Resource Analyst

Government of Alberta•Edmonton, AB

5d•CA$82,621 - CA$106,711•Onsite

About The Position

The Alberta Public Service works to build a stronger province for current and future generations. We make a difference in the lives of Albertans through rewarding and diverse career opportunities. Alberta is covered by roughly 35 million hectares of forest. Alberta’s Forestry Division supports a policy of sustainable forest management designed to maintain a healthy forest able to sustain itself ecologically while providing for society's economic, social, recreational, and spiritual needs and values. To learn more about forest stewardship in Alberta, visit: https://www.alberta.ca/forest-management.aspx Are you interested in supporting the sustainable management of Alberta’s forest resources through high-quality forest growth and yield information? Do you enjoy working with permanent sample plot data, forest mensuration, sampling design, statistics, and data management to inform long-term forest management decisions? Are you comfortable working with government staff, forest industry, consultants, contractors, and technical specialists to solve complex monitoring and analysis challenges? Alberta relies on reliable long-term monitoring data to validate yield assumptions, improve growth models, assess forest productivity, support timber supply analysis and annual allowable cut determinations, and maintain confidence in sustainable forest management decisions. The Resource Analyst is a professional position within the Resource Inventory and Biometrics Section responsible for coordinating and continuously improving the department’s Permanent Sample Plot Program. This role: Supports the collection, maintenance, analysis, documentation, and use of permanent sample plot and related monitoring data across Alberta’s Crown forestlands. Coordinates Permanent Sample Plot Program priorities, annual work plans, establishment and remeasurement schedules, field implementation, data management activities, and program documentation. Compiles, validates, analyzes, summarizes, and reports on permanent sample plot data to support growth and yield analysis, model development, forest management planning, and sustainable forest management reporting. Provides technical advice on plot standards, field procedures, sampling design, data quality, monitoring priorities, data interpretation, and the appropriate use of permanent sample plot information. This position also supports contracts, standards, external growth and yield initiatives, and other biometrics priorities by working collaboratively with internal teams, forest industry, consultants, contractors, and cross-jurisdictional partners to promote consistent, compatible, and defensible monitoring practices.

Requirements

A four (4) year university degree in Forest Management, Natural Resources Management, or related field, plus four (4) years of related experience
Related experience includes data management, forest management, forest mensuration, sampling design, statistical analysis, yield estimation, regression analysis, growth modeling, reforestation standards, and/or forest resource analysis
Equivalency: Directly related experience or education considered on the basis of one year of experience for one year of education or one year of education for one year of experience.

Nice To Haves

Graduate-level education in forest biometrics, forestry, forest management, natural resource management, statistics, geomatics, environmental science, or a related discipline.
Professional designation with, or eligibility for, membership with the Association of Alberta Forest Management Professionals (AAFMP) is preferred. Equivalent professional regulatory designations, such as Professional Biologist (P.Biol.), may also be considered.
Knowledge of Alberta forestry legislation, forest management planning, annual allowable cut determination, timber supply analysis, reforestation standards, and related policy or regulatory requirements.
Knowledge of permanent sample plot and temporary sample plot programs, Alberta Vegetation Inventory, forest inventory methods, GYPSY, growth models, or comparable forestry monitoring and modelling systems.
Knowledge of data governance, metadata, data sharing, data quality, open data, restricted data, authoritative datasets, and Government of Alberta information management practices.
Experience using tools such as R, SAS, Python, SQL, ArcGIS, Excel, Access, or comparable technologies to manage, analyze, summarize, and report on forest monitoring or natural resource datasets.
Knowledge of remote sensing products, forest ecology, silviculture, stand dynamics, sustainable forest management reporting, cross-jurisdictional initiatives, or industry-led monitoring programs.

Responsibilities

Supports the collection, maintenance, analysis, documentation, and use of permanent sample plot and related monitoring data across Alberta’s Crown forestlands.
Coordinates Permanent Sample Plot Program priorities, annual work plans, establishment and remeasurement schedules, field implementation, data management activities, and program documentation.
Compiles, validates, analyzes, summarizes, and reports on permanent sample plot data to support growth and yield analysis, model development, forest management planning, and sustainable forest management reporting.
Provides technical advice on plot standards, field procedures, sampling design, data quality, monitoring priorities, data interpretation, and the appropriate use of permanent sample plot information.
Supports contracts, standards, external growth and yield initiatives, and other biometrics priorities by working collaboratively with internal teams, forest industry, consultants, contractors, and cross-jurisdictional partners to promote consistent, compatible, and defensible monitoring practices.