Research Ecologist, IS-0408-12

Smithsonian Institution•Front Royal, VA

103d•$102,415 - $133,142•Onsite

About The Position

The Smithsonian Institution is seeking a Research Ecologist/Project Coordinator for its Ecology Program focused on the study and conservation of Arabian Leopards in partnership with the Royal Commission for AlUla in Saudi Arabia. The program conducts basic and applied research and innovates, develops, and implements science-based solutions for the conservation and restoration of keystone dryland wildlife species and ecosystems on the Arabian Peninsula. The program is focused on cutting-edge science and technology to conserve and restore imperiled species and advance our understanding and management of dryland ecosystems. It also focuses on developing and executing research projects that investigate questions about at-risk species and their associated biotic communities, and impactful education and capacity building to train and foster the next generation of conservation leaders and practitioners in local communities through workshops, training courses, intern and fellowships. The Arabian Leopard Ecology Program is a new program at the Smithsonian’s National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute. The position requires team and partnership development in addition to research and conservation activities.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university in biology or a related field of science underlying ecological research that involved at least 30 semester hours of coursework in basic and applied biological sciences. These hours must have included at least 9 semester hours in biology or ecology, and 12 semester hours in physical and mathematical sciences.
A Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree that has equipped applicants with the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work of the position.
Demonstrated experience designing and implementing wildlife surveys, including but not limited to movement tracking, camera trapping, distance sampling, and aerial surveys.
Expertise in geospatial analysis and ecological modeling, including the integration of satellite imagery and other remote sensing data.
Strong skills in analyzing ecological, spatial, and environmental datasets, including developing predictive models, species distribution models, to inform conservation planning and ecological research.
Proficiency in quantitative analysis and statistical modeling using R and/or Python.
Proven field experience conducting ecological research in dryland and/or grassland ecosystems.
Experience working on conservation or ecological research projects in dryland ecosystems.
Demonstrated ability to collaborate effectively with multidisciplinary and multinational teams in a range of cultural settings.
Excellent written and verbal communication skills in English.

Nice To Haves

Written and/or spoken Arabic language proficiency is an asset.

Responsibilities

Designs, develops, and executes a collaborative international research program with multiple scientific research projects focusing on landscape-level conservation, ecology, and restoration of threatened species.
Utilizes new tools and technologies to advance the conservation and restoration of threatened species, inclusive of new analytical and quantitative approaches that account for uncertainty to model the impact of anthropogenic disturbance on the abundance, distribution, and movement of wildlife communities. Examples include expertise in GIS and remote sensing; tracking and biologging systems; occupancy and distribution modeling, and web-based mapping and visualization tools to store, share, and visualize occurrence data.
Independently performs all phases of the complete research process, including problem definition, planning, execution, data analysis, and interpretation of findings.
Develops, plans, and conducts field missions to collect data for addressing theoretical and applied research questions in movement ecology, spatial ecology, animal-habitat interactions, impact of anthropogenic disturbance, and conservation.
Secures funds to support research program and field missions from both internal and external sources.
Presents and publishes research at scientific meetings and for peer-reviewed journals publications which address important and novel questions in the scientific field, account for previously unexplained phenomena, or represent an important validation or modification of scientific theory in the topic area.
Develops and implements training programs by supporting research of graduate students and post-doctoral students, as well as other professionals conducting related work.
Performs other duties as assigned.