UW faculty and staff also enjoy outstanding benefits, professional growth opportunities and unique resources in an environment noted for diversity, intellectual excitement, artistic pursuits and natural beauty. All of which has allowed the UW to be nationally recognized as a “Great College to Work For” for six consecutive years.

EarthLab has an outstanding opportunity for a Data Scientist for research on outdoor recreation and nature-based tourism.  The employee will join a team of researchers and practitioners who develop novel methods and information to inform public land management and improve opportunities for outdoor recreation.  The successful candidate will advance methods that mix traditional survey methods with data from citizen science and social media to more effectively measure park use and generate fine-scale maps of where and how people recreate.  The Data Scientist will be responsible for developing, improving, and maintaining existing workflows for managing these various data streams. They will also be involved in many aspects of data management, analysis, and visualization.  The successful candidate will be an organized, friendly, self-directed individual who is passionate about working on collaborative projects for social good.

EarthLab is a new initiative at the University of Washington seeking to link and apply the amazing environmental research happening at the UW with decision makers working on solutions to environmental challenges. Stewarded by the College of the Environment, EarthLab supports application-focused interdisciplinary collaboration across and beyond the University of Washington. EarthLab focuses on addressing our world’s most pressing environmental challenges – catalyzing collaborations with partners across the private, public, and non-profit sectors. By linking knowledge and action to accomplish meaningful change, EarthLab will help develop lasting solutions that are scientifically sound, technically feasible, and economically viable, while promoting equity and justice.

EarthLab and the University of Washington (UW) are committed to developing a diverse and culturally aware workplace, and the promotion of diversity and inclusivity among our students, faculty, staff, and public. Thus, we are strongly seeking candidates whose experiences have prepared them to fulfill our commitment to inclusion and have given them the confidence to fully engage audiences from a wide spectrum of backgrounds. The UW is located in the greater Seattle metropolitan area, with a dynamic, multicultural community of 3.7 million people and a range of ecosystems from mountains to ocean. The UW serves a diverse population of 80,000 students, faculty and staff, including 25% first-generation college students and faculty from over 70 countries. Over 25% of UW students receive need-based federal financial aid.

Responsibilities include:
•Develop and maintain software and scripted workflows that ingest, store, manipulate, and output data on park use from on-site surveys, social media platforms, and crowd-sourced text messages.
•Work closely and collaboratively with other team members to assist with data management and analysis tasks.
•Create maps and figures for visualizing raw data and model results in publications and interactive dashboards.
•Contribute to reports and manuscripts summarizing methods and major findings
•Communicate with project partners about opportunities to improve decision-making and deepen the understanding of the recreational value of public lands.

As a UW employee, you will enjoy generous benefits and work/life programs.  For detailed information on Benefits for this position, click here.

To apply, please submit a resume and cover letter describing your interests in the project.
For more information, email Spencer Wood (spwood@uw.edu).

Requirements
•Bachelor’s degree in any field, with coursework in natural or social sciences
•At least three months of job-related experience
•Excellent organizational, leadership, teamwork, and communication skills
•Demonstrated success using coding languages such as python and R

Equivalent education/experience will substitute for all minimum qualifications except where there are legal requirements such as license/certification/registration.

Desired
•Interest in outdoor recreation and public land management
•Experience managing large and varied sources of data, and ability to think critically about the larger organizational structure
•Demonstrated experience with open-source software projects, version control, and linux
•Demonstrated experience developing applications with JavaScript (node.js and vue framework), Leaflet, and Flask
•Experience deploying virtual machines and Docker containers
•Experience with GIS principles and software
•Ability to manage large volumes of data and perform statistical analyses

Application Process:
The application process for UW positions may include completion of a variety of online assessments to obtain additional information that will be used in the evaluation process.  These assessments may include Workforce Authorization, Cover Letter and/or others.  Any assessments that you need to complete will appear on your screen as soon as you select “Apply to this position”. Once you begin an assessment, it must be completed at that time; if you do not complete the assessment you will be prompted to do so the next time you access your “My Jobs” page. If you select to take it later, it will appear on your “My Jobs” page to take when you are ready. Please note that your application will not be reviewed, and you will not be considered for this position until all required assessments have been completed.