Overview

ORAU has a job opportunity for a Biological Scientist. This position will support of the overall functions of the USDA Forest Services. Salary for positions will be determined based on education and experience. Relocation support is not available for this position.

This position will serve as a Data Manager for a Forest Service research group. As a member of a team, will be responsible for conducting analyses, managing, cataloging, and/or archiving environmental databases. Works with researchers and professional technical staff to improve annotation of databases with descriptive metadata and to provide data to online depositories. Includes maintaining research data-related websites and content.

ORAU has been providing scientific and technical talent staffing solutions and designing, managing, and evaluating jobs and internships for more than 70 years. ORAU assists in connecting the best and most diverse group of students, recent graduates, faculty and professionals with world-class fellowships, internships and job opportunities, whether in national laboratories, research institutions, federal government offices or private sector R&D departments.

Responsibilities

Provides programmatic and technical advice for the collection, compilation, storage, analysis, reporting, and distribution of strategic multi-resource data.
Prioritizes plan of work and project outcomes under direction of the supervisor. Performs a variety of tasks and analyses that result in improved techniques or solutions. These tasks and analyses apply and integrate techniques from statistical analysis, image processing and analysis, forest inventory, geographic information systems (GIS), geospatial analysis, database operations, and data science.
Provides technical advice, staff coordination and consultation in the areas of data visualization and analytics, sensor programming and deployment, and data-management applications. In addition, the incumbent archives biological and/or physical science data and metadata to address complex resource issues, collaborates with partners and other inventory specialists, provides advice and responds to user requests after consultation with supervisor.
Curates research data collected by researchers and from sensor networks, which includes accurately transferring data and reconciling inconsistencies, creating metadata records to document changes, and storing backup versions of original data files. Participates in the design, development, and maintenance (including normalization) of existing standalone and internet-enabled databases. Knowledge of Structured Query Language (SQL), R, Python and MatLab and ability to write scripts in relevant software environments to organize and conduct quality control analyses of data. Assists researchers and staff in manipulation of data. Develops, promotes, and follows data governance activities such as cataloging data, contributing to metadata management, data lineage, and data quality.
Provides feedback and communicates changes necessary to develop, improve, and enhance the methodologies and databases concerning the extent, content and trends of the nation’s forest resources and other related components such as carbon, forests, air, and water. Proposes improvements to the procedures used for collecting, verifying, compiling, and summarizing strategic resource data.
Analyzes work processes to determine the feasibility of upgrading data management protocols or implementing new ones. Tests programs to ensure accurate and statistically consistent operation, and identifies problems and bottlenecks in the information management system and makes corrections and improvements. Analyses and defines data requirements and specifications. Writes and maintains documentation related to natural resource data. Identifies problems and specific issues in assigned area(s) and conducts analyses of systems to determine nature of requirements, logical work, and information flows.
Applies research methodologies to evaluate data and ensure statistical consistency and accuracy. Collaborates and consults on many research and monitoring projects to satisfy the requirements of data users and research scientists. Assists researchers in extracting and interpreting natural resource data.
Develops and prepares presentations and briefings to program leadership and others on progress towards archiving and sharing data. Works with a variety of teams and clients to coordinate information flow regarding new and ongoing research projects and services.

Qualifications

Bachelor's Degree
Knowledge of and skill in applying professional biological and/or physical science principles as well as land management principles, practices, and concepts sufficient to independently perform complex tests and/or procedures that require using highly specialized methods or techniques.
Knowledge of environmental sampling procedures and principles including climatic, atmospheric, hydrologic, forest mensuration, and geospatial statistical analysis, to meet new and complex information requirements for conducting quality assurance tests.
Skill in modifying or adapting established protocols and procedures in response to test or study findings, to recognize and identify unusual and diverse entities and occurrences in order to revise standard methods to improve or extend test systems.
Advanced knowledge of regulations sufficient to interpret data standards and guidelines, and serve as a technical advisor to other biological and physical science experts, and management officials.
Knowledge of theory and practice of basic statistical methods is needed to conduct statistical analyses of data.
Advanced knowledge of database operations, statistical analysis tools, and data visualization packages in order to meet new and complex information requirements.
Knowledge of oral and written communications in order to develop: presentations, prepare and present scientific/technical reports, convey findings, recommendations, conclusions and to generally promote the understanding, cooperation, and a positive image of the Forest Service while concurrently accomplishing strategic data management objectives.

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