Soil Technician
(Hawai‘i Island)

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PRIMARY LOCATION: Waimea, Hawai‘i Island and remote on-island
STATUS: Full time, Exempt
COMPENSATION: $48–54,000 per annum + benefits
REPORTS TO: ‘Āina-based Agricultural Practices Specialist & Climate-Smart Commodities Project Manager

The soil technician works directly with the Hawai‘i-based agricultural project partners of the USDA Partnerships for Climate Smart Commodities grant. This grant is a collaboration between Lynker, University of Hawai‘i, The Kohala Center, and other farming organizations and universities. For more information, visit climatesmarthawaii.org.

The USDA Climate-Smart Commodities project provides incentive payments to producers to implement large-scale pilot projects that create market opportunities for commodities produced using agricultural (farming, ranching, or forestry) climate-smart practices that reduce greenhouse gas emissions and/or sequester carbon. Climate Smart Commodities in this project and portfolio have three main benefits: (1) increasing productivity and incomes, (2) enhancing resilience of livelihoods and ecosystems, and (3) reducing and removing greenhouse gas emissions from the atmosphere.

The soil technician is responsible for assisting with the onboarding of producers, including the verification of eligibility, implementing baseline soil health and greenhouse gas sampling, and data entry into the Natural Resource Data Solutions software (NRDS) for multiple agroforestry and orchard producers throughout Hawai‘i Island. Participation in the Climate-Smart Training School offered through the project is possible and highly encouraged.

To view the full position description and submit an application, please visit our Career Center.

Posted: March 25, 2024

Kohala Mālama ‘Āina Specialist
(Waimea and Moku o Kohala, Hawai‘i Island)

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PRIMARY LOCATION: Waimea and Moku o Kohala, Hawai‘i Island
FLSA STATUS: Full time, Exempt
COMPENSATION: $48-55,000 per annum + benefits
REPORTS TO: Kohala field supervisor

JOB SUMMARY/PURPOSE: The Kohala mālama ʻāina specialist is responsible for strengthening pilina with ‘āina across cloud and coastal forests in the moku of Kohala. The mālama ʻāina specialist holds kuleana for supporting Kohala’s native forest ecosystems by turning ancestral knowledge and place-based research into daily ‘āina-based preservation and propagation practices. This work is based across multiple stewardship sites including: the native cloud forests of Kohala Mountain, the dryland and mesic forests of Kawaihae, and the coastal forest and hala groves of Niuliʻi. The ideal candidate is an experienced mālama ʻāina practitioner who is strongly connected to Kohala and enjoys working hard, developing thriving ‘āina and kānaka together as one, while engaging respectfully, being highly accountable to ‘āina, and meeting and exceeding standards of excellence.

To view the full position description and submit an application, please visit our Career Center.

Posted: March 11, 2024

Accountant
(Waimea, Hawai‘i Island)

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LOCATION: Waimea, Hawai‘i Island, Hawai‘i
STATUS: Part time, up to 24 hours per week
COMPENSATION: $22-26 per hour + benefits
REPORTS TO: Financial Controller

The Kohala Center (TKC)’s accountant is responsible for supporting the finance and accounting department’s day-to-day functions and preparation of documents for annual financial audits. In addition to partnering within the department, the accountant will also work closely with managers and staff.

To view the full position description and submit an application, please visit our Career Center.

Posted: March 5, 2024

Aloha Ambassadors
(Kahalu‘u Bay, Hawai‘i Island)

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Kahaluʻu Bay Education Center (KBEC) is a program of The Kohala Center (TKC) in partnership with the County of Hawai‘i Department of Parks and Recreation. The County looks to TKC to provide education for all visitors in the following subjects: the respectful behaviors expected of all who enter the water and visit the beach park, as well as information about its sensitive natural resources and cultural and natural history. TKC operates a Visitor Parking Fee Project, with all revenues supporting ongoing stewardship, outreach, and education. Outreach includes working with community members and visitors to educate and assist them with the pilot program and provide information about the important ecological and cultural properties of Kahaluʻu Bay and the surrounding area. Salary is $15/hour. To view the full position description and submit an application, please visit our Career Center.

Posted: February 29, 2024

Accountant
(Waimea, Hawai‘i Island)

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LOCATION: Waimea, Hawai‘i Island, Hawai‘i
STATUS: Part time, up to 24 hours per week
REPORTS TO: Financial Controller

The Kohala Center (TKC)’s accountant is responsible for supporting the finance and accounting department’s day-to-day functions. In addition to partnering within the department, the accountant will also work closely with managers and staff.

To view the full position description and submit an application, please visit our Career Center.

