Data Scientist SME

NuAxis Innovations•Falls Church, VA

19h

About The Position

We are seeking a senior quantitative scientist with deep expertise in wildlife population biology, conservation science, ecological statistics or quantitative ecology to support scientifically defensible analysis for U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service International Affairs programs.

Requirements

PhD strongly preferred in Quantitative Ecology, Wildlife Biology, Population Ecology, Biostatistics, Conservation Biology or related discipline.
Strong Master's candidates with exceptional experience should remain viable.
8–12+ years of relevant quantitative/scientific experience preferred.
Advanced R experience.
Python desirable.
Demonstrated population modeling and uncertainty analysis.
Experience with peer-reviewed scientific research/publications.
Ability to defend methods before scientific SMEs is critical.

Nice To Haves

CITES, ESA, endangered species, wildlife trade or regulatory science experience is an exceptional differentiator.

Responsibilities

Develop quantitative approaches supporting CITES non-detriment findings.
Develop sustainable-offtake and population-status methodologies.
Analyze uncertainty, data sufficiency and model assumptions.
Develop and validate population and harvest models.
Apply techniques such as: matrix population models; logistic/theta-logistic models; Potential Biological Removal; life-history growth modeling; mark-recapture; occupancy modeling; N-mixture modeling; distance sampling; population trend analysis.
Conduct statistically defensible wildlife-trade and population analyses.
Develop reproducible analytical implementations in R, with Python desirable.
Validate analytical models against known cases or published scientific results.
Explain methodology, assumptions, limitations and uncertainty to scientific and nontechnical audiences.
Work directly with USFWS Division of Scientific Authority SMEs.
Support development of AI-assisted—but not AI-determined—scientific decision-support capabilities.