Environmental Monitoring & Data Science Strategist

Position Details

Type: Full-time

Location: Wind River Indian Reservation (primary) with regional travel in Wyoming and Colorado.

Reports to:

• (Primary) Wyoming Workforce Program Manager with NSF ASCEND Engine & Science Director for Wind River Tribal Buffalo Initiative (WRTBI)
• (Secondary) NSF ASCEND Engine Director of Workforce Development

Salary: $60,000 – $80,000 annually, negotiable based on experience

Term: Fixed; 1 year with potential for renewal based on funding and program performance

About the Role

This position will be employed by the NSF ASCEND Engine and embedded within the Wind River Tribal Buffalo Initiative (WRTBI) to support the development of WRTBI’s environmental science program, which is in an exciting early stage of growth. This is a unique opportunity to help build the scientific infrastructure, data systems, and monitoring capacity that will anchor WRTBI’s long term environmental stewardship work – including biodiversity monitoring, ecological data management, and the development of Indigenous-led land management frameworks. The Strategist will primarily work on-site with WRTBI’s science leadership, supporting environmental monitoring activities, data collection systems, and data infrastructure development. Over time, this role will serve as a bridge between WRTBI and the broader NSF ASCEND Engine ecosystem, helping connect tribal environmental priorities with relevant programs and partners as that relationship deepens. This position operates within a culturally grounded environmental stewardship framework and requires a strong commitment to respectful, trust-based collaboration with tribal partners. Fieldwork will include hiking over uneven terrain, lifting monitoring equipment, and working outdoors in varying environmental conditions. All data collection, storage, and analysis must comply with applicable data sovereignty requirements, which assert Tribal jurisdiction over environmental data generated on or in service of Tribal lands. Under the supervision of WRTBI’s Science Director, the Strategist is expected to become fluent with and then uphold these requirements.

Key Responsibilities

Environmental Monitoring & Data Collection (30%)

• Assist WRTBI scientists with deployment, calibration, and maintenance of environmental monitoring systems and sensor networks (such as flux towers, soil core samplers, trail cameras, data loggers, etc).
• Support environmental data collection activities related to soil health, ecosystem monitoring, and wildfire preparedness.
• Ensure proper operation of environmental monitoring equipment and sensors.
• Assist with field-based environmental sampling and observational data collection.

Data Management & Infrastructure Development (30%)

• Support development and maintenance of environmental data pipelines and storage systems.
• Assist with organizing, cleaning, and managing both ecological and geospatial datasets.
• Contribute to sustainable data science practices aligned with WRTBI priorities and data sovereignty considerations.
• Develop scripts or tools to support data analysis and visualization.

NSF ASCEND Engine Engagement (20%)

• Develop and demonstrate familiarity with the NSF ASCEND Engine’s programs, partners, and regional initiatives over time.
• Participate in Engine events, partner convenings, and regional meetings as relevant to WRTBI’s environmental priorities.
• Identify and communicate potential points of connection between WRTBI’s science program and Engine resources.
• Maintain regular communication with the ASCEND Wyoming Workforce Program Manager

Collaboration, Reporting, Travel, and Outreach (20%)

• Prepare written summaries, reports, and technical memos.
• Assist with briefing materials and presentations related to environmental research initiatives.
• Attend virtual meetings and travel periodically to regional meetings in Wyoming and Colorado. Participate in and help lead collaborative discussions hosted by both WRTBI and the NSF ASCEND Engine.
• Support WRTBI’s science leadership in developing biodiversity monitoring processes and contributing to the foundational work of Indigenous-led land management systems.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Environmental Science, Ecology, Data Science, Environmental Engineering, or related field required. Master’s degree or higher preferred. Candidates without a graduate degree must demonstrate a commitment to continued professional development in alignment with the role’s scientific scope.
• Demonstrated experience working within, alongside, or in direct service to Indigenous communities, tribal nations, or First Nations organizations. This may include, but is not limited by, community membership, research partnerships, tribal employment, or community-based environmental stewardship work.
• Experience working with environmental or ecological data.
• Willingness to conduct field-based environmental work, support equipment maintenance, and interact directly with buffalo.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to work independently and collaboratively across interdisciplinary teams.

Preferred Qualifications

• Master’s degree or higher in Environmental Science, Ecology, Data Science, Environmental Engineering, or related field preferred.
• Familiarity with biodiversity monitoring methodologies, carbon or biodiversity crediting frameworks, or Indigenous land stewardship practices.
• Experience with at least one data science programming language such as Julia, Python or R.
• Experience with geospatial information platforms such as Mapbox, ARCGIS, or QGIS.
• Familiarity with ecological monitoring related to soil health, watershed data, wildlife, or ecosystem restoration.
• Experience with community-based or culturally grounded environmental stewardship initiatives.

Pay: $60,000.00 - $80,000.00 per year

Work Location: Hybrid remote in Wind River, WY