera.
American Samoa
Maria del Mar Lopez-Rivera (PR 05-07) provides training to enforcement officers in Puerto Rico to help them become more proficient at identifying managed species. Photo credit: Maria del Mar Lopez-Rivera
Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands
Florida
Guam
"I have met so many wonderful and exciting people through this program—from the local fishermen to the governor of Guam. Also, the personal development training has increased my skill set and made me more marketable for future employment opportunities in natural resource management."
--Romina King (Guam 05-07)
Hawai`i
Puerto Rico
Kathleen Hermann (CNMI 08-10) and local volunteers work on the island of Rota with the Talakhaya Revegetation Project to mitigate runoff by replanting grass and tree seedlings to stabilize the soil.
Photo credit: Kathleen Hermann
U.S. Virgin Islands
top
Contact Information
If you have questions about the Coral Reef Management Fellowship, please contact:
"One of the best things about the fellowship is that it facilitates networking with managers and scientists internationally and in all of the US coral jurisdictions."
--Sharon Gulick (AS 05-07)
Coral Fellowship Coordinator
Email: coral.fellowship@noaa.gov
Mail:
Coral Fellowship Coordinator
1305 East-West Hwy. #10236
Silver Spring, MD 20910
top
|
|
