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Contact: Lucas Hall, Director of Projects – Long Live the Kings
lhall@lltk.org (206) 382-9555 x30
Port Gamble, WA – On April 10, the Hood Canal Bridge Assessment Team will deploy a $1.6 million fish guidance structure at the Hood Canal Bridge to help threatened salmon and steelhead pass one of the deadliest migration barriers in Washington.
This is the first test of a long-awaited strategy to reduce the high number of young steelhead – up to 50% – that die at the bridge each year. The floating wedge-shaped structure, called a fillet, was the top near-term recommendation of the Hood Canal Bridge Assessment Team in their 2020 report analyzing the causes of high steelhead mortality at the bridge. It was built with state-appropriated funding by contractors Global Diving and Salvage, with design and engineering by Kleinschmidt Associates and Art Anderson Associates, fabrication at Pacific Netting Products in Kingston, and transportation by Boyer Logistics. The massive structure measures more than 20 feet high and 85 feet long and will sit in the water to fill in the 90-degree corner at the southeast end of the bridge.
Research by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the Port Gamble S’Klallam Tribe indicates that migrating juvenile steelhead and salmon tend to get disoriented in these corners, making them easy targets for predators. With the fillet in place, researchers hope to see fish finding their way past the corner and around the bridge more quickly.
Representatives from the Assessment Team, including Port Gamble S’Klallam Tribe, NOAA, the Washington State Departments of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) and Transportation (WSDOT), the Hood Canal Coordinating Council, and project coordinator Long Live the Kings look forward to watching this major milestone, which comes after more than a decade of collaborative effort.
As in previous years, NOAA has tagged juvenile steelhead with acoustic transmitters and placed underwater receivers around the bridge to track their movements. The Port Gamble S’Klallam Tribe is using underwater video and acoustic imaging to monitor fish and harbor seals during the test period. The fillet will be installed and removed in one-week windows during the peak of steelhead migration, between April 10 and May 14, allowing the research team to compare their behavior and survival with and without it.
The discovery that the Hood Canal Bridge poses a deadly barrier for steelhead emerged from research first published by NOAA’s Northwest Fisheries Science Center in 2013, which found that tracked steelhead smolts were slowed down at the bridge and faced unusually high mortality there. In response, the Assessment Team conducted a comprehensive assessment of the bridge’s impact on salmon and steelhead and concluded that the bridge’s design was inadvertently blocking salmon migration and creating a predator hotspot.
The bridge rests on floating concrete pontoons that extend 15 feet under the water’s surface, blocking more than 80% of the canal width. As the fish attempt to find a way past this underwater wall, they become easy prey for harbor seals. A NOAA study published in 2022 found that approximately half of juvenile steelhead that made it to the Hood Canal Bridge died nearby, most likely eaten by seals.
Hood Canal steelhead are threatened under the Endangered Species Act, along with Hood Canal Chinook and chum populations. Research by the Port Gamble S’Klallam Tribe indicates that Chinook and chum may also be affected by the bridge. Steelhead and Chinook remain at a fraction of their historic numbers despite significant investments in habitat restoration and watershed-based recovery actions, impacting Tribal and recreational fisheries, local economies and cultural traditions, and the health of the surrounding ecosystem.
“Addressing this one mortality hotspot could meaningfully restore productivity for imperiled salmon and steelhead in Hood Canal and is relatively simple compared to other more controversial salmon recovery actions that involve compromise,” says Megan Moore, NOAA. “Facilitating fish passage and eventual replacement of the Hood Canal Bridge benefits salmon and the entire ecosystem, including people.”
The fillet, which is installed at water level by a tugboat and partially submerged, is not expected to impact traffic or be visible to cars on the bridge. If the data collected this year show that it improves steelhead survival, the project partners hope to pursue funding for additional fillets to cover the other corners on the bridge. In the long run, those involved in this study agree that a new bridge design will be needed to meet the needs of Hood Canal’s salmon, steelhead, and people. “As we learn how our built environment impacts salmon, steelhead and other natural assets that define our amazing region, we are called to find safe ways to reverse the damage,” said Long Live the Kings Executive Director, Jacques White. “Our hats are off to all the partners and funders that played key roles in this creative and remarkable effort to help juvenile steelhead safely past the Hood Canal Bridge. This story is about different groups coming together to solve problems for our fish, and the current and future generations of people who care about them.”
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Link to photos and media:
https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1EVkqUQVjbzSnnADe89s0gUgsWGAVph9G?usp=share_link
Quotes:
• WA Senator Christine Rolfes: “Thanks to careful work by regional experts and passionate advocates, we are taking another meaningful step to improve wild fish survival in Hood Canal. This is a thoughtful and cost-effective strategy to protect migrating salmon without undermining critical transportation infrastructure. I continue to be inspired by the innovative solutions being developed to reduce environmental threats to our state’s iconic species.”
• Port Gamble S’Klallam Tribe Chairman: “The hard-won recognition of tribal treaty rights is virtually meaningless when salmon habitat is continually damaged and destroyed,” said Chairman Jeromy Sullivan, Port Gamble S’Klallam Tribe. “The decline of fish populations and the resulting degradation of treaty rights has a resonating impact on tribal culture, subsistence needs, and economic development. We take seriously our responsibility to aid in the recovery of fish populations, their habitats, and other natural resources. Partnering with groups like Long Live the Kings helps us address these problems with potentially long-lasting solutions to further secure our ability to exercise our treaty rights for generations to come.”
• Hood Canal Coordinating Council: “The Hood Canal Bridge fish passage effort is leading the way for infrastructure planning which is salmon-mindful, with effective collaboration across multiple facets of our society’s priorities from US Navy mission readiness, WSDOT safety and transportation ensuring emergency services, Tribal treaty reserved rights, and protection of state and federal investments in salmon recovery and ecosystem health.”
• “This fillet is just one of the ways we’re working with partners to address predation on threatened salmon stocks,” said WDFW Director Kelly Susewind. “We’ve gained valuable information already from our recent research on seal activity in Puget Sound and other waters, and we continue exploring all potential options to reduce impacts to imperiled salmon on their journey to the ocean.”
