The 4th Annual GIS Day celebration was filled with GIS students, professionals, raffle prizes, presentations, interactive displays, and fun times!  Thank you to Madeline Steele & Christina Friedle for continuing to organize the event.  A special thanks to Matthew Hampton, Molly Vogt, Justin Houk, and Craig Beebe for your assistance with planning and brainstorming.  Thank you Allison Jones for being our GeoTrivia MC for the 4th year in a row.  And lastly, thank you Al Mowbray for helping to transport, set-up, and demonstrate the topographic sandbox.

Presentations by Gina Clemmer, Michael Schindel, and Ben Friedle included lots of laughs and topics such as: Mary Lee, Internet famous Shark; Mapping porn around the holidays; Ben Carson's America;  Inspiration for emerging GIS professionals; and Innovative mapping applications.  Cy Smith was unable to make the event, but shared a video (https://vimeo.com/112652622) about the Arbor School in Tualatin that uses Geography as the underlying foundation for teaching all subject.  

Also present, an Augmented Reality Topographic Sandbox, built by Matthew Hampton of Metro.  Quite an attractive site!  Matthew built it as part of an event hosted earlier in the day at Metro for High School students, to demonstrate the 'coolness' of everything geospatial, as well as some geographic concepts like watersheds and topography.  

Thank you to all our sponsors for making this event possible!  Portland Community College - Geography, Outlier, i-Ten Associates, ASPRS - PSU Student Chapter, URISA - Young Professionals, SCGIS, & The Nature Conservancy - Oregon.

For full job description & application details: http://www.savetheredwoods.org/wp-content/uploads/AD_Conserv-Planner_v2_11-18-15.pdf 



​Description
We are looking for a professional, experienced, and collaborative Conservation Planner who performs the analysis, prioritization, mapping and implementation of the League’s conservation programs. Working with members of the program team, the Conservation Planner guides the development of conservation strategies to achieve League protection, restoration, and public access and engagement goals. With the knowledge of ecological and conservation biology principles and advanced skills in GIS, the Conservation Planner develops geospatial tools and products to improve the League’s understanding of the coast redwood and giant sequoia forest ecosystems and their interconnection with the urban landscape.

Save the Redwoods League has been preserving redwood lands for nearly 100 years, with the mission of protecting and restoring redwood forests and connecting people with their peace and beauty. As an established organization we are leaders in the effort to ensure thousand-year old forests exist for millennia more. To learn more about us, go to www.SaveTheRedwoods.org.

The Conservation Planner manages all aspects of the League’s Vibrant Forests Plan to guide the League in what to protect, where to restore ecosystem values, and where to direct public access for visitors of the coast redwood and giant sequoia forest parks and reserves. The Conservation Planner participates as an integral part of the League’s program team on developing the VFP and implementing the plan’s recommendations.

Duties & Responsibilities
The Wildlife Research GIS Analyst will assist the project leader with completing the objectives of the Elk-Cattle-Deer Interactions, Breeding Bull Elk, and Elk Nutrition-Predation Studies and provide assistance to Department staff regarding management and manipulation of spatial data. The Department Wildlife Research Program has ongoing research projects that focus on management of mule deer and elk and their habitat and predators. The Wildlife Research GIS Analyst will develop, maintain and archive animal location data collected by the Department and assemble Geographic Information System (GIS) data for habitat characteristics used by mule deer, elk, or other species of interest to the Department. Major duties and responsibilities are to:


• Conduct spatial and statistical analyses of animal location and other relevant project data. 
 
• Gather/acquire data from literature reviews and on-line searches requiring use of computers and specialized knowledge of spatial data.
 
• Summarize and analyze data using geographic and statistical software such as ArcGIS, SAS, R, or equivalents. Interpret data analysis.
 
• Develop, manage, and maintain databases of animal location data and spatial data associated with animal locations. 
 
