Conservation Data and Technology Specialist

JOB TITLE: Conservation Data and Technology Specialist

LOCATION: Remote. Candidates must have a home office location suitable for work purposes, with good internet access, and must be located in a city or state location approved by Xerces as their permanent work location

COMPENSATION: $65,540/ year

STATUS & SCHEDULE: Full-Time, salaried, exempt position, scheduled to work ~ 40 hours/week.

JOB START DATE: August / September 2024

APPLICATION DEADLINE: July 14, 2024

APPLICATION INSTRUCTIONS:

All applications must be submitted via our application website at: http://bit.ly/xerces-jobs

We are committed to creating a more diverse workforce that is welcoming to all employees and the communities we serve. As part of the application process, please be prepared to answer a brief essay question (1,000 characters or less) in which you describe some ways you might help Xerces collaborate with diverse audiences or historically excluded communities in this role.

Xerces provides accommodations for the job application process if needed. If you need an accommodation to complete the job application process, please email reasonable.accomodation@xerces.org  with your specific request.

JOIN US!

Come join a growing team of conservation professionals at the Xerces Society who are dedicated to protecting some of the world’s most important animals. We are seeking a skilled Data Specialist for data management, mapping, field data visualization and communication asset development.

At Xerces, we harness the knowledge of scientists and the enthusiasm of the public to implement conservation programs. We take action by helping farms and public agencies develop conservation plans for pollinators and beneficial insects, producing ground-breaking publications on insect conservation, training thousands of farmers and land managers to protect and manage habitat for beneficial insects, protecting endangered species and their habitat, and engaging the public to raise awareness about invertebrates found on farms, forests, prairies, deserts, streams, wetlands, towns and cities. Our methods focus on habitat conservation planning, education, scientific analysis, advocacy, and applied research to conserve invertebrates, such as bees, butterflies, mollusks, and fireflies.

WHAT YOU’LL BE DOING:

You’ll be joining a growing team of professionals working to conserve some of the world’s most important animals. The Conservation Data and Technology Specialist will support Xerces’ Pollinator and Agricultural Biodiversity Team’s Living Farms Project by designing and maintaining geospatial, tabular and qualitative data management systems while developing visualizations and science communication assets.

Supervised by the Senior Pollinator Habitat Specialist, Food Systems and Living Farms Project Lead, this position will collaborate closely with Xerces’ growing team of Pollinator Conservation Specialists who design, implement and monitor cutting-edge conservation systems for bees and beneficial insects on farms across the U.S. This position sits at the intersection of data science and science communication, and it plays a key role in advancing applied science practices, invertebrate conservation and regenerative agriculture.

• Streamline and manage existing geospatial and other data management systems for optimal field data capture, easy statistic retrieval and analysis, and reporting.
• Provide GIS and mapping technical support to Xerces staff and conservation practitioners.
• Perform regular quality control of incoming field data, GIS and related files. Work with other staff to fix errors and improve workflow.
• Research and evaluate environmental and landscape data sets published by wildlife, ecology and agricultural researchers; major government agencies, such as the USDA and EPA; and other NGOs for planning and restoration purposes.
• Help streamline habitat restoration project design by sourcing and combining external environmental data sets – such as soils, flooding potential, or climate change predictions – with internal research and practice data into user friendly web services and/or interactive tools for internal and external use.
• In coordination with Xerces Conservation staff, develop a plant selection tool order to streamline pollinator habitat conservation planning for specific landscapes where Xerces staff are working.
• Apply quantitative spatial statistics and computational modeling to conduct scientifically rigorous analyses that inform pollinator and biodiversity habitat planning decisions, in collaboration with Xerces Society Conservation Staff.
• Provide support for the design, compilation and presentation of compelling digital and hard copy media assets including cartographic products, infographics, presentations, website content, and digital user interfaces.
• Work with Xerces’ private sector partners to develop communication and outreach assets for program recruitment and marketing materials
• Coordinate with contractors on remote-sensing and machine learning projects for field deployment and data collaboration
• Identify and evaluate emerging technologies related to biodiversity monitoring and ecosystem credits and markets.
• Occasionally travel to project sites or staff retreats

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND EXPERIENCE:

REQUIRED

• Curiosity and passion for agriculture, soil, plants, bees, butterflies, beneficial insects, and/or land use changes and restoration.
• Demonstrated experience and skills in spatial analysis, data management, cartography, and deployment of mobile data collection tools
• Demonstrated proficiency with ArcPro, ArcGIS Online, Google Sheets, Excel and other Microsoft Office and Google Suite applications.
• Intermediate to advanced GIS experience, including ability to create and manipulate raster, geodatabase, and feature datasets, as well as create high quality maps and other visual products. Development and maintenance of metadata structure and content.
• Understanding of data use policies and ethics.
• Knowledge of relevant data published by major government agencies, such as the USDA, and emerging research data sets
• Familiarity with survey methodologies and analysis, statistics fundamentals and experimental design
• Ability to draft compelling data visualizations and digital and hard copy media products (website content, graphics for newsletters, brochures, etc.)
• Strong communication and writing skills, organizational skills, and attention to detail.
• Ability to communicate effectively, both orally and in writing sufficient to prepare documentation, present data summaries and graphics and establish and maintain contacts with contractors and food industry and agricultural partners
• Experience and skill in working with diverse teams and constituents in a respectful, equitable, and inclusive manner
• Ability to manage time and diverse activities under tight deadlines, while delivering high quality results.
• Ability to develop work plans and work independently on assigned tasks.
• Exercise initiative in identifying problems and designing novel solutions.