• Global Diving and Salvage: “The Global Diving team is proud to assist Long Live the Kings in their Hood Canal fish passage initiative. This project represents a significant step forward in preserving and restoring our natural ecosystems, and we are honored to play a role in this effort. We look forward to continuing to support the mission of Long Live the Kings to bring about meaningful change and ensure a healthy future for salmon, steelhead, and our environment as a whole.”
About Long Live the Kings: Long Live the Kings is a non-profit salmon recovery organization based in Seattle. Since 1986, LLTK has been working to restore wild salmon and steelhead and support sustainable fishing in the Pacific Northwest.
Project Manager
About Long Live the Kings (LLTK)
LLTK’s mission is to restore wild salmon and steelhead and support sustainable fishing in the Pacific Northwest. Since 1986, we have been advancing science, improving management, and implementing solutions to balance the needs of fish and people. LLTK envisions a sustainable Northwest with a growing human population, a thriving economy, and flourishing salmon runs.
Our 18-member Board of Directors and 16 dedicated staff members seek broad involvement to help us accomplish our goals. Our core values are stewardship, collaboration, results, and learning. Our staff are located in Seattle, Hood Canal, and Orcas Island, and work throughout western Washington and the Pacific Northwest. Learn more about us in our 2025 Strategic Roadmap and on our website.
Position Summary – Project Manager
This position is a part of our Projects Team, which will have 5 full-time staff in the Seattle office and 3.5 staff at our field stations. The position will focus on projects in the Nisqually Estuary related to habitat restoration, stormwater management, and forage fish.
This position is a great opportunity for someone with significant experience in habitat restoration planning, process facilitation, community engagement, scientific assessment, and project management in the natural resources management and conservation fields. We will offer training on the systems you will use, and a briefing on organizational norms and culture, expectations, etc. In short, our team will make sure you know what is expected of you, and how to do it well. We look forward to welcoming a team member who will bring something new to LLTK through their personhood, talents and lived experiences.
The Project Manager reports to the Director of Projects and is based in downtown Seattle (5th & Union) in our administrative offices. However, this position is currently hybrid and must maintain remote working capabilities. You will need to provide a reliable internet connection, a quiet workspace, and be able to be reached by phone (LLTK provides a $20/month cell phone stipend, paid quarterly). Currently, the LLTK team is mostly remote, but some team members prefer to work from the office. All team members are expected to be present in the office every Tuesday for an “anchor” day, but office attendance is otherwise optional. Field work and in-person meetings associated with this position are currently located in and around Puget Sound and Hood Canal, so physical location in Western Washington state is a must.
Key Responsibilities
- Works collaboratively in a team environment across all levels of staff and the Board of Directors to develop and implement projects that typically engage a varied group of stakeholders within the salmon recovery community. This includes securing project funding for existing and new priorities.
- Facilitates discussions and decision-making processes, including multi-party, collaborative meetings; technical work groups; stakeholder outreach sessions; and workshops.
- Manages project contracts, subcontracts, budgets, schedules, and associated reporting and deliverables.
- Key project areas:
- Manages estuary habitat restoration planning and implementation.
- Leads LLTK’s work on stormwater management as it relates to salmon health.
- Co-leads, with the Senior Science Project Manager, research on salmon food web interactions with a focus on forage fish.
- Identifies and obtains appropriate scientific and regulatory permits to conduct project work.
- Assists with the design and execution of technical studies, including field data collection.
- Communicates project progress and results to diverse technical and non-technical audiences through presentations, reports, interviews, and public-facing communications materials in conferences, webinars, or public forums.
- Builds and maintains relationships with state, federal, tribal, local, and nonprofit project partners around the region.
- Participates fully in diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives, and works to apply a DEI lens to project work.
Minimum Experience, Skills, & Qualifications
- Proven work experience in fisheries biology, ecology, natural resources management, environmental science, conservation science, or closely related field.
- Developing, implementing, facilitating, and managing multi-party habitat restoration, environmental assessment, or infrastructure-related projects.
- Managing contract budgets, schedules, and associated deliverables.
- Communicating progress and results of technical projects to diverse technical and non-technical audiences through presentations, reports, interviews, and public-facing communications materials.
- Desire to be a part of our diversity, equity, and inclusion work.
- Conducting field work which may include walking on uneven surfaces, working in/around water, lifting heavy objects, and travel which may result in slightly irregular work hours.
- Strong technical writing and oral communication skills.
- Demonstrated experience with Microsoft Office (mainly Excel, Word, Outlook, PowerPoint), digital document layout and formatting (in Word, email platforms, or similar) and performing web searches. Experience with a similarly performing software suite (G-Suite, etc.) may be substituted.
- Valid driver’s license.
- An advanced degree in fisheries biology, ecology, natural resources management, environmental science, conservation science, construction management, or closely related field, and 3+ years of work experience (or an equivalent combination of education and experience that provides the knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform the duties and responsibilities as described)
Desired Experience, Skills, & Qualifications
- Familiarity with issues related to salmon conservation and experience advancing solutions related to these issues.
- Researching or implementing stormwater management methods to reduce environmental harm, including bio-filtration strategies.
- Planning and executing studies related to fish ecology, habitat restoration, or related fields.
- Experience conducting and/or assisting with community and stakeholder outreach related to complex multi-party environmental projects.
- Identifying and securing funding to advance program goals.
- Procuring professional services and goods in accordance with state and federal law.
- Competencies in R, GIS, and/or equivalent data analysis platforms.
- Competencies with project management best practices and software.
- Experience writing or assisting with grant proposals.
- Experience conducting fieldwork in estuarine, nearshore, and/or marine environments.
- Existing network of Puget Sound environmental and/or salmon recovery professionals.
- Availability and suitable travel arrangements for frequent meetings or events in the Seattle area.
- Experience working with diverse partners and stakeholders.
Compensation, Benefits, & Location
LLTK Managers are compensated between $69,000 – $87,000 annually. Generous benefits provided include:
- Paid Time Off (PTO):
- Vacation is accrued at 10 hours per month for the first 3 years of employment (15 days per year). Starting in year 4, you will accrue 13.33 vacation hours per month (20 days per year). Accumulated PTO days roll over to the next year, but cannot exceed 15 or 20 days depending on employment length.
- Paid Sick time accrued at 8 hours per month (12 days per year). Accumulated sick time rolls over into the next year but is caped at (18 days).
