Associate Scientist - Data Science Services

The Center for Survey Statistics and Methodology (CSSM) in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences at Iowa State University (ISU) is seeking a full-time Associate Scientist for the Data Science Services Team. 

This position requires a scientifically-minded individual who has:

1)    Practical and theoretical knowledge in natural resources or agronomy.

2)    Ability to identify and interpret data from aerial photography.

3)    A strong desire to work collaboratively to discuss issues and identify solutions.

4)    Significant expertise in applying formal data collection methods/protocols for the acquisition of reliable scientific data,

5)    Experience in providing critical review of documents, tables, and output datasets.

6)    A broad level of interest extending from managing logistical processes to scientific data collection to detailed statistical analysis of large datasets.

CSSM has over 50 years of experience in providing statistical and logistical support for major national land resource surveys.  CSSM staff is composed of individuals having diverse areas of expertise, such as statistics, computer science, ecology, and agronomy. The National Resource Inventory survey (NRI) is a large, national survey effort requiring collaboration of CSSM staff, Department of Statistics faculty and graduate students, and Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) staff.  The NRI survey consists of an annual photo-interpretive survey, an onsite grazing lands survey co-sponsored by the Bureau of Land Management, and an onsite cropland survey co-sponsored by the National Agricultural Statistics Service.  Each survey has multiple stages of implementation, such as planning/preparation, data collection, and statistical processing/analysis.

The initial focus and primary responsibility of the Associate Scientist is the photo-interpretive portion of the National Resources Inventory (NRI).  Additional management responsibilities will follow as the incumbent gains experience. The incumbent will have opportunities to engage in applied statistical research and other forms of professional development.

Required Minimum Quals:

Master's degree and 5 years of related experience; OR a Ph.D. or other professional degree and 2 years of related experience.

Preferred Qualifications:

·         Ph.D. in Natural or Agronomic Science, Bio-Statistics, Statistics, or related field
·         Field experience in natural resources or agronomy, including but not limited to wetlands, soils, wildlife ecology, conservation planning, and conservation/sustainable agriculture.
·         Experience with statistical design and the analysis of natural resource or agricultural data for policy or scientific publications.
·         An understanding of basic concepts of survey statistics, including longitudinal studies and missing value imputation.
·         Knowledge and experience in understanding and querying complex relational databases,
·         Excellent communication skills and experience working in a collaborative environment.