Posted: December 21, 2023

‘Āina-based Agricultural and Climate-Smart Practices Project Manager
(Waimea, Hawai‘i Island)

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The Kohala Center, a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization based in Waimea, Hawai‘i Island, Hawai‘i, is currently seeking a ‘Āina-based Agricultural and Climate-Smart Practices Project Manager. This position is responsible for the coordination and provision of technical assistance to producers and practitioners implementing ‘āina-based and climate-smart practices across agricultural, pastoral, and forested lands on Hawai’i Island with a focus on the moku of Kohala and Hāmākua. This is a grant-funded position for five years under the USDA grant award entitled Hawaiʻi Climate-Smart Commodities: A Portfolio Approach to Equitably Scaling the Agriculture Sector. This position will co-manage the awarded project including budgets, project activities, timeline and data collection, management and reporting. Field work includes responsibility for monitoring and assessment of ‘āina-based practices guided by TKC’s ‘āina accountability framework and climate benefits and ecosystem services provision of climate-smart practices including measurements of carbon sequestration, soil health indicators, and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. This position will support the intersections of food (agriculture) and forest (conservation) internally by working across TKC’s project teams and externally with ‘āina accountability partners, as well as via the preservation and propagation of kūpuna plants at ʻāina stewarded by TKC in Kohala and Hāmākua.

Annual salary is $59,000 plus competitive benefits package.

To view the full position description and submit an application, please visit our Career Center.

Posted: September 25, 2023

Mahi‘āina Assistant (One-year apprenticeship through Kupu)
(Honoka‘a, Hawai‘i Island)

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The Kohala Center is pleased to offer a one-year, full-time, paid apprenticeship at Nāmoku, our demonstration farm in Honoka‘a. This rewarding opportunity is being offered through Kupu ‘Āina Corps and the successful candidate will be employed by Kupu and supervised by The Kohala Center’s team of ‘āina practitioners.

We are seeking a community member interested in (re)turning ancestral knowledge and research into daily practice by pursuing a career in farming, food production, soil fertility, and/or strengthening local food systems through both ancestral and contemporary approaches. This opportunity to engage with, learn from, and work in service to ‘āina aligns with our long-term vision of a state of pono by (1) deepening meaningful and vital pilina between ‘āina and kānaka, (2) returning soil to a state of ‘āina momona once again through traditional and modern regenerative methods, (3) providing more fresh, healthy food to improve local food security, and (4) contributing to healthier island communities.

COMPENSATION: $20/hour + benefits (Visit https://kupuhawaii.org/aina for details)
DURATION: July 17, 2023 – July 13, 2024

ESSENTIAL DUTIES:

  • Assist with daily maintenance of farm plots and greenhouse that support canoe crops (the largest collection of kalo varieties across the pae ‘āina; kō; ‘awa), seed crops, and fruit orchard.
  • Maintenance activities include weeding; irrigation system checks and reconfiguration; planting, cultivation, and harvesting; keeping greenhouse and other on-site facilities clean and well organized.
  • Assist with on-farm composting, vermiculture, cover cropping, rotational/succession plantings.
  • Operate light farm equipment such as weed wackers.
  • Support and participate in on-farm educational programs such as Ōhāhā Mahi ‘Ai, Ōhāhā High School AgriCULTURE Program, ‘Ohana Days, and visits by school and community groups.
  • Network with local small farms and ‘āina-based organizations.
  • Engage in daily kilo to anticipate weather changes and deepen understanding of the natural cycles and indicators present at Nāmoku.
  • Participate in organization-wide professional development opportunities.

REQUIREMENTS:

  • Must be between the ages of 17 to 38 for the duration of the program term to be eligible for participation.
  • Must be legally authorized to work in the United States.
  • Must be responsible for personal housing and transportation arrangements on-island.

TO APPLY:
Email your resume and statement of interest by Friday, June 16, to Liam Kernell at lkernell@kohalacenter.org. Questions? Contact Ka‘iana Runnels at krunnels@kohalacenter.org.

Posted: May 31, 2023

Aloha Ambassadors
(Kahalu‘u Bay, Hawai‘i Island)

/in /by

Kahaluʻu Bay Education Center (KBEC) is a program of The Kohala Center (TKC) in partnership with the County of Hawai‘i Department of Parks and Recreation. The County looks to TKC to provide education for all visitors in the following subjects: the respectful behaviors expected of all who enter the water and visit the beach park, as well as information about its sensitive natural resources and cultural and natural history. TKC is launching a Visitor Parking Fee Pilot Project, with all revenues supporting ongoing stewardship, outreach, and education. Outreach includes working with community members and visitors to educate and assist them with the pilot program and provide information about the important ecological and cultural properties of Kahaluʻu Bay and the surrounding area. Salary is $15/hour. To view the full position description and submit an application, please visit our Career Center.

