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 caecolog...@tws.org<mailto:caecolog...@tws.org> 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<http://www.wilderness.org> To protect wilderness and to inspire Americans to care for our wild places.