- 13 Floating PTO days are available at the start of each year, but do not roll over to the follow year. These were originally instituted to replace set paid holidays.
- Health Insurance Currently under Premera Blue Cross PPO (Heritage Network) Including a $15,000 Life/AD&D employee only and 3-visit Employee Assistance Program (EAP) program.
- Dental insurance LLTK covers 100% of the employee premium and 50% of the dependent Premium.
- Health Reimbursement Account (HRA) annual benefit of $3,500 for individual and $6,500 for those with dependents, 100% covered by LLTK.
- 401k with matching opportunities (after one year of full-time employment) at 5% as long as the employee defers 1%.
- Long Term Disability Insurance.
- Flex Spending Account Allows employees to put pre-tax dollars into an FSA to paid for non-reimbursed medical expenses; annual carry over max of $500.
- Dependent Care FSA IRS allows $5k of pre-tax dollars to be spent on qualified dependent care expenses (2023).
- ORCA Pass for commuting works on all sound transit bus and rail.
- Dog Friendly Office.
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
Staff and Board have begun a formal process of examining ourselves and our organization with a DEI lens and have started implementing changes. Our intention is to do this work so that we can authentically embrace DEI principles as a core value that drives the success of our people, our partners, and our work.
How to Apply
We welcome and encourage qualified people of all identities and abilities to apply. Please email to apply, letting us know how/where you heard about the job, and include a resume or CV and 1-page cover letter that describes your interest in LLTK and this position, and your relevant qualifications and experience. Application review begins on April 24, 2023; the position will remain open until filled.
Please note that there is also a Project Coordinator position posted simultaneously. If you would like to be considered for both positions. Please note that in your email and cover letter.
We look forward to receiving your materials. Please send them to Scott Jenkins at sjenkins@lltk.org. We’re a small team and politely request that follow-up calls or emails be restricted to technical questions or necessary accommodations having to do with applying.
Project Coordinator
About Long Live the Kings (LLTK)
LLTK’s mission is to restore wild salmon and steelhead and support sustainable fishing in the Pacific Northwest. Since 1986, we have been advancing science, improving management, and implementing solutions to balance the needs of fish and people. LLTK envisions a sustainable Northwest with a growing human population, a thriving economy, and flourishing salmon runs.
Our 18-member Board of Directors and 16 dedicated staff members seek broad involvement to help us accomplish our goals. Our core values are stewardship, collaboration, results, and learning. Our staff are located in Seattle, Hood Canal, and Orcas Island, and work throughout western Washington and the Pacific Northwest. Learn more about us in our 2025 Strategic Roadmap and on our website.
Position Summary – Project Coordinator
This position is a part of our Projects Team, which will have 5 full-time staff in the Seattle office and 3.5 staff at our field stations. The position will coordinate project elements at the direction of project managers including meeting facilitation, in-field data collection, planning, and communication.
This position is a great opportunity for someone with initial experience in biology, conservation, or natural resources management who is seeking to refine their skillset through new experiences and increasing responsibilities. We will offer training on the systems you will use, and a briefing on organizational norms and culture, expectations, etc. In short, our team will make sure you know what is expected of you, and how to do it well. We look forward to welcoming a team member who will bring something new to LLTK through their personhood, talents and lived experiences.
The Project Coordinator reports to the Senior Science Project Manager and is based in downtown Seattle (5th & Union) in our administrative offices. However, this position is currently hybrid and must maintain remote working capabilities. You will need to provide a reliable internet connection, a quiet workspace, and be able to be reached by phone (LLTK provides a $20/month cell phone stipend, paid quarterly). Currently, the LLTK team is mostly remote, but some team members prefer to work from the office. All team members are expected to be present in the office every Tuesday for an “anchor” day, but office attendance is otherwise optional. Field work and in-person meetings associated with this position are currently located in and around Puget Sound and Hood Canal, so physical location in Western Washington state is a must.
Key Responsibilities
- Assist with projects which may include meeting support, research, or analysis. You will be trained for specific tasks as necessary.
- Coordinate specific project elements such as tours, meetings, grant applications, workshops, stakeholder engagement, report writing, and permitting.
- Maintain relationships with partners and stakeholders.
- Communicate project progress and results through presentations, reports, and public-facing communications materials.
- Work collaboratively across the entire organization and with some partners, stakeholders, and governments.
- Participate fully in diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives, and work to apply a DEI lens to project and communication work.
- Assist with field work which may include walking on uneven surfaces, lifting heavy objects, working in/around water, and travel which may result in slightly irregular work hours.
Minimum Experience, Skills, & Qualifications
- Familiarity with basic ecosystem processes and willingness to expand this knowledge.
- Experience developing and maintaining working relationships with partners.
- Desire to be a part of our diversity, equity, and inclusion work.
- Experience assisting with project management – meeting deadlines, prioritizing tasks, etc.
- Ability to plan and execute work with minimal oversight (appropriate training and ongoing support will be provided).
- Experience creating meeting agendas, addressing meeting logistics, and assisting with meeting facilitation.
- Willingness to conduct field work which may include walking on uneven surfaces, working in/around water, lifting heavy objects, and travel which may result in slightly irregular work hours.
- Strong writing and communication skills – technical and expository.
- Demonstrated experience with Microsoft Office (mainly Excel, Word, Outlook, PowerPoint), digital document layout and formatting (in Word, email platforms, or similar) and performing web searches. Experience with a similarly performing software suite (G-Suite, etc.) may be substituted.
- Commitment to learn or already possesses basic skills in Adobe In-Design and Photoshop.
- Bachelor’s degree in fisheries biology, ecology, natural resources management, environmental science, conservation science, or closely related field, and 2-3 years of work experience; or an equivalent combination of education and experience that provides the knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform the duties and responsibilities as described.
- Valid driver’s license.
Desired Experience, Skills, & Qualifications
- Ability to manage contract budgets, schedules, and associated deliverables.
- Experience collecting, analyzing, and visualizing data with qualitative and quantitative methods for progress reports, technical reports, and/or manuscripts.
- Experience completing scientific field work.
- Familiarity with the Puget Sound environmental and/or salmon recovery fields.
- Experience working with diverse partners and stakeholders.
