The Data Engineer will join a team of researchers and informaticians at the Center for Biodiversity and Global Change at Yale University (bgc.yale.edu) to design and implement large spatial biodiversity analytical workflows, databases, and APIs. They will build, modernize, and maintain computational tools and infrastructure to efficiently produce and process global biodiversity datasets to inform conservation decision-making and policy. They will work closely with large data repositories, HPC and cloud computing solutions, and a variety of internal and external partners. The candidate will be responsible for maintaining rigorous data standards and scientific integrity.
The Center for Biodiversity and Global Change at Yale University is home to Map of Life (MOL.org), which supports effective global biodiversity education, monitoring, research, and decision-making by assembling and developing a wide range of data about species distributions.Our team also leads the data integration and mapping efforts of the Half-Earth Project to identify and prioritize target areas for global biodiversity conservation. Map of Life was a winning solution in the recent XPRIZE Rainforest competition where we combined our existing science with a novel UAV-based system to monitor biodiversity in remote locations. In all our efforts, we are deeply committed to combining the highest quality science with innovative AI and statistical approaches to solve conservation problems.
The Data Engineer will join our data science team to build and maintain data systems and datasets to support existing partnerships spanning many sectors (e.g., national governments, international and local conservation NGOs, business, finance, academia, etc.). Our long-term partners include organizations such as NASA, Esri, Google, the E.O. Wilson Biodiversity Foundation, the GEOBiodiversity Observation Network, and the Field Museum.
We strongly encourage members of underrepresented groups in science and conservation to apply.Historical and ongoing social inequities rooted in racism, sexism, ableism, and other forms of discrimination result in the continued and widespread exclusion of marginalized groups from academic spaces. At our Center, we strive to support individuals from diverse backgrounds and to create a safe and inclusive community to counter these legacies of discrimination within the ecological and environmental sciences. We are actively committed to building a team and community where individuals representing a variety of paths to the sciences are brought together to foster a community of learning and collaboration. We hope that our commitments and actions create a more supportive and inspiring environment for individuals and contribute to a more inclusive and equitable future for our field.
Yale University offers a thriving and growing international community of scholars, including efforts such as the Peabody Museum. The University is located two hours from New York City and Boston, with several public transportation options.
1. Develop data architectures, workflows, and APIs to analyze and share spatial biodiversity data at a global scale.
2. Efficiently organize and query data in multiple database systems.
3. Develop repeatable analytical workflows using high-performance computing clusters and cloud platforms.
4. Maintain and improve connections with various external data repositories.
5. Create and maintain organized documentation.
6. Effectively collaborate with a diverse team and external partners.
7. Efficiently communicate analytical processes to audiences of varying expertise.
- Bachelor's Degree in a related field and two years of related work experience or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
- Expertise in database management (e.g., SQL, PostgreSQL, BigQuery, PostGIS)
- Proficiency in analyzing large datasets in cloud environments (e.g., BigQuery, GoogleEarth Engine)
- Experience in data science and software development in R or Python
- Experience with collaborative software engineering projects or package development
- Familiarity with computer science design principles including algorithms, data structures, and knowledge representation
- Bachelor's degree in computer science or a related field
- Experience with project management tools and methodologies, such as Agile or SCRUM
- Experience managing developers or junior scientists
- Experience with spatial and biodiversity data such as remotely-sensed environmental data and taxonomic data in R, Python, or ArcGIS
- Experience in deploying data standards, API documentation, and technical writing
Open to a hybrid work arrangement.
Visit Careers at Yale to apply. Please submit a resume and cover letter with your application. Contact Alexander.Killion@yale.edu with any questions about this position.