Conservation X Labs Inc Program Associate (One year term) Remote · Full time Company website

Apply for Program Associate (One year term)

Our mission is to prevent an impending sixth mass extinction – the first in Earth’s history driven by the actions of a single species: ours. Unlike traditional conservation efforts, Conservation X Labs focuses on leveraging the best technology, the newest innovation, interdisciplinary genius, and the power of the marketplace to boldly confront the biggest problems facing the planet. Though humans have driven this sixth extinction, we know humans have the power to reverse it.

One year term, with potential for extension

Description

Conservation X Labs seeks an innovative, passionate, and detail-oriented program associate for our rodenticide alternatives project under our new coexistence program. CXL seeks to solve the world’s greatest conservation problems by supporting innovative solutions that address the underlying drivers of extinction. Rodenticides are a key intervention for reducing and eliminating non-native rats and mice that are the biggest threat to island biodiversity, as well as a problem in public health and agricultural contexts. However, rodenticides also affect wildlife and cause suffering for both target and non-target animals. Our Rodenticide Alternatives Prize (or RAP) is intended to catalyze the development of tools that are more sustainable, humane, and cost-effective than the rodenticides currently on the market. This program associate will be the first full-time staff member working on the RAP, providing an amazing opportunity to shape both the program and a future that better serves biodiversity, animal welfare, and sustainability.

What you will contribute:

The core responsibilities of the co-existence program is to design, fundraise for, and launch our Rodenticide Alternatives Prize (RAP), and the Program Associate plays a key role. Specifically, the Program Associate will:

• Develop the institutional partnerships necessary for technically sound and affordable animal testing that respects best practices of animal welfare.
  • Generate specific options for laboratory partners to host the animal testing portions of the Prize
  • Liaise with our partners/experts in fertility control, humane rodenticides, gene drives, and other fields to determine which laboratory testing options are technically adequate
  • Explore partnerships with rat rescues and other animal welfare organizations that can help minimize euthanasia of healthy animals that participate from/come from the RAP
• Develop private-sector and donor partnerships
  • Lead outreach to potential corporate partners in all relevant spaces (rodenticides, agriculture, pharmaceuticals, veterinary, etc.)
  • Develop pitches to target different audiences
• Serve as CXL’s technical lead on sub-areas related to the RAP (e.g., humane lethal control). Specific sub-area(s) to be determined with supervisor. Note that technical expertise in these sub-areas is not necessary coming into the role.
• Assist with planning, logistics, and operations of our Rodenticide Alternatives Big Think, a curated invite-only meeting with key stakeholders to design an open innovation program. This will likely include:
  • Identifying invitees across key areas (subject area technical experts, open innovation experts, commercial partners, regulatory experts, conservation partners, animal welfare groups, and donors).
  • Logistics and coordination related to invitation, venue, food and services
  • Developing pre-reads and run-of-show for the Big Think.

If we succeed in designing, funding, and launching the RAP, you will transition into a role to help implement this unprecedented program.

Required qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in the sciences, economics, animal welfare policy, or other relevant field
• Demonstrated interest in practical ethics as it relates to trade-offs in conservation, animal welfare, or a similarly relevant issue area
• Detail-orientation, highly organized, and able to meet deadlines in a dynamic environment
• Strong writing, editing, presentation, and professional communication skills
• Curiosity and ability to quickly grasp and communicate the relevant details of new technical fields
• Adaptable, collaborative, self-directed, entrepreneurial, hard-working: driven to solve problems

Preferred:

• Master’s degree in the sciences, welfare economics, animal welfare policy, or other relevant field
• Experience in the practical realities of animal testing
• Strong understanding of and commitment to animal welfare in the context of laboratory testing
• Ability to navigate international and institutional regulations with respect to the logistics of and financing of animal testing, including in foreign countries with low costs and high-quality research facilities
• Creativity in producing effective institutional arrangements
• Experience in logistics management
• Ability to read and understand technical papers in areas related to the RAP such as physiology, biochemistry, and ecology
• Strong writing skills and ability to present technical matters accurately to non-technical audiences
• Interest in working across sectors (government, non-profit, commercial) including corporate partnerships

Very few people will have all or even most of these preferred qualifications, and a genuine interest in solving the problems posed by introduced species and rodenticides will help you learn what you need to thrive in this position. If you meet the required qualifications above and are enthusiastic about this position, please apply!

Office Presence and Travel

This position is based in our Washington, D.C. headquarters. For CXL to be successful, we cultivate a culture of creativity, serendipity, and direct human engagement, so we expect you to be in the office at least three days per week. We are willing to consider modified arrangements for truly exceptional candidates with demonstrated accomplishments relevant to this job.

Some travel is expected to support fundraising events, donor engagement, and other development activities.

Salary

$64-80,000 based on experience. Benefits include health, vision, dental, and a 401k match.

ABOUT CONSERVATION X LABS AND OUR CULTURE

Conservation X Labs applies technology, entrepreneurship, and open innovation to source, develop, and scale critical solutions to the underlying drivers of human-induced extinction, whether in conservation or other fields. Conservation X Labs takes an approach to conservation that is technology- and innovation-focused, market- and scale-driven, and interdisciplinary. We believe this approach – one that addresses the underlying drivers of extinction rather than its symptoms, and one that takes a revolutionary over evolutionary approach – is the future of conservation, what we call Conservation 3.0. We source, develop, and scale new solutions through open innovation, directed engineering and technology development, product acceleration, and building the diverse community of solvers that will transform the field. Conservation X Labs operates as both a 501c3 non-profit organization and a related B-corporation.

We are seeking to build an organization of problem solvers who are personable and highly motivated, hungry and enthusiastic, and are passionate about conservation and our mission. We want people who want to disrupt conservation in order to radically improve it. We are looking for those who have dared mighty things by trying a path that others have not chosen. We are looking for those who have failed but have learned from failure and risk. We are looking for those who like to experiment, to make things, to hack things, to test things, and to break things (particularly dogmatic approaches to conservation or technology). Finally, we are looking for kind, hardworking people who will enthusiastically devote their intellectual and creative energy to advance our mission, enjoy working on a team, are deeply entrepreneurial and self-motivated, and are driven by their passion.

CXL is committed to creating and cultivating a diverse workforce and inclusive environment where every employee and contractor has the right to work in surroundings that are free from all forms of unlawful or intentional discrimination. It is our policy to hire, promote, transfer, terminate, and make all employment related decisions without regard to race, creed, ethnicity, religion, national origin, sex, gender, or sexual orientation. To learn more about our programs and mission, please visit our website: www.conservationxlabs.com.