PREFERRED

• Cross-cultural, multicultural, and/or multilingual skills, background, or experience.
• Proficiency with Adobe Creative Suite (e.g., InDesign, Illustrator, Photoshop, Acrobat, etc.)
• Experience with Fulcrum Platform and Fulcrum App Builder
• Experience making content for social media platforms and websites
• Experience editing video or audio files
• Ability to create and manage interactive web tools such as project cost calculators, ArcGIS web app experiences and R Shiny dashboards.
• Working knowledge of APIs
• Understanding of quantitative and computational methods to analyze data, including the use of spatial statistics, data modeling, and analysis to identify patterns.
• Scripting proficiency (e.g. Python, R, JavaScript, Visual Basic, SQL/PostgreSQL).
• Graphic design skills and proven experience designing visually appealing infographics, tables, charts, etc. to help communicate conservation stories and track program metrics.
• Experience with managing data privacy and information security.
• Experience using additional ESRI ArcGIS products such as Apps (Survey123, Collector, Dashboards), extensions (Spatial Analyst, Geostatistical Analyst, 3D Analyst, Web Publisher) and tools (Model Builder, R-ARCGIS).
• Knowledge of native plant ecology and restoration ecology in highly impacted landscapes.
• An understanding of pollination ecology and the role of native pollinators (especially bees) in agroecosystems.
• Knowledge of large-scale farm practices and specialty crop management systems
• Knowledge of pest management practices in large-scale farm operations including pesticides and Integrated Pest Management.

QUALIFICATIONS:

REQUIRED

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent field of study related to geographic information systems, remote sensing, or biological, agricultural or other natural resource discipline with substantive coursework / experience in geospatial analysis and/or graphic design.
• Minimum 2 years’ professional experience or demonstrated truly equivalent knowledge and skills, working with databases and GIS in data management and analysis.
• Valid driver’s license in the United States and a motor vehicle records check prior to employment allowing employee to be insured under Xerces corporate liability insurance. Offer of employment is contingent on this record check.

PREFERRED

• Bilingual in Spanish

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS:

Be able to perform the following with reasonable breaks and/or reasonable accommodations:

• Be able to perform the following with reasonable breaks and/or accommodations:
• Occasionally work in the field for 8 hours per day under adverse weather conditions.
• Occasionally traverse across agricultural roads and fields, unpaved roads and walkways, and unimproved trails for periods of 2-8 hours.
• Occasionally drive vehicle or fly by commercial airline for periods of up to 8 hours.
• Able to work in stationary position for periods of 2-8 hours.
• Travel overnight when necessary for project assessments, implementation or planning.

BENEFITS: This position includes a generous benefits package including; thirteen paid holidays, paid time off accrued starting at a rate of 1.73 hours for every 30 hours of pay (15 days per year for a 40 hour/week schedule), medical, dental, vision, and prescription drug coverage, the option to participate in a pre-tax flexible spending account for medical and dependent care expenses, short-term disability insurance where not provided under state law, long-term disability insurance, participation in a 401k retirement program with employer contribution match upon meeting eligibility requirements, and a flexible work environment.

MORE INFORMATION: For more information on the Xerces Society and our programs, please see our website: www.xerces.org

APPLICATION INSTRUCTIONS:

All applications must be submitted via our application website at: http://bit.ly/xerces-jobs

TERMS: The Xerces Society is an at-will employer. Nothing in this job description restricts management’s right to assign or reassign duties and responsibilities to this job at any time. In compliance with federal law, all persons hired will be required to verify identity and eligibility to work in the United States and to complete the required employment eligibility verification form upon hire.

MUTUAL ARBITRATION: Xerces policies require that employees accept a binding mutual arbitration agreement and process for dispute resolution as an alternative to a jury/trial process. Acceptance of the agreement is a condition of employment, and candidates are offered a position with a minimum of 72 hours to

EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY

The Xerces Society is proud to be an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer including disability and veterans. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or status as a protected veteran.

PRIORITY REFERRAL OF PROTECTED VETERANS

We request priority referral of protected veterans for all openings with our organization. In order to be considered for employment, all applicants for employment with Xerces Society, apply through our Job Board. When referring or being referred as a candidate, including protected veterans, please refer them to this applicant site; http://bit.ly/xerces-jobs.

Xerces Society Inc

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