Position Description: SCIENTIST

Conservation Science Partners (csp-inc.org) is seeking a Scientist passionate about ecology and conservation to support a team of conservation biologists, ecologists, and social scientists working on efforts to conserve species and their habitats, across the United States and internationally. 

About: Conservation Science Partners (CSP) is a dynamic 501(c)(3) nonprofit established in 2012 to meet the analytical and research needs of diverse stakeholders in achieving conservation and protection of the natural world. Our mission is to apply human ingenuity to the preservation of nature using science, technology, and lasting partnerships with conservation practitioners. We connect the best minds in conservation science to solve problems in a way that is comprehensive, flexible, and service-oriented. CSP works in the complex and fast-paced nonprofit realm using tools that include data science and advanced analytics; risk analysis and climate change vulnerability analyses; species and habitat modeling; and wildlife and ecological connectivity analysis to identify solutions through land and water use, designating protected areas, and advancing social and environmental justice. We are a recognized leader in the development of data, models, and maps to convey the status of and change to natural systems and human impacts on the environment. Core clients and partners include federal agencies, foundations, environmentally progressive businesses, and other non-governmental organizations. Outcomes of projects are designed to explain ecological phenomena and lead to tools, map products, and strategies often tailored to the needs of decision makers. 

Organizational Values and Culture: Our core values include scientific and technical excellence and integrity, which help to advance the function, direction, and initiatives of the organization. We support and encourage creativity and innovation in practice and products; respectful co-production of knowledge; and connection to the living world. We are actively seeking project opportunities that directly involve Black, Indigenous, and communities of color and diverse international partners, address disparate impacts of environmental change, and support social justice. We welcome the broader complement of knowledge and skills that stem from applicants’ professional and life experiences. We seek a candidate with deep curiosity directed toward diverse research interests, as well as aptitude and enthusiasm to develop new skills and areas of expertise. 

Position Description: We are seeking a Scientist passionate about ecology and conservation to help support our Changing Landscapes Lab and Analytics Lab, among others. The position will support teams of ecologists, biologists, and data scientists working to drive or develop approaches to improve species conservation and climate change adaptation in a range of contexts, including with cutting-edge scientific and analytical tools. Projects involve coordinating with research and management partners in federal, state, local, non-profit, and private sectors to produce more effective conservation, management, and research outputs. This position will contribute to a range of projects focused on addressing multiple conservation objectives, including protecting species and their habitats, mitigating and adapting to climate change, facilitating ecological connectivity and resilience, and promoting human-wildlife coexistence in increasingly modified landscapes.

The Scientist provides a combination of analytical, technical, and project management support. They should demonstrate attention to reproducibility and quality assurance/quality control in all their work. We are looking for someone with excellent organizational and communication (oral and written) skills who can balance several projects simultaneously. Specifically, the Scientist will contribute to the design, development, and deployment phases of new or existing projects, help steward external and internal communications, and sometimes manage a variety of project tasks, not just technical ones. We seek a candidate with deep curiosity directed towards diverse research interests, as well as aptitude and enthusiasm to develop new skills and areas of expertise. It is expected that this position contributes to an internal culture of diversity, equity, inclusion, innovation, creativity, and experimentation, and helps to advance the function, direction, programs, and initiatives of the organization. The Scientist reports to the Lead Scientist(s). 

Core responsibilities and skills: 

• Contributing to multiple projects simultaneously, including the high-level execution of sophisticated technical tasks using contemporary analytical methods and software packages..
• Development or implementation of ecologically relevant statistical models (e.g., species distribution and connectivity models, population demographic models, time series analysis, spatial or hierarchical regression models) using reproducible workflows developed in statistical programming languages such as R or Python. Performing these analyses using a variety of spatial datasets, including land cover, climatological, and socio-economic datasets. 
• Use of common Geographic Information System (GIS) data formats and tools to download, process, map, and export such data. Preparing or deriving GIS and other spatial data layers, including metadata, and tabular data sources for use in modeling, reporting, and planning activities, using a variety of tools and cloud-based platforms (e.g., ArcGIS, QGIS, Google Earth Engine). 
• Demonstrated capacity to work in creative collaborations with diverse partners, including core staff, contractors, clients, postdocs, graduate students, and others to ensure research questions, methods, and outcomes are clear, and to support appropriate communication, interpretation, translation, and use of scientific products for multiple audiences, including land managers and policy makers. 
• Supporting the development of manuscripts, reports, and professional presentations. 
• Learning new technical methods and software for specific projects, as appropriate. 

Additional desired skills (or willingness and aptitude to receive training): 

• Experience with the use and application of machine learning techniques, in addition to a variety of traditional inferential statistical models. 
• Experience acquiring and processing satellite imagery and other remotely sensed data obtained from multiple platforms (e.g., through Google Earth Engine). 
• Experience creating user-friendly data visualizations and other syntheses of complex information for multiple end-users via web-based tools (e.g., ArcGIS dashboard). 
• Experience with reproducible science workflows, including using version control (git).
• Knowledge of terrestrial and freshwater systems and landscape-ecological conservation issues and policies as well as tools and datasets relevant to the sciences in each of these domains.
• Experience collaborating meaningfully with indigenous or other under-represented communities and non-traditional conservation partners with diverse interests and perspectives. 

Required qualifications: BSc or MSc (or equivalent experience) in ecology, conservation biology, or a related field AND a minimum of three years of research or professional experience.

Application deadline and expected start date: Priority will be given to complete applications received by October 18th, 2025, with screening to begin soon thereafter and an ideal start date of no later than November 10th, 2025.

Location: Flexible within North America, home or office-based, with preference for the Reno-Tahoe region and CSP’s Truckee, CA, headquarters. 

Compensation: The Scientist salary range is $65,000 - $80,000 depending on experience. We offer a comprehensive group medical, dental, and vision insurance package; retirement benefits; and professional growth and advancement opportunities.