Posted: May 19, 2023

Range Technician
(Waimea, Hawai‘i Island)

/in /by

NOTE: THIS POSITION HAS BEEN FILLED.

 

POSITION TITLE: Range Technician
FLSA STATUS: Exempt
REPORTS TO: Director of Applied ʻĀina-based Agriculture

JOB SUMMARY/PURPOSE: The Range Technician will work in partnership with the National Resource Conservation Service (NRCS) on projects to develop technologies and techniques for use in natural resource conservation work on Hawai‘i’s range and grazing lands. Based in Waimea in the NRCS Field Office, this position will work closely with the NRCS State Grazing Land Management Specialist (SGMS) to develop and implement field-based conservation trials and technical notes. This position will also provide logistical and technical support to the SGMS on other projects related to grazing land conservation and serve as a liaison between NRCS and The Kohala Center (TKC) for further opportunities for collaboration and technology transfer.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES/ESSENTIAL DUTIES:

Research and Development

  • Work with NRCS SGMS in collaboration with NRCS Plant Materials Center (PMC) on field forage yield study and field plantings and trials involving range and forage planting techniques including field planting design, field data collection and analysis, summary and write-up, and coordinating and delivery of project results reporting via pasture walks, workshops, multi-media products or other appropriate methods.
  • Support the above mentioned studies by gathering and inputting weather data, soils data, air-dry weights, developing maps, preparing documents, etc.
  • Support the installation and maintenance of new SCAN weather stations.

Outreach and Training

  • Participate in TKC all-staff meetings and trainings.
  • Participate in TKC or other partner-sponsored workshops, conferences, meetings, or other events related to environmental issues pertaining to tropical grazing lands conservation and ecosystem function (with supervisor’s approval).
  • Participate in producer group meetings, workshops or conferences.
  • Provide technical and logistical support to current grazing projects, grazing management workshops, and/or development of outreach tools.

Operations

  • Serve as point of contact (POC) for Field Plantings and Trials.
  • Support the SGMS in technical capacity with regards to all aspects of the Field projects and other outreach events.

Evaluation and Continuous Learning

  • Complete all identified training to support work as assigned.
  • Incorporate results of field plantings and trials into conservation planning tools, technical notes, and other informational tools.
  • Identify other range resource management information or technology that can be captured and communicated in technical notes or other NRCS technical tools for conservation planning and implementation on tropical grazing lands (i.e., BMPs for Twolined Spittlebug response, etc.).

REQUIRED EDUCATION, EXPERIENCE, CERTIFICATES, OR LICENSES:

  • Working knowledge of Hawaii range and pasture lands.
  • Bachelors’ Degree or coursework towards a Bachelor’s Degree in Agriculture, Biology, Natural Resources, Forestry, Ecology, or other Environmental
  • Sciences or related coursework and significant experience demonstrating competencies in these fields.
  • Possess valid and current driver’s license and clean driving record.

REQUIRED KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES:

  • Passionate about working in natural resources conservation in Hawai‘i.
  • Hard-working, eager to learn and flexible.
  • Able to work independently as part of an interdisciplinary team.
  • Communicate clearly and concisely orally and in writing.
  • Able to work in the field frequently and equally comfortable in an office setting.
  • Able to lift up to 50 lbs. and carry loads over short distances on uneven terrain.
  • Familiar with and capable of using tools commonly used in the field such as shovels, picks, t-post pounders, clippers, sickles, power tools, hammer, etc.
  • Demonstrated ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships.
  • Able to operate a computer and use common Microsoft applications.
  • Ability to operate four-wheel drive vehicles and/or ATVs.
  • Familiar with agriculture, ranching, in particular, in Hawai‘i.
  • Well organized, responsible, and reliable.
  • Must be able to travel up to 25% of the time.

DESIRED QUALIFICATIONS:

  • Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in related field.
  • Experienced in field research, data management and analysis, and report writing.
  • Knowledgeable in Hawaii livestock production systems.
  • Knowledgeable in rangeland and/or island ecology and plant community and competition dynamics.
  • Proficiency in GIS.

WORKING CONDITIONS:

  • Schedule is flexible but a minimum of 20 hours per week is required, and up to 40 hours per week is allowable. Term of the position will depend on schedule availability.
  • Work is performed in various outdoor environments with tropical climate temperatures, occasional use of shared office space, and in a variety of settings in the community.
  • Field activities may take place in steep and rocky terrain, with unstable substrates and around livestock.
  • Out of area travel is required occasionally – generally to neighboring islands, with potential out-of-state travel.
  • A vehicle will be provided for use during working hours.
  • Work days are Monday through Friday.

EQUIPMENT USAGE:

  • Computer and standard office equipment.
  • GPS and camera for field work.
  • Four-wheel Drive vehicle
  • ATV and other field equipment as needed.

Posted: July 7, 2021