Research Scientist

Status: Full Time, Salaried

Reports to: Director of White-nose Syndrome (Tina Cheng)

Salary: $70,000 annually + benefits

Bat Conservation International (BCI), a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to ending bat extinctions worldwide, seeks a Research Scientist to join BCI’s Science Team. The Research Scientist will join a dynamic organization and a highly progressive team of conservation scientists, reporting to the Director of White-nose Syndrome Research but located in State College, Pennsylvania, where they will work alongside biologists at Pennsylvania Game Commission. BCI is a distributed organization with staff across the United States and the Research Scientist must be located in and/or near State College, Pennsylvania.

The Research Scientist will lead a two-year research project to identify diet and critical foraging habitat for bats affected by White-nose Syndrome (WNS) in Pennsylvania. The Research Scientist will work closely with the Pennsylvania Game Commission (PGC), the Director of WNS at BCI, and other BCI team members to plan and execute the fieldwork. Fieldwork will occur in Pennsylvania and will involve bat monitoring (via acoustic detectors, colony counts, roost emergence counts) to measure activity at roosts and nearby foraging areas. Guano will also be collected at maternity roosts and fall roosting habitats to determine diet composition. The Research Scientist will be responsible for managing and curating data for analyses, conducting analyses, and disseminating research results in peer-reviewed publications, reports, and presentations. The Research Scientist will also work alongside PGC to incorporate research results into PGC’s long-term recovery plan for bat species affected by White-nose Syndrome.

The Research Scientist must be highly collaborative and enjoy working within an environment that is mission and results-driven, where they can bring their whole self to work and contribute to positive ecological and social change. This position is ideal for a scientist interested in applied conservation with interest and experience conducting rigorous scientific research, managing, and coordinating collaborative research projects, and communicating with diverse stakeholders.

Position Description:

The Research Scientist will:

• Manage project, including tracking deliverables and reports, and ensuring all products are executed in a timely manner
• Contribute to experimental design
• Lead fieldwork (year-round and involving active and passive bat monitoring, guano collection, vegetation surveys, etc.) and manage field team (consisting of at least one other field member but up to a team of 5-10 people)
• Manage, process, curate, and analyze data
• Ensure all research and products are reproducible, repeatable, and rigorous
• Ensure conservation recommendations are data-driven and follow Conservation Evidence standards and protocols
• Disseminate results of research in presentations, reports, and peer-reviewed publications
• Work with Pennsylvania Game Commission to incorporate results in conservation planning
• Communicate research findings with WNS research and response community
• Collaborate effectively with BCI team members, Pennsylvania Game Commission, and any other external collaborators, including academic partners, state biologists, the USFWS WNS Response Team, and the NABat Monitoring Program

Ideal Candidate Qualifications:

Required Knowledge/Experience

• Ph.D. degree in a relevant field such as biology, ecology, wildlife, conservation, or related field
• Proficiency in data management and statistical analyses, including use of Program R
• Demonstrated interest in hypothesis-driven research and applied conservation
• Demonstrated ability to manage projects and people
• Proficiency in scientific writing and written communication skills
• Ability and interest in communicating results to diverse stakeholders and audiences
• Proven success with managing multiple tasks/projects simultaneously and accurately with attention to detail
• Ability to prioritize under the pressure of deadlines
• Ability to work and communicate effectively with all levels of staff, government agencies, industry, landowners, and other partners
• Valid US Commercial Driver’s License

Preferred Knowledge/Experience

• Experience supervising staff
• Experience and interest in engaging with different communities and developing opportunities that encourage and grow a diverse, equitable, and inclusive conservation science community
• Experience and interest in grant-writing
• Familiarity with bat ecology and White-nose Syndrome
• Experience in acoustic monitoring and acoustic data processing
• Holds a federal research permit for endangered or threatened bat species in the USA

Work Characteristics and Competencies:

• Strong interpersonal skills, approachability, and creative problem-solving
• Detail-oriented, self-motivated, and self-starter
• Organizational and time management skills
• Highly collaborative with a growth mindset and enjoys a challenge
• Willingness to be flexible and adaptive
• Highly curious with love for learning new things
• Desire for professional and personal growth
• Contributes to a healthy workplace and organization

Justice, Equity, Diversity & Inclusion (JEDI)

BCI is deeply committed to JEDI and embeds JEDI-centered practices in the conservation work and organizational culture. BCI is determined to be an employer of choice and believes that the best organizational performance will come from a safe, diverse, and inclusive work environment. Read more about our JEDI statement at www.batcon.org/about-us/justice-equity-diversity-and-inclusion/.

Compensation and Benefits

• $70,000 annually, full-time salaried. Paid biweekly electronically or via check.
• Compensation package includes generous paid vacation and sick time; 401(k) plan with employer match; health, dental, and vision insurance plan.
• Organizational culture that supports staff well-being and professional development.

To Apply:

If you have 70% or more of the desired qualifications, we encourage you to apply.

Individuals interested in applying should upload their curriculum vitae and cover letter to the application portal. In the cover letter, please explain how your work and lived experiences have prepared you to be successful in this position, what you find compelling about this job, and how you (and your career) will benefit from this position.

Applications are due by midnight on Friday, March 1, 2024. Interviews will be held in mid-March through April with a tentative start date of May 1, 2024.

***Applications are reviewed in ADP Workforce Now***

If you’re not already on the ADP platform, please apply here:
https://1.adp.com/oX5yTjS6c2k

Apply Here
PI236431475