Overview The National Ecological Observatory Network (NEON) is a nonprofit science corporation dedicated to understanding how changes in climate, land use and invasive species impact ecology. For the next three decades NEON will collect a comprehensive range of ecological data on a continental scale across 20 eco-climatic domains representing US ecosystems. NEON will use cutting edge technology including an airborne observation platform that will capture images of regional landscapes and vegetation; mobile, relocatable, and fixed data collection sites with automated ground sensors to monitor soil and atmosphere; and trained field crews who will observe and sample populations of diverse organisms and collect soil and water data. A leading edge cyberinfrastructure will calibrate, store and publish this information. The Observatory will be the first of its kind designed to detect and enable forecasting of ecological change at continental scales.
Term Appointment: Full-time one year term position Summary The technicians will validate the NEON terrestrial study design, and facilitate a significant plot validation campaign from NEON headquarters and the field. Activities will include data preparation, image analysis in a geospatial environment, data management, organizational logistics, and processing and analysis of data. Field work will require travel and efforts to ground-truth abiotic and biotic characterizations of specific sites across a variety of landscapes. Work at these field sites may include long workdays, sometimes under harsh environmental conditions. Typically, travel will occur during the workweek in 10 days up to 3 week blocks, but at times may include travel over weekends. Location Boulder, CO. Frequent travel to filed sites is anticipated. Field work will include sites in Virginia, Florida, Puerto Rico, Kansas, Tennessee, North Dakota, Texas, Utah, Arizona, California, and Alaska. Essential Duties and Responsibilities • Work as a member of a team to evaluate and validate the NEON study design for long-term monitoring of terrestrial organisms • Acquire and analyze digital imagery in a geospatial environment • Visit potential sample locations in the field at NEON study sites to ground-truth abiotic and biotic characterizations of specific sites across a variety of landscapes • Navigate a variety of wilderness and managed landscapes with safety, precision, and efficiency • Manage spatially-explicit photographs and data, including the transfer of data to and from a GPS unit to a computer • Organize material, workflows, logistics, and data for field validation • Extensive travel – approximately 40% of time will be spent traveling Required Experience • High School Diploma • Valid driver’s license – must be 21 to drive • Must be US Citizen • Proof of auto insurance • Extensive experience hiking in remote wilderness landscapes (maps, compass, GPS) away from roads and trails • Experience managing and working with large datasets • Experience working with Microsoft office products including Word & Excel • Experience working with Geographic Information Systems (GIS) Preferred Experience • BS degree (or equivalent in work experience) in Ecology, Geography, or Biology or another related field; work towards a graduate degree highly desirable. • Experience as a field technician • Experience leading hikes, or assisting nature societies with seasonal nature observations • Emergency response/first aid training such as wilderness first aid or wilderness first responder • Wildlife safety training course • Leadership role in an extended field data collection effort • Proven history of organizing spatial and site-specific information • Experience working with vegetation maps and other ecological data • Experience with field validation or accuracy assessment of ecological models, soil, and vegetation maps • Experience working with GPS Pathfinder Office software • Experience managing spatial datasets in geographic information system (GIS) environments • Experience working with databases and/or geodatabases • Experience with interpretation of aerial photographs and geospatial digital imagery Skills and Abilities • Ability to follow instructions, a strong work ethic, and enthusiasm • Able to supply personal gear (adequate clothing and boots, etc.) • Ability to work independently and as part of a team • Attention to detail and accuracy • Ability to successfully work through problems with minimal supervision • Strong communication and interpersonal skills • Ability to work independently and as a member of an active science team • Proven ability to work well as a member of team in challenging situations and environments Physical Abilities • Ability to hike with pack up to 25 lbs (carrying field equipment) to evaluate field sites off-trail for distances up to three miles • Ability to work in adverse weather conditions and in all types of terrain Apply online at www.neoninc.org NEON Inc. is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Women, Minorities, Veterans and Disabled Persons are encouraged to apply.
