Spatial Conservation Science Postdoctoral Researcher

The location for this position is flexible to all locations where The Nature Conservancy is registered to do business.

• Open Until Filled

Who We Are

The mission of The Nature Conservancy (TNC) is to conserve the lands and waters upon which all life depends. As a science-based organization, we develop innovative, on-the-ground solutions to the world’s toughest environmental challenges so that people and nature can thrive. Our work is guided by our values, which include a commitment to diversity and respect for people, communities, and cultures. From a rewarding mission to career development and flexible schedules, there are many reasons to love life #insideTNC. Want to know more? Check out our TNC Talent playlist on YouTube to hear stories from staff or visit Glassdoor .

One of TNC’s primary goals is to cultivate an inclusive work environment so that employees around the globe have a sense of belonging and feel that their unique contributions are valued. We know we’ll only achieve our mission by hiring and engaging a diverse staff that reflects the communities in which we work. Recognizing that people bring talent and skills that have been developed outside the scope of a job, we take a holistic approach to recruitment that considers life experience in addition to the professional requirements listed in our postings. Please apply – we’d love to hear from you. To quote a popular saying at TNC, “you’ll join for the mission, and you’ll stay for the people.”

What We Can Achieve Together

The Spatial Conservation Science (SCS) team in TNC’s Global Science Program is recruiting a Postdoctoral Researcher to lead science to inform proactive conservation to prevent habitat loss, reduce biodiversity threats, and balance trade-offs. The work will entail compiling and generating data and models to track, assess, and forecast human modification of landscapes and their ecological condition at global to regional scales. This work will improve TNC’s ability to map areas at threat to inform land protection, restoration, and smart development to reduce conflicts for nature and people. Click here for more information . The ideal candidate will have domain expertise in remote sensing, land use change modeling, and/or biodiversity assessment, as well as strong experience in spatial and statistical modeling, and machine learning using one or more open-source programming languages.

WE’RE LOOKING FOR YOU

Are you looking for work you can believe in? At TNC, we strive to embody a philosophy of Work that You Can Believe in and where you can feel like you are making a difference every day. We’re looking for someone with expertise in spatially explicit analysis of anthropogenic pressures on ecosystems and measurement of their responses to these pressures. This role will employ various methods and tools to measure, map, and forecast the degree to which lands are modified or remain ecologically intact, including remote sensing analyses and the development of predictive models. Within this scope, opportunities exist to develop and explore novel research questions of interest.

The findings and recommendations from this research will inform policy and decision-making related to conservation planning, impact evaluation and sustainable development. The Postdoctoral Researcher will help interpret and communicate the science for use in publications, presentations, websites, and planning tools. The role requires working closely with trans-disciplinary scientists and practitioners to create a research plan that develops actionable science and timely deliverables. They will interact closely with staff from TNC’s Global Science Program, TNC’s Protect Oceans, Lands, and Waters Program, and TNC’s Natural Climate Solutions Program. Consistent, clear communication is expected to ensure the work progresses smoothly, and with regular feedback and input from the broader team.

This is a 2-year term limited position with the possibility of a one-to-two-year extension based on performance, deliverables, and funding opportunities. The location for this position is flexible to all locations where The Nature Conservancy is registered to do business. No relocation, immigration, or visa assistance is available with this position, and the successful candidate will have authorization to work within the country where they are located.

The Spatial Conservation Science Postdoctoral Researcher Responsibilities & Scope include:

• Support project management by establishing formalized lines and procedures of communication (e.g., meetings, email or messaging, shared documents, use of software for collaborative work and project management)
• Read and synthesize the relevant scientific literature, providing a horizon-scan of the challenges and approaches for mapping and predicting the modification of ecosystems from human drivers at regional and global scales
• Develop and execute spatial analysis, as needed, using programming best practices (e.g., well-documented and annotated code, written cleanly and functionally so that it can be easily shared, maintained, and version-controlled, repurposed, and further developed by other researchers)
• Assess and summarize results and produce visualizations and papers (both internal and peer-reviewed) to communicate them to wider, interested audiences.

