Project Assistant for Pu‘uhonua Project and ‘Iolani School’s Pa‘ēpa‘ē o Waikolu Initiative

Part-Time, Contractual Position (October 6, 2025 to August 31, 2026)

Location: Regular on-site work at ‘Iolani School and the nearby Mānoa-Pālolo Drainage Canal site and other potential sites in the Ala Wai Watershed. Some remote working possible.

Pay: $20/hour + GE tax (up to 20 hours/week)

Grow Good Hawaii is a nonprofit organization committed to restoring nature and strengthening Hawaii’s food and water security through community-driven, agroecological solutions in urban settings. We are seeking a Project Assistant to support the implementation of the Pu‘uhonua Project as well as support ‘Iolani School’s Pa‘ēpa‘ē o Waikolu. The Pu‘uhonua Project is a distributed, community-based initiative using native Hawaiian plants on floating wetlands (pu‘uhonua) to improve water quality and biodiversity in the Ala Wai Watershed. Pa‘ēpa‘ē o Waikolu is an educational outreach program based out of ‘Iolani School’s Office of Community Science that seeks to monitor and restore the health of the Ala Wai Watershed through stream biodiversity assessments with students. The Project Assistant will split his or her time (approximately 50-50) between work on the Pu‘uhonua Project and on Pa‘ēpa‘ē o Waikolu, although the specific workload may vary in some weeks depending upon the specific needs of each initiative.

Position Overview

The Project Assistant will be supervised for the Pu‘uhonua project by the Project Director and Co-Principal Investigators, as well as collaborate closely with two high school students from ‘Iolani School to help implement, monitor, and document this innovative proof-of-concept project. For the Pa‘ēpa‘ē o Waikolu Initiative, the Project Assistant will be supervised by the Program Coordinator from ʻIolani Schoolʻs Office of Community Science. This is an exciting opportunity to contribute to green infrastructure and ecological restoration while engaging with the broader Honolulu community.

Key Responsibilities

Project Coordination & Administration

Maintain and update project plans and timelines
Liaise with partners and stakeholders, providing regular updates
Coordinate and document meetings
Support reporting and administrative tasks

Scientific Support & Field Work

Manage and engage in the construction, deployment, monitoring, and maintenance of floating wetland rafts (pu‘uhonua)
Conduct daily, weekly, or bi-weekly monitoring of pu‘uhonua structural integrity and plant health, as needed
Repair and re-deploy rafts as needed
Collect, label, and prepare plant and water samples for laboratory analysis (monthly)
Coordinate with professional testing laboratories
Work with field biologists and educators to provide adult supervision and support during stream survey trips to ensure the safety of our K-12 school partners and maintain integrity of the data collection activity (4-8 hours per week)
Equipment cleaning: follow a specific decontamination process for tabis and nets ~1.5–2 hours per field trip
Stream site maintenance/site preparation for field trips: invasive vegetation management, removal of green debris, and sharp trash objects from survey sites 1-3 days prior to a field survey, ~2 hours per week
Net mending: sew and patch holes in ʻŌpae and Seine nets (we will guide this learning)
~30–60 minutes per net when repairs are needed. Not done weekly

Data Management & Documentation

Assist in drafting and refining data collection and testing protocols
Maintain organized records of results and field activities
Manage the storage, collation, and presentation of data

Outreach, Education, & Community Engagement

Support the creation of educational materials and presentations for community and
student audiences. These may include infographics, charts, slides, and website content.
Help recruit community partners (e.g., schools, canoe clubs, and other civic groups)
Printing/laminating tasks: replenish learning materials for lessons we deliver in the
classrooms of our school partners ~3 hours annually.

Biodiversity & Impact Monitoring

Help to organize and participate in monthly wildlife biodiversity counts using seining
techniques
Record, organize, and help analyze biological data

Qualifications

Technical Skills & Experience

Strong organizational and project coordination skills
Proficiency in data collection and management
Background or coursework in environmental science, biology, botany, biochemistry, or similar fields preferred
IT literacy (e.g., spreadsheets, cloud-based collaboration tools)
Experience with environmental monitoring tools is a plus

Personal Attributes

Self-motivated and detail-oriented
Excellent interpersonal skills; able to work with diverse partners, students, and volunteers
Strong commitment to conservation and community-based action
Interest in riparian restoration, phytoremediation, and Hawaiian ecology

Terms of Employment

Contract through August 31, 2026
Up to 20 hours per week (flexible schedule; weekly timesheets required)
On-site at ‘Iolani School and the project site at the nearby Mānoa-Pālolo Drainage Canal, as well as other potential sites in the Ala Wai Watershed. Some remote working possible.
Hourly wage + General Excise (GE) tax
Position available to start as soon as possible.

Why Join Us?

This position offers a unique opportunity to be part of pioneering ecological restoration projects that blend science, culture, and community engagement. Your work will directly contribute to improving water quality in the Ala Wai Watershed and support a model that can be scaled across Hawai‘i. Learn more about us at www.growgoodhawaii.org.

How to Apply

Please submit a resume and brief cover letter outlining your interest and qualifications to info@growgoodhawaii.org by October 3, 2025.

Grow Good Hawaii is an equal opportunity provider. We encourage applicants from diverse backgrounds to apply.