Associate Scientist

The Associate Scientist is responsible for conducting novel research and will serve as a technical resource to advance Conservation International’s (CI’s) mission of empowering societies to sustainably care for nature for humanity's well-being. This role will be affiliated with CI’s global science program based in the USA (Moore Center for Science) and will share affiliation and be physically based in one of CI’s Africa Field Division country offices. 

The Associate Scientist will develop methodologies and tools, conduct technical analyses, produce research outputs, engage interested parties, and coordinate projects focused on climate-smart integrated spatial planning for natural climate solutions. The role will be nested in a project funded by the CI-University of California Santa Barbara Climate Solutions Collaborative which aims to advance the science of integrated spatial planning across multiple sectors under development scenarios and future climate change. This effort will contribute to the broader "Roadmap for enabling just systems transformation for Africa’s people and nature" initiative – which will accelerate the adoption of natural climate solutions at a pace and scale necessary to achieve global climate mitigation targets.

The Associate Scientist will operate at the intersection of CI’s global science team and the Africa country offices – and will serve a critical function of bridging the efforts of the respective divisions. Effective coordination across diverse geographies will enable engagements of decision-makers and interested parties to incorporate climate-smart planning science into conservation actions and broader land management decisions – which will in turn accelerate the implementation of ‘future-proofed’ natural climate solutions.  They will also serve as a technical knowledge resource supporting CI's science related to biodiversity and climate change. This will involve both new primary research and synthesis of existing research to provide CI and its partners with essential data and context necessary for science-based conservation decisions. This position does not directly manage staff. Duties are performed under general direction.  

RESPONSIBILITIES

• Develop novel methods and use systematic conservation prioritization tools to identify climate-resilient land management options that balance conservation objectives with productive land uses such as the agriculture and energy sectors. 
• Find, create, or critically review spatial data for use in the integrated planning framework, including biodiversity and ecosystem metrics, development pressures across agricultural, energy, and mining sectors, and land use projections. Keep up to date on relevant scientific literature.  
• Write reports and develop materials for internal decision-makers and external stakeholders. Also, lead or contribute to two or more publications per year in peer-reviewed, high-visibility scientific journals. Ensure consistency with CI’s intellectual property rights prior to the publication and/or release of data. 
• Develop aesthetic data visualizations and communication materials to effectively share scientific data and results with technical and non-technical audiences. 
• Bridge the work developed within CI global science programs with the Africa Field Division priorities, and vice versa. 
• Serve as a technical resource and provide analytical and support roles in various projects that advance CI’s mission. 
• Promote capacity building by sharing technical best practices and working collaboratively to enhance effective information sharing across CI programs and units. 
• Perform related duties as assigned. 

WORKING CONDITIONS

• Work is performed in a typical office environment.
• Some international travel will be required - up to 25% may be necessary.  
• Flexibility in work schedules to accommodate time differences between US offices and the region may be necessary.
• Guidance on flexible work arrangements will be shared during the interview process. 
• This position is fixed term for 3 years.
• This position follows a hybrid work structure, working some days from the office and some remotely. Guidance will be shared during the interview process.

QUALIFICATIONS

Required

• Bachelor’s degree in environmental science, ecology, biology, or related discipline with 4 to 6 years of relevant work experience in which, at least, two of those years have been focused on work in Africa.   
• Expertise with spatial planning and prioritization tools (e.g., ‘prioritizr’, Zonation, Marxan).
• Fluency in spatial analysis tools (e.g. ArcGIS, QGIS, R spatial, Google Earth Engine).  
• Familiarity with data associated with projected scenarios of climate change and development/land use.
• Demonstrated scientific writing experience, including scientific reports and/or publications.
• Experience in communicating technical concepts to non-expert audiences through presentations, outreach materials, and data visualizations.  
• Excellent interpersonal skills requiring knowing when to use courtesy, tact, and/or diplomacy.
• Working proficiency in English.  

Preferred

• Graduate degree in environmental science, ecology, biology, land system science, energy, agriculture, or related discipline with 2 to 4 years of relevant work experience.
• Familiarity with spatial planning and prioritization-associated data developed specifically for Africa continent.  
• In-depth knowledge of problems and solutions related to conservation, biodiversity, and climate change on global and local scales.
• Experience collaborating with local or national governments on land-use planning.
• Strong project management skills with the ability to effectively prioritize and produce high-quality work under time constraints. 
• Expertise working with terrestrial biodiversity data sets and informatics.
• Working proficiency in French or Portuguese.