• Gather/acquire data from field studies that may require arduous physical activities requiring hiking across steep and uneven terrain, use of ATVs, snowmobiles, and 4-wheel drive vehicles.
 
• Compile, archive and appropriately document datasets collected during Department research and management projects. 
 
• Write manuscripts suitable for submission to peer-reviewed journals that describe habitat selection of large mammal species occupying Oregon.
 
• Conduct literature reviews and summarize information on habitat selection of mule deer, elk, or other species of interest.
 
• Collaborate with staff from the U.S. Forest Service about managing and archiving data collected at the Starkey Experimental Forest.
 
• Communicate in person or via phone or electronic media with biologists, land managers, and other natural resource specialists on specific goals and objectives of research.
 
• Assemble various GIS layers and data sets needed for analysis to meet research objectives.
 
• Communicate with statisticians, conduct analyses, prepare tables and figure summarizing data analysis.
 
• Prepare written reports and oral presentations for scientific outlets, the public, professional meetings and managers.
 
• Assist with development of techniques and review of technologies to collect field data electronically.
 
• Assist with data collection and other tasks required to complete ongoing research projects.  
 
• Monitor GPS collared animals using telemetry from the ground and air.
 
• Assist with check station duties at the Starkey Experimental Forest.
 
• Investigate mortalities of collared animals and determine cause of death.
 
• Assist research staff with capture of wolves, cougars, mule deer, and elk.
 
• Conduct vegetation sampling to determine phenology and nutritional value of plant species.
 
• Assist Department staff with questions regarding data management or GIS applications.

For full job description & application details:  ​https://www.governmentjobs.com/careers/oregon/jobs/1288861/natural-resource-specialist-2-wildlife-research-gis-analyst_

Restoration Monitoring Data and Information Specialist

The National Wildlife Refuge Association, in partnership with Midway Atoll National Wildlife Refuge and the USFWS Pacific Region Inventory and Monitoring Program, seeks an individual with strong restoration ecology, database development, and ecological monitoring design skills for an 18-month period to help Refuge staff meet scientific information needs associated with expanding habitat restoration and weed control programming. The selected individual will be an employee of the National Wildlife Refuge Association and will work closely with Refuge staff and volunteers to develop robust data collection procedures, design databases, and data management systems for currently implemented weed control, native plant propagation and habitat restoration activities.

The primary goal of this position is to set-up a robust habitat restoration monitoring system that can be utilized and maintained by USFWS staff to holistically evaluate the success of restoration efforts, encompassing and integrating complex and large-scale weed control and native plant propagation programs.

• Applies knowledge of relational databases and database design to design and develop data management, visualization, and analysis applications. The design and development of these customized applications will be tailored to allow end users (Refuge staff and volunteers) to access and manipulate survey information that would minimize user training.
• Applies statistical concepts, advanced GIS skills, and other innovative techniques to track all aspects of plant propagation performance, herbicide efficacy, outplanting success, and large-scale achievement of habitat rehabilitation and restoration objectives. Work closely with Refuge staff in the field and office to ensure that products are user-friendly and sustainable for long-term implementation.
• Work closely with Refuge staff to develop robust field and greenhouse data collection procedures and ensure that data is collected and managed in a way that facilitates analysis and development of propagation and outplanting SOPs. Work with Refuge staff and Honolulu-based Inventory and Monitoring Biologists to ensure designs meet project objectives and are statistically valid.
• Performs as a lead analyst in researching and adapting new techniques for complex data management, GIS, and data visualization. Subject area expert defining database structures, processing algorithms, version control and other transactions, interfaces to external databases, functionality and product design. Minimum Qualifications · Knowledge of advanced biometric principles and statistical methods to design scientifically sound ecological monitoring frameworks and interpret results.
• Ability to identify and use statistical methods to analyze complex data sets including but not limited to Excel, MS Access, ArcGIS, R, and SAS.
• Knowledge of principles and practices of biology (i.e. ecological principles; ecosystems, plant, wildlife and fish population dynamics, and surveys for natural resource management) used to identify critical data needs to support surveys for resource conservation and management. · Broad knowledge of advanced literature and theory in the fields of biometrics, statistics, restoration ecology, ornithology, and resource management, especially as it pertains to refuges.
• Extensive knowledge of database management concepts, principles, and methods including database logical and physical design sufficient to design, develop, and maintain data management systems that meet current and future monitoring program policy requirements for natural resource management.
• Ability to comprehend and evaluate developments in data management, spatial data collection and analysis, and related fields and apply them to refuge-based projects.
• Skills and experience using Trimble GPS units or similar mapping grade GPS units and ability to train others. · In good health with no physical or mental conditions that require regular access to medical facilities. Moderate to good physical fitness in order to access off-road field sites situated in sandy, rugged terrain.