What You’ll Bring

• Ph.D. awarded by start of the position (and no longer than four years priori) in relevant area (e.g., in landscape ecology, biogeography, machine learning, spatial statistics, remote sensing, conservation biology)
• One to two years of related experience producing robust spatial analysis in a professional, scientific setting, or equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Experience in all aspects of the scientific process, from literature review and synthesis to data collection, processing, and analysis, to preparation and publication of meaningful results
• Experience preparing reports of findings and record of peer-reviewed publications.
• Experience with grant writing or other fundraising efforts
• Strong experience in quantitative natural or environmental sciences, statistics, applied math, or scientific computing.
• Proficiency working with in open-source analytical tools (e.g., R, Python, Julia) to manipulate and analyze both spatial and tabular data and to conduct spatial and statistical analysis and in creating visualizations and interactive dashboards (e.g., Shiny App, Tableau, JupyteR)
• Experience using a variety of GIS, both proprietary (e.g., ArcGIS, Google Earth Engine) and open source (e.g., QGIS, Python, R, Julia, PostGIS, GRASS).

DESIRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Experience appropriately applying and interpreting a variety of data science methods, including geo-statistics, time-series analysis, hierarchical modeling, permutation testing, and/or ML and AI methods.
• Experience leveraging best-in-class tools for scientific computing (including high-performance and cloud computing, production of containerized/reproducible workflows, and documentation and online archiving of research code and data)
• Familiarity with land use and land cover modelling and projecting future land use and land cover change and their impacts on biodiversity.
• Demonstrated experience in spatial modeling, statistical techniques, and landscape pattern analysis.
• Collaborative, detail-oriented mindset, and the ability to stay organized and meet deadlines in a fast-paced and unstructured work environment.
• Willingness to work with diverse stakeholders and to travel internationally if necessary.
• Ability to think and work creatively, and to proactively identify and solve analytical and methodological problems, using innovative or novel approaches when needed.
• Ability to initiate, lead, and complete research projects.
• Independent and self-motivated and able to effectively work in a remote team environment.
• Multi-language skills and multi-cultural or cross-cultural experience appreciated.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.

What We Bring

Since 1951, TNC has been doing work you can believe in. Through grassroots action, we have grown from a small non-profit into one of the most effective and wide-reaching environmental organizations in the world. Thanks to more than 1 million members, over 400 scientists, and the dedicated efforts of our diverse staff and partners, we impact conservation around the world!

TNC offers competitive and comprehensive benefits packages tailored to the individual countries where we work. These may include health care benefits, retirement benefits, parental leave, paid time off, life insurance, and disability coverage as well as an employee assistance program and other life and well-being benefits. Learn more about our benefits on our Culture Tab on nature.org/careers.

We’re proud to offer a flexible work environment that supports the health and well-being of the people we employ.

SALARY INFORMATION

This position may be based in any country where TNC has an established entity , taking into consideration legal restrictions, such as non-national ratios and immigration processing times. The starting pay range for a candidate selected for this position is generally within the range of USD $47,800 – USD $82,280 for annual base salary in the United States, as an example. This range only applies to candidates whose country of employment is the United States. Where a successful candidate’s actual pay will fall within this range will be based on a variety of factors, including, for example, the candidate’s location, qualifications, specific skills, and experience. Please note countries outside the United States would have a different pay range in the local currency based on the local labor market, and not tied to the above pay or ranges. Your geographic location will be confirmed during the recruitment and used to determine your actual salary range.

APPLY NOW

To apply for job ID 54446, submit your materials online by using the Apply Now button at https://careers.nature.org/ . Need help applying? Visit our recruitment page or contact applyhelp@tnc.org  

The Nature Conservancy is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Our commitment to diversity includes the recognition that our conservation mission is best advanced by the leadership and contributions of people of diverse backgrounds, beliefs and culture. Recruiting and mentoring staff to create an inclusive organization that reflects our global character is a priority and we encourage applicants from all cultures, races, colors, religions, sexes, national or regional origins, ages, disability status, sexual orientation, gender identity, military, protected veteran status or other status protected by law.

TNC is committed to offering accommodations for qualified individuals with disabilities and disabled veterans in our job application process. If you need assistance or an accommodation due to a disability, please send a note to applyhelp@tnc.org with Request for Accommodation in the subject line.

An attractive salary and benefits package is part of TNC’s value proposition to our employees. TNC strives to provide competitive pay and bases salaries on the geographic location of the role committing to being equitable across groups and providing hiring salary ranges when possible.

Since we support flexible and remote work for our employees, many positions have a flexible location within countries where we’re registered as a Non-government Organization and established as an employer. This may mean we’re unable to provide a hiring salary range in the posting for some of our positions. However, candidates invited to be part of our interview process will be provided their location specific range upon request.