- Availability and suitable travel arrangements for frequent meetings or events in the Seattle area.
- Expertise in photography and videography; ability to document research projects, events, and notable stories.
Compensation, Benefits, & Location
LLTK Coordinators are compensated between $58,000 – $69,000 annually. Generous benefits provided include:
- Paid Time Off (PTO):
- Vacation is accrued at 10 hours per month for the first 3 years of employment (15 days per year). Starting in year 4, you will accrue 13.33 vacation hours per month (20 days per year). Accumulated PTO days roll over to the next year, but cannot exceed 15 or 20 days depending on employment length.
- Paid Sick time accrued at 8 hours per month (12 days per year). Accumulated sick time rolls over into the next year but is caped at (18 days).
- 13 Floating PTO days are available at the start of each year, but do not roll over to the follow year. These were originally instituted to replace set paid holidays.
- Health Insurance Currently under Premera Blue Cross PPO (Heritage Network) Including a $15,000 Life/AD&D employee only and 3-visit Employee Assistance Program (EAP) program.
- Dental insurance LLTK covers 100% of the employee premium and 50% of the dependent Premium.
- Health Reimbursement Account (HRA) annual benefit of $3,500 for individual and $6,500 for those with dependents, 100% covered by LLTK.
- 401k with matching opportunities (after one year of full-time employment) at 5% as long as the employee defers 1%.
- Long Term Disability Insurance.
- Flex Spending Account Allows employees to put pre-tax dollars into an FSA to paid for non-reimbursed medical expenses; annual carry over max of $500.
- Dependent Care FSA IRS allows $5k of pre-tax dollars to be spent on qualified dependent care expenses (2023).
- ORCA Pass for commuting works on all sound transit bus and rail.
- Dog Friendly Office.
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
Staff and Board have begun a formal process of examining ourselves and our organization with a DEI lens and have started implementing changes. Our intention is to do this work so that we can authentically embrace DEI principles as a core value that drives the success of our people, our partners, and our work.
How to Apply
We welcome and encourage qualified people of all identities and abilities to apply. Please email to apply, letting us know how/where you heard about the job, and include a resume or CV and 1-page cover letter that describes your interest in LLTK and this position, and your relevant qualifications and experience. Application review begins on April 24, 2023; the position will remain open until filled.
Please note that there is also a Project Manager position posted simultaneously. If you would like to be considered for both positions. Please note that in your email and cover letter.
We look forward to receiving your materials. Please send them to Scott Jenkins at sjenkins@lltk.org. We’re a small team and politely request that follow-up calls or emails be restricted to technical questions or necessary accommodations having to do with applying.
Senior Communications Manager
About Long Live the Kings (LLTK)
LLTK’s mission is to restore wild salmon and steelhead and support sustainable fishing in the Pacific Northwest. Since 1986, we have been advancing science, improving management, and implementing solutions to balance the needs of fish and people. LLTK envisions a sustainable Northwest with a growing human population, a thriving economy, and flourishing salmon runs.
Our 18-member Board of Directors and 16 dedicated staff members seek broad involvement to help us accomplish our goals. Our core values are stewardship, collaboration, results, and learning. Our staff are located in Seattle, Hood Canal, and Orcas Island, and work throughout western Washington and the Pacific Northwest. Learn more about us in our 2025 Strategic Roadmap and on our website.
Position Summary – Senior Communications Manager
Long Live the Kings (LLTK) is seeking an experienced communications professional to help advance Pacific Northwest salmon recovery and build the constituencies needed for meaningful policy change. This full-time position reflects our growing efforts to better share our work and engage the public in salmon recovery. The Senior Communications Manager reports directly to the Executive Director and collaborates across all departments to craft and implement an effective and mission-centered communications strategy. As manager of LLTK’s communication work, this role offers significant potential for leadership and career growth.
If you are a strategic and intersectional thinker, have experience growing constituencies, have developed comprehensive communications plans, possess strong writing skills, and are excited by the prospect of getting into the community and engaging with a diverse set of stakeholders, we would like to consider you for this role.
LLTK is currently using a hybrid workplace model. We ask all staff to work from our office in downtown Seattle at least one day a week, Tuesdays. Additionally, we have quarterly staff gatherings that require in-person participation and there will be additional work location and travel needs specific to this position. Note that this may change as we continue to adjust to workplace changes brought about by the Covid-19 pandemic.
Key Responsibilities
- Works with senior staff and Board to create short and long-term strategic communication plans, with updates annually.
- Oversees strategic planning, messaging, content development and maintenance, and expansion of LLTK media presence.
- Works closely with the Executive Director and program staff to execute appropriate organizational messaging on local, state, and federal issues that impact salmon recovery.
- Works closely with the Development Director on donor outreach strategies and materials, and event messaging.
- Supports the Board Communications Committee to ensure timely and effective input on communication initiatives and platforms.
- Spearheads list growth efforts with a goal of 15% year over year net list growth.
- Collaboratively plans, develops, and implements communication efforts, including strategic development of outreach programs.
- Oversees development and management of various communications platforms and collateral pieces: annual report, communications plans and campaigns, videos, website, social media channels, blog, email marketing platform, newsletters, etc.
- Builds and maintains relationships with media outlets and influencers.
- Researches and maintains up-to-date information on the communications landscape for salmon recovery and natural resource management.
- Attends community events on behalf of Long Live the Kings.
- Supervises all aspects of the organization’s communications program, including budgets, contractors and vendors, workflow, and dissemination of information to staff, Board Members, and partners.
- Networks with salmon recovery related entities locally, domestically, and internationally.
- Responsible for supporting senior staff in all aspects of program growth relevant to communications, including creating project specific messaging and marketing collateral.
- Participates fully in DEI efforts and advancement of LLTK’s DEI Roadmap.
Required Skills & Qualifications
- 3-5 years’ experience as a communications professional in a similar position at a nonprofit, agency, academic institution, or corporation.
- Bachelor’s degree in a related field: English, journalism, communications, etc. or equivalent combination of experience, education, and training.
- Demonstrated experience creating and executing strategic communication plans.
- Strong writer and storyteller, able to understand complex policy and scientific content to create compelling messaging for specific audiences, across a variety of platforms.
- Excellent public presentation and interaction skills.