Schedule and Application Process

Application deadline: December 11, 2015
Interviews: December 17-22, 2015
Selection made: by January 15, 2016
Project underway at Midway Atoll: April 12, 2016-September 2017

To receive a copy of the work plan or to ask project and location-specific questions, please contact Meg Duhr-Schultz.

For salary and benefits questions, please contact Anne Truslow.
meg_duhrschultz@fws.gov Direct: 808-954-4819
atruslow@refugeassociation.org

Remote Sensing (GIS) Technician job opportunity with Quantum Spatial in downtown Portland- here is all of information that I have: 6-8 openings altogether…
 
It is very important that all candidates understand and can flow with the points outlined below by the Hiring Manager.
 
1)     Short term assignment – could be only 8-9 weeks (although this very well could be longer)- through the end of the year, as long as work lasts, which they think it will, which is why they need to hire 6-8 more technicians, but, because it’s a contract job, there is never an absolute guarantee, so I like to tell it how it is.  The possibility for continuing on with this company may very well extend well into 2016, but this is determined by both you and the company- long term employment depending on skills and attitude and the company’s business needs is this company’s goal, but they understand if some people are going to just come in, work the short term contact, and then move on to greater and bigger things.

2)     Need to be flexible as far as the shift schedules they’re mapping out for these 6-8 GIS Technicians – they may plug people in to the two shift mode/ schedule, scheduling folks for either 6 am - 2:30 pm, or 2:30 pm - 11pm, due to space and equipment constraints. Candidates should be flexible.

3)     Availability to Start- these 6-8 Remote Sensing ArcGIS Technicians need to be able to start quickly.  2 weeks might be ok, but, ideally, they’d like to hire everyone this week or next and have them all dialed in and up to speed by the the end of November.

4)     Work location & parking situation: this position would be based downtown – meaning, no paid parking is provided by the company.  Parking is available for $13/day, and that would have to be paid by you if you wanted to drive to work everyday.  The company encourages everyone to utilize public transportation if at all possible (convenient to the MAX and bus lines,) or biking.  This company is totally bike friendly with bike lockers and showers and people walking around in their biking shoes- very casual environment, nice work culture, very chill and modern. The company has actually won a pretty significant “best commuting award” the last 2 years running

​·        Pay rate – recent college grads with little or no professional experience would probably expect to be offered a Pay Rate range of about $17-18/hr for these openings. The hourly pay rate does stretch up all the way to $22/hr depending on work experience and qualifications, so let me know- we can talk to figure out what you’re going to need to make in this role to make it work for you, ultimately, but…this is my recommendation for people who can’t say, “look here on my resume- this is when I was paid to do this kind of ArcGIS work”----- go in flexible, and their baseline hourly wage is $17/18 per hour on average.
 
If you are available and interested in pursuing this job, this is what I would need back from you in order to present you for candidacy. Please be sure to speak to ArcGIS, which is the only real “Must Have” for this position, (along with having a Bachelor’s degree- they will not hire someone who has not graduated with a 4 year degree).

