From: Mammalian Biology [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of
Christine Soliva
Sent: Wednesday, January 06, 2010 3:34 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Open Position: Landscape Ecologist at The Wilderness Society

 

The Wilderness Society seeks a Landscape Ecologist to join our Center for
Landscape Analysis. This is an exceptional opportunity for a conservation
science professional to apply his or her spatial and ecological analysis
expertise to land conservation and management challenges and to work in the
nexus between science and public policy. We seek a leader who can apply
skills in geographic information systems (GIS), ecology, and natural
resource management.  These skills will be used to design new
spatially-explicit projects, conduct project work, and communicate
scientific results to further our wildland management and conservation
goals. 

 

The goals of this position are to contribute to the leadership in our
landscape analysis work for the organization as a whole, with a particular
focus on designing and conducting landscape analysis work for the California
region. The individual in this position will help provide strategic support
in crafting long-term plans for the use of GIS technology for the
organization and assist in thinking through the applications of spatial
technology in specific program areas. The position will be responsible for
supervising one Associate GIS Analyst. The individual will join the team of
six scientists making up our Center for Landscape Analysis (CLA)-a subset of
our Research Department. Much of the work of the position will involve close
collaboration with interdisciplinary project teams, including ecologists,
economists, policy experts, regional conservation specialists, and
communicators.

 

For our California region, the position will involve designing and
conducting applied research projects involving GIS. Initial projects include
prioritizing forest restoration, road reclamation and modeling acoustic
impacts on National Forest lands. Future research may involve such topics as
renewable energy siting; ecological, economic, and social values of proposed
wilderness lands; and strategies for land management under various climate
change scenarios. The GIS work will involve the collection and preparation
of GIS datasets, performing GIS analyses, supervising the Associate GIS
Analyst, and writing reports and developing other products stemming from
spatial analyses.

 

At a minimum, the ideal candidate will have a Master's degree (Ph.D.
preferred) in the natural or social sciences and 5 years experience in
landscape ecology, with a focus on applying ArcGIS technology. More
extensive experience may be substituted for a doctoral degree. Familiarity
with the non-profit conservation advocacy community and knowledge of
California landscapes is beneficial. This is a senior or advanced level
science position within The Wilderness Society, and the work environment and
compensation are competitive with university, governmental, and other NGO
science programs.

 

 


Duties and Responsibilities:


 

.         Design and conduct new landscape analysis projects that serve the
goals of the California regional program, and help leverage the results for
others to use in other regions;

.         Provide leadership in the planning and development of spatial
analysis for additional programs;

.         Contribute to the development of long-term strategies to take best
advantage of evolving spatial technologies;

.         Supervise one Associate GIS Analyst located in San Francisco.

.         Work productively on interdisciplinary teams of staff and with
partner organizations;

.         Perform spatial analyses for federal land management and
conservation planning using ArcGIS and related software such as Fragstats or
CommunityViz;

.         Interpret and present analytical results for technical and
non-technical audiences;

.         Write the results of GIS analyses in fact sheets, science briefs,
reports, and other forms of communication;

.         Generate maps for posters, reports, PowerPoint presentations and
other internal and external communication needs;

.         Communicate results orally to program team and external groups
including scientists, land managers, elected officials, and other audiences;

.         Work closely with CLA staff and program team members to schedule
and manage work assignments;

.         Assist with GIS system administration tasks (e.g. system backups,
software updates);

.         Assist in the development and maintenance of systems that increase
the accessibility of spatial information to all TWS staff;

.         Participate in the development and support of the TWS GIS user
community;

.         Help foster a productive and collaborative work environment;

.         Short-duration travel to attend meetings, give presentations, and
visit the field is required

 


Qualifications:


 

.         Ph.D. degree in the natural or social sciences, or equivalent
experience with Master's degree. Specific experience in forestry, ecology,
wildlife biology, geography, climate science, energy, or land management and
planning is desirable;

.         Passion for and commitment to wildland conservation;

.         A minimum of 5 years of experience in research or applied science
involving ArcGIS. Remote sensing experience would be a plus, but is not
required;

.         Demonstration of strong organizational and data management skills;

.         The ability to work with and exchange GIS knowledge with staff in
the Center for Landscape Analysis and other GIS users;

.         The ability to work independently and on a team;

.         The desire and ability to supervise and mentor other staff;

.         The ability to communicate technical information for technical and
non-technical audiences;

.         Ability to stay on schedule and meet deadlines;

.         Experience writing scientific papers or reports;

.         A desire to continue learning in the fields of spatial analysis
and conservation science;

.         Knowledge of California landscapes preferred;

.         Experience working with federal land management agencies and
familiarity with the non-profit conservation community is desirable;

 

The mission of The Wilderness Society is to protect wilderness and inspire
Americans to care for our wild places.  Building and applying scientific
understanding of those places and the values they provide to human
communities has long been a hallmark of the organization, and that work is
led by The Wilderness Society's Research Department.  It consists of experts
in economics, ecology, law and landscape analysis, including 12 Ph.D.-level
scientists. This team develops and deploys a base of knowledge needed to
answer pressing questions about wildland stewardship issues such as resource
exploration and development, public lands' restoration and management,
climate change, and recreation. This information is key to understanding
often complicated environmental issues and, ultimately, to making sound
choices toward achieving lasting protection for the resources and places
that sustain us and our ways of life.

 

The Wilderness Society is an equal opportunity employer and diversity is a
core value. The Wilderness Society offers a competitive benefits package,
including health and dental insurance, retirement savings plan, and
geographic cost of living adjustment. 

 

This position is available immediately and is located in our downtown San
Francisco office.  The job description was posted as of January 4, 2010.
Application review will begin early January, and applications will be
accepted until the position is filled. To apply please send a single email
with the following four attachments to [log in to unmask] with the subject
line "Landscape Ecologist": a cover letter explaining your qualifications
for and interest in this position; resume or curriculum vitae; writing
sample; and the name, address, and phone number for three references.

 

Best,

Christine Soliva

Research Project Coordinator

The Wilderness Society

1615 M Street, NW

Washington, DC 20036

www.wilderness.org

 

To protect wilderness and to inspire Americans to care for our wild places.