Job opportunity - GIS/Data/Restoration Work on Midway Atoll

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