- Capable of working with government agencies and private sector partners as part of collaborative community centered projects.
- Creative thinker ready to employ A/B testing and analyze data to drive messaging content and send frequency.
- Knowledge of list growth best practices.
- Strong project manager with the ability to multitask, prioritize and meet deadlines in a fast-paced environment.
- Excellent proofreading, writing and copy-editing skills.
- Expertise with Microsoft Office Suite, email marketing platforms, and content management systems.
- Ability to proactively communicate and work well with others in a professional office environment.
- Valid driver’s license.
Desired Skills & Qualifications
- Experience working with, and building relationships with, domestic and international media (specifically in the environmental/conservation sector).
- Knowledge of Adobe Creative Suite products including Photoshop, InDesign, Illustrator, and other publishing software.
- Passion for protecting and stewarding nature and wildlife.
- Experience collaborating with development staff to create intersectional communications and fundraising plans.
- Leadership role(s) in prior paid, or volunteer, positions.
- Previous team management and supervisory experience.
- Availability and suitable travel arrangements for frequent meetings or events in the Seattle area.
- Prior environmental work experience.
Compensation, Benefits, & Location
LLTK Senior Managers are compensated between $79,000 – $106,000 annually. Generous benefits provided include:
- Paid Time Off (PTO):
- Vacation is accrued at 10 hours per month for the first 3 years of employment (15 days per year). Starting in year 4, you will accrue 13.33 vacation hours per month (20 days per year). Accumulated PTO days roll over to the next year, but cannot exceed 15 or 20 days depending on employment length.
- Paid Sick time accrued at 8 hours per month (12 days per year). Accumulated sick time rolls over into the next year but is caped at (18 days).
- 13 Floating PTO days are available at the start of each year, but do not roll over to the follow year. These were originally instituted to replace set paid holidays.
- Health Insurance Currently under Premera Blue Cross PPO (Heritage Network) including a $15,000 Life/AD&D employee only and 3-visit Employee Assistance Program (EAP) program.
- Dental insurance LLTK covers 100% of the employee premium and 50% of the dependent Premium.
- Health Reimbursement Account (HRA) annual benefit of $3,500 for individual and $6,500 for those with dependents, 100% covered by LLTK.
- 401k with matching opportunities (after one year of full-time employment) at 5% as long as the employee defers 1%.
- Long Term Disability Insurance.
- Flex Spending Account Allows employees to put pre-tax dollars into an FSA to paid for non-reimbursed medical expenses; annual carry over max of $500.
- Dependent Care FSA IRS allows $5k of pre-tax dollars to be spent on qualified dependent care expenses (2023).
- ORCA Pass for commuting works on all sound transit bus and rail.
- Dog Friendly Office.
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
Staff and Board have begun a formal process of examining ourselves and our organization with a DEI lens and have started implementing changes. Our intention is to do this work so that we can authentically embrace DEI principles as a core value that drives the success of our people, our partners, and our work.
How to Apply
We welcome and encourage qualified people of all identities and abilities to apply. Please email to apply, letting us know how/where you heard about the job, and include a resume or CV and 1-page cover letter that describes your interest in LLTK and this position, and your relevant qualifications and experience. Application review begins April 24th; the position will remain open until filled.
We look forward to receiving your materials. Please send them to Lynn Baker at lbaker@lltk.org. We’re a small team and politely request that follow-up calls or emails be restricted to technical questions or necessary accommodations having to do with applying.
This winter marks our third field season working with the Nisqually Indian Tribe on innovative research into herring populations. The study combines Indigenous knowledge with contemporary scientific methodology. We use a traditional practice of collecting herring roe on evergreen boughs alongside genetic analysis and habitat surveys. As with a lot of marine science, the most interesting parts of this study happen underwater. We were thrilled to be able to work with artist Rosemary Connelli to illustrate the process! These two infographic posters show the relationship between herring and salmon survival, and how this project uses Indigenous techniques to support research and recovery. Click the download links below to access PDF versions.
LLTK joins research network modeling Puget Sound ecosystems
Long Live the Kings is part of a new collaborative project led by the Puget Sound Institute to create the Puget Sound Integrated Modeling Framework (PSIMF). PSIMF will bring together five separate models of Puget Sound, helping scientists and planners understand the complex puzzle pieces of our region’s ecosystems from ocean to mountaintops.
Funded in part by the Paul G. Allen Family Foundation, PSIMF will enable better regional planning and decision-making by providing a cohesive picture of the entire Puget Sound ecosystem. Components of the integrated framework will model land cover, freshwater, marine, food web and human activity. Hem Nalini Morzaria Luna, a researcher with Long Live the Kings, works with the Atlantis Ecosystem Model to study the Puget Sound food web. This research is key to ongoing work from the Salish Sea Marine Survival Project to understand how factors at the base of the food web – including the influence of climate change – ripple up to affect salmon and other predators like orcas. By combining Atlantis with the four other models, PSIMF provides a powerful tool for shaping the path to salmon recovery as part of a sustainable future for Puget Sound.
Read more on PSIMF and the power of data-driven modeling from Puget Sound Institute.
Database Assistant
About Long Live the Kings (LLTK)
LLTK’s mission is to restore wild salmon and steelhead and support sustainable fishing in the Pacific Northwest. Since 1986, we have been advancing science, improving management, and implementing solutions to balance the needs of fish and people. LLTK envisions a sustainable Northwest with a growing human population, a thriving economy, and flourishing salmon runs.
Our 18-member Board of Directors and 16 dedicated staff members seek broad involvement to help us accomplish our goals. Our core values are stewardship, collaboration, results, and learning. Our staff are located in Seattle, Hood Canal, and Orcas Island, and work throughout western Washington and the Pacific Northwest. Learn more about us in our 2025 Strategic Roadmap and on our website.
Position Summary – Database Assistant (Part-Time)
You will join our Development and Communications Team, reporting to LLTK’s Senior Grants and Database Manager to help meet LLTK’s growing data management needs. This is an entry level and part-time position at 24 hours/week (compensation range provided below).
If you’re looking to launch a career in the nonprofit sector or already have some experience working within non-profit fundraising/administration or working within a CRM, we hope you’ll take a closer look at this opportunity to deliver big impact for salmon and the communities who depend on them. We will offer full training on the systems this position requires as well as a briefing on organizational norms and culture, expectations, etc. In short, our team will make sure you know what is expected of you, and how to do it well.
