Social Ecology Associate

1

Job Announcement – Social Ecology Associate

Job Type: Full-time

Benefits Package

Lomakatsi strives to provide competitive salaries and benefits within the nonprofit community.
The compensation package includes:

 Annual salary commensurate with experience, ranging from $55,000–$80,000
 Employer-paid medical and dental insurance
 Three (3) weeks of paid time off
 Eleven (11) paid holidays annually
 401(k) retirement plan

Schedule: Monday–Friday, 8:00am–5:00pm, with some flexibility required.

Work Location: Based out of Lomakatsi’s Headquarters in Ashland, Oregon, or satellite offices
in Burns, Oregon, or Fort Bidwell, California.

Position Open Until Filled: Applications reviewed on a rolling basis.

Position Summary

The Social Ecology Associate supports Lomakatsi’s Tribal Partnerships Program by bringing a
strong social science and cultural ecological lens to collaborative restoration initiatives across
the region. Working closely with the Tribal Partnerships Director and Executive Director, the
Associate helps integrate anthropological insight, cultural landscape understanding, and
community-based perspectives into program design, implementation, and evaluation. This
position contributes to inter-governmental affairs coordination, supports tribally led ecocultural
stewardship priorities, and strengthens the social foundations of landscape-scale restoration
that integrates Indigenous Traditional Ecological Knowledge.

Key Responsibilities

 Cultural & Social Landscape Assessment — Conduct research and synthesis on cultural
histories, land use patterns, community dynamics, and social drivers that shape
ecological stewardship across tribal and rural communities.

P.O. BOX 3084 ASHLAND, OR 97520 541 488 0208

2

 Tribal Partnership Support — Assist with coordination, communication, education and
relationship building with tribal nations, tribal departments, cultural leaders, and
community partners.

 Program Implementation — Support tribally led restoration, workforce development,
youth programs, and community-based stewardship initiatives, ensuring social and
cultural considerations are integrated throughout.

 Anthropological Insight & Applied Social Science — Apply qualitative research
methods, ethnographic perspectives, and culturally informed analysis to strengthen
program planning and adaptive management.

 Meeting & Field Tour Facilitation — Help design and facilitate meetings, workshops,
and field tours that elevate Indigenous knowledge, community perspectives, and
collaborative decision-making.

 Documentation & Reporting — Prepare clear, audience-specific materials including
briefing notes, partnership updates, cultural landscape summaries, and grant-related
documentation for tribal, federal, and philanthropic partners.

 Interdisciplinary Coordination — Work closely with the Executive Director and program
leads to ensure social-ecological insights inform organizational strategy, project
development, and cross-departmental collaboration.

 Field Integration — Participate in site visits, project tours, and on-the-ground
restoration activities to maintain strong alignment between cultural context, ecological
conditions, and community priorities.

Required Qualifications

 Master’s degree in Anthropology, Social Ecology, Environmental Studies, or a related
social science field.

 Demonstrated experience working with tribal nations, Indigenous communities, or
cross-cultural collaborative programs.

 Strong qualitative research skills, including interviewing, holistic informed ethnographic
informed consent, observation, and cultural landscape documentation.

 Excellent written and verbal communication skills tailored to diverse audiences,
including tribal governments, agencies, and community partners.

 Ability to work effectively in interdisciplinary teams and dynamic, multi-partnership
environments.

 Comfort with fieldwork, travel, and engagement in rural, tribal, and a variety of cultural
settings.

Preferred Qualifications

 Knowledge of restoration ecology, fire-adapted landscapes, or watershed stewardship.
 Experience supporting government-to-government coordination, tribal consultation, or

tribally led initiatives.
 Familiarity with participatory research, education, community-based monitoring, or

collaborative planning processes.

P.O. BOX 3084 ASHLAND, OR 97520 541 488 0208

3

 Experience preparing materials for grant proposals, philanthropic reporting, or federal
program documentation

Core Competencies

 Cultural humility and respect for Indigenous knowledge systems
 Clear, respectful, audience-aware communication
 Collaborative facilitation and relationship building
 Applied social science analysis in ecological contexts
 Systems thinking and integrative problem solving
 Adaptability and professionalism in fast-moving, multi-partner environments

About Us

Lomakatsi Restoration Project is a tribally affiliated nonprofit organization advancing forest,
rangeland, and watershed restoration across Oregon, Idaho, California, and Nevada. For more
than 30 years, we have partnered with Native American Tribes, rural forest- and
rangeland-based communities, and a broad network of federal, state, municipal, industry, and
nonprofit collaborators to restore ecosystems and strengthen community, cultural, and
economic sustainability.

Central to our mission is deep, long-term partnership with Tribes. Lomakatsi’s Tribal
Partnerships team, Cultural Resource Specialists, and ecocultural restoration practitioners work
alongside tribal governments and cultural leaders to integrate Indigenous Traditional Ecological
Knowledge into collaborative stewardship. Lomakatsi also manages the Inter-Tribal Ecosystem
Restoration Partnership, supporting tribally led restoration priorities across multiple states,
watersheds, and ancestral territories.

Our science-based, all-lands restoration work spans thousands of acres of forests, woodlands,
rangelands, and miles of stream habitat, guided by long-term partnership agreements across
four states and fifteen counties. Lomakatsi serves as a lead partner on nationally recognized
initiatives that set precedents for landscape-scale, holistic, triple-bottom-line approaches
addressing social, economic, and ecological community needs.

In addition to ecological restoration, Lomakatsi brings added capacity to rural forest- and
rangeland-based communities through education, workforce training, and tribally led
partnership programs. Our team of restoration practitioners, foresters, ecologists, social
scientists, cultural resource specialists, workforce trainers, and educators works to increase
community involvement and build long-term stewardship pathways. Learn more at
https://lomakatsi.org/

P.O. BOX 3084 ASHLAND, OR 97520 541 488 0208

4

How to Apply

Please send a cover letter and résumé to jobs@lomakatsi.org with the subject line “Social
Ecology Associate.”

Due to the high number of applicants, only those selected for an interview will be contacted.
Position open until filled; applications reviewed on a rolling basis—please apply promptly.

P.O. BOX 3084 ASHLAND, OR 97520 541 488 0208