Application Guide

How to Apply for Senior Manager of Community Moderation and Curation

at iNaturalist

🏢 About iNaturalist

iNaturalist is a mission-driven nonprofit that connects millions of people to nature through a global community science platform. Unlike for-profit social media, iNaturalist’s core purpose is to advance biodiversity science and conservation, making it a uniquely fulfilling place to work for those passionate about the natural world.

About This Role

As Senior Manager of Community Moderation and Curation, you’ll design governance systems for a large volunteer community, ensuring quality and consistency across millions of species observations. Your work directly supports scientific research and conservation by maintaining a trusted data source, while empowering volunteers through clear policies and support.

💡 A Day in the Life

You’d start by reviewing escalation tickets from overnight, then meet with the product team to discuss a new feature that automates flagging of low-quality observations. Midday, you’d lead a virtual training session for new volunteer moderators, followed by drafting an update to the curation guidelines based on community feedback. Afternoons involve analyzing moderation metrics and preparing a report for the executive team.

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🎯 Who iNaturalist Is Looking For

  • Has 5+ years of experience in community management or governance, ideally with distributed volunteer communities like Wikimedia or OpenStreetMap.
  • Demonstrates strong judgment in ambiguous, high-stakes situations, with a track record of communicating difficult decisions fairly.
  • Is familiar with nature or mission-driven communities and understands the unique motivations of volunteer contributors.
  • Thinks systematically about scaling operations—defining metrics, improving workflows, and reducing staff intervention through technology.

📝 Tips for Applying to iNaturalist

1

Highlight specific examples of governance frameworks you’ve designed or improved for volunteer communities, not just management experience.

2

Show your understanding of iNaturalist’s mission by mentioning how data quality impacts biodiversity science and conservation.

3

Quantify your impact: e.g., 'Reduced moderation escalations by 30% through new training materials.'

4

If you have experience with platforms like Wikipedia or OpenStreetMap, explicitly connect that to iNaturalist’s volunteer-driven model.

5

Tailor your resume to emphasize decision-making in ambiguous situations—use concrete examples like handling controversial content or policy disputes.

✉️ What to Emphasize in Your Cover Letter

['Your passion for iNaturalist’s mission and how it aligns with your personal values or experience in nature/science.', 'Your approach to designing scalable governance systems that balance community autonomy with quality control.', 'Concrete examples of handling high-stakes moderation or escalation decisions with fairness and clarity.', 'Your familiarity with distributed volunteer communities and how you’ve supported or led them remotely.']

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🔍 Research Before Applying

To stand out, make sure you've researched:

  • → Explore iNaturalist’s existing community guidelines and help pages to understand current moderation practices.
  • → Read about the role of iNaturalist in biodiversity science, e.g., how data is used in research papers or conservation planning.
  • → Look at iNaturalist’s blog or forum posts about community governance to see past challenges and initiatives.
  • → Familiarize yourself with the platform’s data quality tools like the 'Data Quality Assessment' and how volunteers use them.
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💬 Prepare for These Interview Topics

Based on this role, you may be asked about:

1 How would you handle a conflict between a volunteer curator and a user over a species identification?
2 Describe a time you created or improved a training program for volunteers. What metrics did you use to measure success?
3 How do you balance the need for data quality with the desire to keep volunteers engaged and motivated?
4 What metrics would you propose to track the health of iNaturalist’s moderation system?
5 Imagine a new policy you implemented was met with backlash from the community. How would you respond?
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⚠️ Common Mistakes to Avoid

  • Focusing only on corporate community management experience without connecting it to volunteer-led, mission-driven contexts.
  • Ignoring the nonprofit aspect—emphasizing profit-driven goals like engagement metrics over mission impact.
  • Being vague about handling difficult situations; provide specific, structured examples of your decision-making process.

📅 Application Timeline

This position is open until filled. However, we recommend applying as soon as possible as roles at mission-driven organizations tend to fill quickly.

Typical hiring timeline:

1

Application Review

1-2 weeks

2

Initial Screening

Phone call or written assessment

3

Interviews

1-2 rounds, usually virtual

✓

Offer

Congratulations!

Ready to Apply?

Good luck with your application to iNaturalist!

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