This position is based in downtown Seattle (5th & University) in our administrative office and requires an in-person presence at least four days per week with limited opportunities for remote work. This position will also feature occasional regional travel opportunities to support LLTK’s annual fundraising and outreach events.
Key Responsibilities
Data Management
- Donor records and acknowledgments:
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- * Prompt donation entry into Bloomerang (LLTK’s CRM Database)
- * Track, assign, and craft donor acknowledgements to ensure timely donation recognition
- * Regularly reconcile donations with the LLTK finance team
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- Events Data in Bloomerang and Greater Giving (LLTK’s events management software):
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- * Track and enter event RSVPs
- * Track auction procurement
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- With additional time and training:
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- * Lead database hygiene efforts to maintain data accuracy within Bloomerang
- * Craft and analyze complex donor reports to help the Development team craft data driven fundraising solicitation strategies
- * Further integrate Bloomerang with LLTK’s website, Greater Giving, and other fundraising tools
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General Fundraising Assistance
- Attend and support LLTK’s three annual fundraisers and a limited number of community outreach events
- As needed, support major fundraising appeals (e.g., printing, stuffing, addressing, and delivering donor solicitation letters)
Administration
- Collect and log mail delivered to the administrative office
- Participate fully in diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives
- Participate in team building activities to help build a fun, welcoming, and productive workplace
Minimum Experience, Skills, & Qualifications
- 1+ years of a combination of education and experience that provides the knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform the previously outlined job responsibilities
- Experience using Microsoft Office Suite (with an emphasis on Excel)
- Problem solver with a genuine interest in how data is collected and can improve decision making
- Understanding of basic algebra and statistics to aid in donor data analysis
- Close attention to detail to ensure highly accurate donor data
- Desire to be a part of our diversity, equity, and inclusion work
- Commitment to continued learning around database management best practices
- Ability to plan and execute work with minimal oversight (with appropriate training and support)
- Strong commitment to confidentiality of donor and organizational information
Desired Experience, Skills, & Qualifications
- Experience using a CRM (Bloomerang, Salesforce, Razor’s Edge, Little Green Light, etc.)
- Experience working within non-profit fundraising
- Basic understanding of Logical (Boolean) Operators (using And, Or, Not to filter searches within a database)
- Bring something new to LLTK through your personhood, talents, lived experience, etc. – you are an addition to our culture
- Passion for protecting and stewarding nature and wildlife
Compensation, Benefits, & Location
The hourly rate for this position is $22.00-$30.00 (the range aims to accommodate those with varying years of relevant experience and/or education).
- Paid Time Off (sick leave accrues at 1 hour for every 40 hours worked)
- 401k with matching opportunities (after one year of employment and 1,000 hours worked)
- Flex Spending Account
- Dependent Care FSA
- Quarterly Cell Phone Stipend ($60)
- ORCA Pass for commuting
- Dog Friendly Office
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
Staff and Board have begun a formal process of examining ourselves and our organization with a DEI lens and have started implementing changes. Our intention is to do this work so that we can authentically embrace DEI principles as a core value that drives the success of our people, our partners, and our work.
How to Apply
We welcome and encourage qualified people of all identities and abilities to apply. Please email all application materials to Lynn Baker at lbaker@lltk.org to apply. Include how/where you heard about the opening, a resume (1 page max), and a cover letter (1 page max) that describes your interest in LLTK, this position, your relevant qualifications and experience, and how you would be an addition to our culture. Application reviews will begin 6/07/23 and remain open until filled. We look forward to learning more about you!
Development Director
About Long Live the Kings (LLTK)
Our mission is to restore wild salmon and steelhead and support sustainable fishing in the Pacific Northwest. Since 1986, we have been advancing science, improving management, and implementing solutions to balance the needs of fish and people. LLTK envisions a sustainable Northwest with a growing human population, a thriving economy, and flourishing salmon runs.
Our 18-member Board of Directors and 18 dedicated staff members seek broad involvement to help us accomplish our goals. Our core values are stewardship, collaboration, results, and learning. Our staff are located in Seattle, Hood Canal, and Orcas Island, and work throughout western Washington and the Pacific Northwest. Learn more about us in our 2025 Strategic Roadmap and on our website.
LLTK is currently using a hybrid workplace model; if able, we ask all staff to work from our office in downtown Seattle at least one day a week, Tuesdays. Additionally, we have quarterly staff gatherings that require in-person participation and there may be additional work location and travel needs specific to this position. Note that this may change as we continue to adjust to workplace changes brought about by the Covid-19 pandemic.
Position Summary – Development Director
LLTK is experiencing significant growth in influence, impact, and size. In the last six years we have steadily increased our budget and unrestricted private giving by 44% and 63% respectively. We are seeking our next Development Director to leverage this to continue growing our fundraising program to fuel our salmon recovery work throughout the region.
The ideal candidate has 5+ years of experience in development, or a related field, and is already connected to the regional philanthropy, conservation, recreation, and/or tech communities. Further, they have a track-record of personally stewarding and soliciting gifts of $500+ (as well as supporting staff and Boards to do the same) and have prior success securing sponsorship gifts.
This position will be managed by our Executive Director, Jacques White. The Development Director will manage the Senior Manager of Grants & Database and a part-time Development & Events Assistant. In addition, the development team will soon be hiring two new staff (part-time Development & Data Assistant and full-time Senior Manager of Major Gifts). The Senior Manager of Major Gifts will report directly to the Development Director, while the part-time Development & Data Assistant will report to the Senior Manager of Grants & Database. In total, the position will manage a team of four, that includes three direct reports. The ideal candidate will have experience managing staff or interns and will use compassion and a growth mindset to guide and nurture their expanding team.
Last, but certainly not least, this person should expect to participate fully on our leadership team which also includes LLTK’s Director of Projects, Finance Director, and Executive Director. In this group, the Development Director will participate in critical decision making for the organization. Also in this capacity, they should be ready to manage both up and down and manage expectations. As a leadership team member, this individual helps to ensure that resources and decisions consider LLTK’s Strategic Plan, current capacity, LLTK values, and LLTK’s DEI Roadmap.