• an updated, position specific (MS Word formatted) resume
• a short paragraph and/or bullet points that highlights your specific background and key skills/custom tailored to this job. ArcGIS is paramount- being able to articulate your experience using this program and being able to speak to it technically in front of a panel interview audience. It’s a casual interview setting and you will be asked to talk about what you know and have done, work wise, with ArcGIS, and they will only hire people who are capable and comfortable working with this software 8 hours a day and not getting bored.
• Please reference job description below to address the key points called for in the position- if you have anything that the job is asking for or calls out, write about it in a highly qualifying bullet point.
• I need your hourly pay rate down to the dollar- $17-18/hr. seems to be the benchmark, although they will go higher for people with documented career experience, for sure- so, include what you would need for your hourly rate- $__/hr.

These are contract roles, project based work assignments, lasting anywhere from 1-3 months, with a strong possibility of ***likely going much longer (just depends on your performance, and the work flow coming in to this company- if they’ve got work for you, they’re absolutely going to keep you on.  Pay is $17- $22  per hour, maybe a little higher depending on skill set.  The need is for 6-7 people ASAP.
 
Below is the job description but this is really a wish list.  The "must haves" include:

• A Bachelor’s Degree (required)- a degree in the Sciences is heavily preferred, (remote sensing or GIS would be great but any natural resources or engineering discipline would work, too)
• Some solid experience with ArcGIS http://www.esri.com/software/arcgis/about/gis-for-me is required- you have to have worked on ArcGIS, and navigated your way around it, in order to have a shot at this job; granted, that can be school experience. 
• Experience or exposure to any 3D CAD system (this company uses Microstation)
• LIDAR knowledge, experience would also be a big plus – candidates should at least know what this is, in fact, it’s pretty important, so it should almost be one of the “Must Haves”. Lidar (also written LIDAR, LiDAR or LADAR) is a remote sensing technology that measures distance by illuminating a target with a laser and analyzing the reflected light. Although thought by some to be an acronym of Light Detection And Ranging, the term lidar was actually created as a portmanteau of "light" and "radar".

This company has established itself at the forefront of LiDAR production and LiDAR-derived feature extraction, and exhibits a growing presence on a national scale. Employment at Quantum Spatial provides a unique opportunity to immerse oneself in this rapidly evolving and expanding remote sensing field.  This job posting refers only to openings in the Portland office.  For more information on the diversity of products and projects maintained by Quantum Spatial, including thermal infrared remote sensing analysis and watershed modeling.
 
 
Required Qualifications:
A successful candidate will have a 4-year degree in natural sciences, geography, engineering, surveying, or a related field. Candidates must possess an interest in remote sensing and geodetics, and understand the nature of quantitative data.
 
Duties and Responsibilities:
The responsibilities for this position include processing and analysis of a variety of spatial data products (including LiDAR data, Orthophotos, and Video) and general analysis support.  The position requires the ability to maintain productivity while performing repetitive tasks and working to meet deadlines in a fast paced environment. Applicants with GIS coursework or applicable work experience are preferred.
 
Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:
We are looking for individuals with the ability to be successful working independently, as well as in a team setting. The ideal candidate is self-motivated with excellent decision making and problem solving abilities, computer proficient, and has an interest in GIS and remote sensing. An understanding of geospatial concepts and GPS survey methods is desired, but not mandatory.
  
Though not required, experience in the following areas is greatly desired:

• Python or VB scripting
• Experience in the ESRI suite
• Adobe creative suite
• CAD based software
• Geo-spatial data
• Map production
• Working in a 3D environment
• GPS Processing
• Technical writing
• Statistics commonly used in data analysis

 
If interested in one of these positions, contact:
Mary Lavin 
Senior Technical Recruiter, Portland, OR 
Adecco Engineering & Technology/Medical & Science
 
mary.lavin@adeccona.com
O:  503.535.2580
C:  541.729.3275
FAX:  503.221.1300
121 SW Morrison Street, Ste# 110
Portland, OR 97204