Open Positions

SGI, affiliated with the Center of Excellence for Field Biology at Austin Peay State University, is a young and dynamic organization where we celebrate, support and strive to promote diversity, equality and inclusion, and are committed to equal employment opportunity regardless of race, color, ancestry, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, age, citizenship, marital status, disability, gender identity or Veteran status.

Director of pHILANTHROPY | Clarksville, TN

Austin Peay State University’s Southeastern Grasslands Institute (SGI) invites applications for a full-time Director of Philanthropy. Under the direct supervision of the Executive Director of Southeastern Grasslands Institute, this position is charged with raising private gifts for SGI at Austin Peay State University. The Director of Philanthropy’s primary responsibility is to identify, cultivate, solicit, and steward prospects by growing and managing an individual donor base capable of gifts in the $25,000+ range and seeking funding from foundations and corporations. Philanthropic contributions to SGI include individual gifts, estate plans, and corporate and foundation awards. The Director will be tasked with developing and implementing an annual giving program to support the major donor pipeline. Additionally, this position will oversee the development of an endowment campaign to help sustain SGI’s general operations and programmatic needs.

Find more information here: Director of Philanthropy Application

Communications Specialist | Clarksville, TN

Austin Peay State University’s Southeastern Grasslands Institute (SGI) invites applications for a temporary, full-time Communications Specialist position ($25/hour). SGI has one year of funding for this position, and future funding opportunities may be available. This position will be responsible for creating, writing, and distributing various materials to increase messaging and marketing of grassland and savanna conservation, as well as communicating the mission and purpose of SGI and the USDA NRCS Working Lands for Wildlife framework.

The Communications Specialist will be expected to foster relationships with the NRCS Public Affairs division staff across the applicable NRCS state offices and opportunities for joint messaging with Pheasants Forever/Quail Forever. This position will also work with numerous other SGI partners and stakeholders and regularly write news releases, blogs, newsletters, and other materials to be shared on various web and social media platforms and with the public. This position will lead the drafting of SGI’s annual report, working with other SGI staff, including the leadership team. This position will report to SGI’s Chief of Staff.

Find more information here: Communications Specialist Application

Senior Administrative Assistant | Clarksville, TN

Austin Peay State University’s Southeastern Grasslands Institute (SGI) invites applications for a full-time Project Specialist position to provide administrative and project support for our Director of Stewardship and restoration team as we embark on a large project funded by the National Park Service. This position will report directly to SGI’s Director of Stewardship.

Find more information here: Senior Administrative Assistant Application

mid-Atlantic Grasslands Coordinator | Roanoke, VA

Austin Peay State University’s Southeastern Grasslands Institute (SGI) invites applications for a Mid-Atlantic Grasslands Coordinator position. This is a full-time, nontenure-track position. The Mid-Atlantic Grasslands Coordinator’s primary role will be to serve the needs of SGI and the National Park Service in developing and managing grassland conservation projects across the Northeast and Capitol regions of the National Park Service. This position will be expected to travel up to 175 days a year, working alongside our restoration team in National Parks to restore various rare and declining habitats. In addition to on-the-ground work in grasslands and coordination of broader efforts, this position includes a vital component of grant-writing and report writing to help secure future funding to support this position and to grow additional programming/staffing needs in the Mid-Atlantic Region. The position will be located in Roanoke, Virginia. This Coordinator position may work a non-traditional schedule and travel throughout the field season with other SGI team members to reach the different project areas, with overnight stays and travel expenses being covered through grant funds (80% travel). Working from home will be possible for a few specific desk-based tasks. This position will report to SGI’s Director of Stewardship.

Find more information here: Mid-Atlantic Grasslands Coordinator Application

Grasslandia Field Technician | Multiple Locations

Austin Peay State University’s Southeastern Grasslands Institute (SGI) invites applications for two seasonal Field Technician positions: one based in Little Rock, Arkansas, and one based in Clarksville, Tennessee. Funding is available for five months at $20/hour for 37.5 hours/week (the start and end dates are flexible, but beginning in May is preferred). These entry-level positions will help train the next generation of ecologists in field botany and general conservation work. These positions will assist with conducting plant surveys and mapping habitats across the Southeastern United States with an Ecologist and Biologist team. The Field Technicians are expected to spend 70-90% of their time in the field and 10-30% in indoor facilities to perform data management and other activities. Extensive travel (with the Ecologist and Biologist) will be expected to reach the different project areas with frequent overnight stays (occasionally up to 7 nights in a row) with travel expenses covered. Working from home will be possible for a few specific, desk-based tasks. These positions will report to SGI’s Chief Conservation Officer (Little Rock, AR) and Director of Stewardship (Clarksville, TN). Daily activities will be directed by the Biologist and Ecologist.

To apply, please send your resume and cover letter via email to theo.witsell@segrasslands.org for Arkansas AND/OR jeremy.french@segrasslands.org for Tennessee with “Grassland Technician [Duty Location (AR and/or TN)]” in the subject line. You may apply to both positions simultaneously, just make sure to indicate that in your application and email subject line.

Position Dates: May - Sept. 2025, but may be flexible. Interviews will begin in early January.

Find more information here: Grasslandia Field Technician Application

Field Technician | Clarksville, TN

Austin Peay State University’s Southeastern Grasslands Institute (SGI) invites applications for two full-time Field Technician positions to study and restore native grasslands on national parks across the Eastern United States as part of our Grasslands Restoration, Inventory, and Monitoring team. Field Technicians will be responsible for collecting baseline data from grassland remnants and proposed grassland “reconstruction” sites at a diverse array of national parks across the Eastern U.S., as well as carrying out restoration and land management work, and collecting post-treatment data from all sites. Field Technicians will travel extensively throughout the year, often working alternative work schedules to reach the different project areas (up to 90% of time will be spent in the field), with overnight stays and travel expenses covered by grant funds. These positions will be remotely based in Clarksville, TN (45 miles from Nashville, TN). Field Technicians will receive daily direction from a Lead Field Technician and directly report to SGI’s Interior Low Plateau Grasslands Coordinator.

Find more information here: Field Technician Application

Lead Field Technician | Clarksville, TN

Austin Peay State University’s Southeastern Grasslands Institute (SGI) invites applications for a full-time Lead Field Technician position to study and restore native grasslands on national parks across the Eastern United States as part of our Grasslands Restoration, Inventory, and Monitoring team. The Lead Field Technician will be responsible for coordinating daily work duties for their team of field technicians, as well as communicating project happenings and needs with SGI’s Interior Low Plateau Grasslands Coordinator. The Lead Field Technician will collect baseline data from grassland remnants and proposed grassland “reconstruction” sites at a diverse array of national parks across the Eastern U.S., as well as carry out restoration and land management work, and collecting post-treatment data from all sites. This position will travel extensively along with two other Field Technicians throughout the year, often working an alternative work schedule to reach the different project areas (up to 90% of time will be spent in the field), with overnight stays and travel expenses covered by grant funds. This position will be remotely based in Clarksville, TN (45 miles from Nashville, TN). The Lead Field Technician will directly report to SGI’s Interior Low Plateau Grasslands Coordinator.

Find more information here: Lead Field Technician Application