Primary Duties
- Oversee fundraising program (25%)
- Create and manage the annual fundraising plan & budget in collaboration with the lead development staff and Executive Director.
- Manage development staff, lead hiring processes for new development staff.
- Support Executive Director with fundraising-related tasks.
- Regularly present to Board and staff on fundraising work.
- Lead Board’s Development Committee.
- Work with Senior Manager of Grants & Database to develop annual grant strategy.
- Work with Senior Manager of Major Gifts to develop annual major gifts strategy.
- Integrate development program with mission, core salmon recovery projects, and public outreach.
- Lead new fundraising initiatives (20%), including, but not limited to: planned-giving, new/special projects, endowment, etc.
- Collaborate with leadership staff and Board to help set direction of organization and ensure organizational health (12.5%).
- Review, and help set, policies, annual goals, and budgets.
- Track progress to Strategic Plan.
- Prioritize and nurture DEI efforts.
- Participate in emergency planning & response.
- Co-lead Board Nominating Committee with the Executive Director.
- Set annual communications strategy in collaboration with communications staff and Executive Director.
- Contribute to a healthy culture through modeling and decision making.
- Co-lead major donor program (20%)
- Lead the hiring process for a Senior Manager of Major Gifts in 2023.
- Plan and execute strategies for major donor cultivation, stewardship, and solicitation in collaboration with the Senior Manager of Major Gifts.
- Develop creative strategies for building relationships with individuals to maximize financial support for LLTK (including frequent field and virtual opportunities).
- Steward a personal portfolio of individuals (~100) to strategically increase their support; work with staff and Board to create and steward their own portfolios.
- Oversight of annual fundraising events program: manage staff and vendors to create and execute three annual fundraising events drawing 100-300+ guests, aim to achieve event fundraising success that exceeds pre-COVID numbers (20%).
- Work directly with the Executive Director, Board, and Senior Manager of Communications & External Affairs to set budgets, determine annual event strategy, event themes and key messaging, ensure our DEI values are reflected in each event (from accessibility considerations to diversity of audience and speakers), steward sponsors and make annual solicitations, solicit pre-committed event gifts (paddle raises of $1k+), secure Table Captains, secure RSVPs from key guests (major donors, partners, sponsors, etc.), table mapping, etc.
- Oversee staff and contractors to complete the following: marketing, auction procurement and creation, committee creation and management, general audience development, day-of tasks, volunteer management, vendor and venue coordination, creation of event collaterals (design done by external vendor), data entry, etc.
- Participate fully in DEI efforts and advancement of LLTK’s DEI Roadmap, likely to include participating in committees or special DEI efforts, applying a DEI lens to fundraising efforts, and working on leadership-lead DEI goals and tasks (2.5%).
Compensation, Benefits, & Location
LLTK is dedicated to centering equity. As part of that work, we have made our salary scale transparent. LLTK Directors are compensated between $100,000 – $142,000 annually. Generous benefits provided include:
- Paid Time Off (Vacation accrued at 10 hours per month for the first 3 years of employment, Sick time accrued at 8 hours per month, 13 Floating PTO days)
- Health Insurance
- Life Insurance
- Dental insurance
- Health Reimbursement Account (HRA)
- 401k with matching opportunities (after one year of full-time employment) at 5%
- Long Term Disability Insurance
- Flex Spending Account
- Dependent Care FSA
- ORCA Pass for commuting
- Dog Friendly Office
- A hybrid work environment: Note that the duties of this position may include additional in-person responsibilities such as: ongoing management responsibilities (including initial get-to-know-you and trust building activities), donor meetings, and events. Despite these in-person needs, we trust you to know how and where you work best, either remotely or in our office.
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
Two and a half years ago staff and Board began a formal process of examining ourselves and our organization with a DEI lens. Our intention is to do this work so that we can authentically embrace DEI principles as a core value that drives the success of our people, our partners, and our work.
How to Apply
We welcome and encourage qualified people of all identities and abilities to apply. Please email to apply, letting us know how/where you heard about the job, and include a resume or CV and 1-page cover letter that describes your interest in LLTK and this position, and your relevant qualifications and experience. Application review begins January 25th; the position will remain open until filled.
We look forward to receiving your materials. Please send them to Lynn Baker at lbaker@lltk.org. We’re a small team and politely request that follow-up calls or emails be restricted to technical questions or necessary accommodations having to do with applying.
In the late 1800s, settlers converted the Ohop Valley to pastures and farm fields, turning a once meandering Ohop Creek into a straight-flowing ditch to drain the valley for dairy farming. The process drastically transformed the landscape, reducing its ability to provide spawning and rearing habitat for historical salmon populations, including chum, pink, coho, and Chinook salmon, as well as steelhead and cutthroat trout. As a major tributary to the Nisqually, the loss of this habitat was detrimental to these salmon and has contributed to decreased populations and the listing of Chinook and steelhead as threatened under the Endangered Species Act. Substantial work has been done to address the historic habitat degradation, however new science points to another more modern threat to salmon recovery.
Over the past 15 years, watershed partners have worked together to implement the Lower Ohop Creek Restoration Project, transforming the lower section of Ohop Creek and the surrounding valley, converting it back to what it looked like prior to settlement. Completed over two phases of construction, over 2 miles of Ohop Creek have been remeandered, derelict structures and invasive plant species removed, and large woody debris placed throughout the valley floor. As part of the restoration, nearly 200,000 native trees and shrubs have been planted across 180 acres of floodplain.
The restoration of Ohop Creek is a major step in recovering Nisqually salmon, but stormwater pollution that comes of off roadways has been recently identified as a major threat to recovery. Some of the harmful components of stormwater include heavy metals and microscopic tire particles. Traffic volume along Highway 7, which crosses Ohop Creek near the Town of Eatonville, has been on the rise due to population growth of the Puget Sound region resulting in more of these chemicals entering Ohop Creek. According to Washington State’s Department of Transportation’s 2019 annual average daily traffic data, assuming four tires per vehicle, roughly 12 pounds of microscopic tire particles are released at this site throughout the year. Scientists have recently discovered that these tire dust particles contain a chemical known as 6PPD-Quinone, which causes mortality in salmon, especially coho, in low quantities. The Nisqually Indian Tribe and Long Live the Kings have partnered with Cedar Grove, an environmental solutions company, to pilot a mobile biofiltration system designed specifically to capture and filter stormwater run-off from Highway 7.
