The NPS Alaska Fire Ecology program has been collecting and analyzing data on fire- and fire management affected environments for several decades. In studying fire behavior, short- and long-term fire effects, and how fire management actions contribute to meeting fire management objectives, we aim to support data-driven decision-making in Alaska’s fire prone parklands. Particularly, we are interested in collecting, analyzing and evaluating outcomes of hazardous fuel reduction projects (e.g., thinning vegetation around high-value resources).

The purpose of this data management service is to contribute to several related efforts concerning the processing and management of fire ecology and vegetation monitoring datasets. With a pressing need for scientifically-based information to evaluate fire management objectives and actions, we intend to increase the efficiency and accuracy of which we deliver relevant datasets to managers to allow for revision of fuel treatment timelines and/or other fire management action as needed. This position offers a chance to contribute to this effort, whilst experiencing one of Alaska’s most beloved parks during the winter season.

The selected data management steward will research, develop, and test methodologies to create a workflow for annual reporting of a fuels treatment monitoring dataset. Using AGOL, Survey123 and/or FieldMaps, the steward will create standard operating procedures to (1) simplify and streamline data collection at different sampling intensities; (2) query and display data collected into a new a AGOL web experience or similar; and (3) integrate an existing dataset for display alongside newly collected data. The existing and expected dataset includes vegetation metrics, photographs, and treatment notes associated with specific locations over multiple site visits. This service experience may also offer a chance to develop an independent project based on a balance of the candidates demonstrated abilities, interests, and emergent fire management needs.