In January 2022, the unit was installed between the two bridge crossings along Highway 7, in close proximity to Ohop Creek. The size of the unit allows for the collection of 91% of the roadway run-off. With each significant rain event, the system automatically collects water quality samples at three locations: where the run-off enters the filtration system, the middle of the system, and at the outlet where the water is discharged onto the Ohop Creek floodplain. The water samples allow researchers to test the effectiveness of Cedar Grove’s system at removing harmful contaminants. These samples are tested for their chemical and toxicological composition, including heavy metals, ammonia, dissolved organic carbon, total suspended solids, nitrates, nitrites, total phosphorus, and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH’s). Additionally, the composite samples are shared with Washington State University to assess biological impacts and University of Washington’s Tacoma Campus to test for 6PPD and 6PPD-Quinone.
The biofiltration system is mobile, relatively inexpensive, and scalable for different stormwater filtration needs. If the system can safely remove harmful chemicals and prevent them from polluting salmon streams, don’t be surprised if you see the use of this system become widespread. In the very near future, stormwater filtration systems will go hand in hand with habitat restoration as a principal salmon recovery tool.
Fall 2022 Update:
By the end of April, the Ohop biofiltration system had encountered two significant rain events. As of November, preliminary data analysis shows positive signs that this system is effective at reducing heavy metals, water toxicity, and 6PPD-quinone to levels that are not detrimental to salmon. We hope to continue this study and look forward to sharing more results as they are available!
Learn more from the Northwest Treaty Tribes here.
Come along on a tour of the project site (via LLTK’s Instagram)!
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Authors: Ashley Von Essen is the Lead Entity Coordinator at the Nisqually Indian Tribe. Ashley Bagley is a Project Manager at Long Live the Kings. This article was originally published in the Summer 2022 issue of Yil-Me-Hu, the Nisqually Watershed Salmon Recovery newsletter. Read the full issue here.
Project partners include: Nisqually Indian Tribe, Long Live the Kings, Cedar Grove, Fremont Analytical, Herrera Environmental Consultants, Nisqually Land Trust, University of Washington at Tacoma, Washington State Department of Transportation, Washington State University at Puyallup.
Financial support for this project was provided by: Nisqually Indian Tribe, Puget Sound Stewardship and Mitigation Fund, Royal Bank of Canada, Sustainable Path Foundation, and Washington Sea Grant.
What is blue-green infrastructure?
Every day we benefit from the natural environment around us. These benefits, called ecosystem services, have not always been acknowledged in urban planning. However, in recent years there have been efforts to strategically draw on nature to deliver benefits that fall under the umbrella of “blue-green infrastructure” (BGI). This term can have many definitions, but in its broadest form these are natural and semi-natural areas with land (“green”) and water (“blue”) features designed to manage and deliver ecosystem services. Sometimes these are just referred to as “green infrastructure,” but the recent addition of “blue” makes the central role of water in ecosystem services more explicit. So, what does BGI look like on the ground? You may already have some BGI features in your own backyard!
At the residential home scale, this can look like catching rain in rain barrels for irrigation in the dry season, controlling driveway run-off with natural mini wetlands (rain gardens), or planting more trees to shade the home, lower temperatures and reduce run-off. At a much larger scale, Hamburg, Germany launched a Green Roof Strategy with an ambitious goal to “green” at least 247 acres of rooftops in the city within one decade, to regulate temperatures and mitigate water runoff. Across the globe in the Yangtze River Delta of China, they are planning a 250-acre eco-corridor to transform an industrial area of Ningbo into a “living filter” with canals that mimic a floodplain, habitat for native plants and animals, and recreational, educational and cultural facilities. In cities and neighborhoods, these examples of blue-green infrastructure are addressing the impacts of climate change, such as floods and droughts, through water conservation, groundwater recharge, and reduced surface runoff.
Find out how to create your own rain garden with help from 12,000 Rain Gardens in Puget Sound.
Salmon here in the Pacific Northwest can also benefit from BGI practices. For example, BGI approaches to stormwater management can be used to keep rainwater from overwhelming sewer systems, which can contaminate the water and harm salmon in nearby waterways. In particular, runoff from highways has recently been linked to sudden death of coho salmon that were exposed to 6PPD-quinone, a toxic compound resulting from car tire wear. Studies are now underway to see how blue-green infrastructure can be used to address this issue. LLTK is working with the Nisqually Indian Tribe, Herrera, and Cedar Grove in Ohop Creek to test the use of a compost-based media, in a process called biofiltration, to filter out contaminants from roadway runoff. During the pilot project in early 2022, we collected stormwater samples to evaluate the performance of the biofiltration system at a site along a salmon-bearing stream. Biofiltration is usually used in bioswales or other systems permanently built into an environment. The system we used in this pilot project is mobile and containerized so the project team can easily remove the contaminated biofiltration media when necessary, making it a more flexible tool.
See more of the Ohop Stormwater Pilot in the Nisqually Salmon Recovery newsletter Yil-Me-Hu.
In the lower Duwamish River, the ship building company Vigor has partnered with LLTK and the University of Washington to assess a blue-green infrastructure project designed to create natural, estuarine habitat for salmon at Vigor’s shipyard on Harbor Island. This is an atypical “restoration” project, since Vigor is actually creating natural habitat on an artificial island that was built in the early 1900s to support industrial activities. The project goal is to create functional habitat that benefits salmon as they migrate out to the ocean through the Duwamish estuary. These pockets of habitat in an otherwise industrial landscape could provide rest stops for salmon during migration. The project is currently in the habitat construction phase, and the University of Washington and LLTK will assess the outcomes for salmon in 2024 and 2025. If the results show that salmon are using the habitat for resting and feeding, it will be a good indication that more “salmon rest stops” could help salmon in the Duwamish estuary.
Read more about the Vigor Urban Estuary Restoration.
LLTK seeks to better understand how we can use BGI in the Puget Sound to improve the health of our salmon populations. We’ll keep you posted on the outcomes of these BGI projects!
Shaara Ainsley is a senior project manager at Long Live the Kings.