Research Scientist

About the Opportunity
The SSI/Islands 2030 Research Scientist conducts original research (70%) and develops/teaches advanced workshops and courses for early career scientists (30%). The SSI/Islands 2030 Research Scientist is in charge of developing pipelines to analyze biodiversity genomics data and implement models that translate this data into insights relevant to research and management of natural resources. In addition, the SSI/Islands 2030 Research Scientist collaborates on the development of innovative tools to mobilize, analyze, and visualize biodiversity data from genomic and natural history collections aimed at informing critical science, conservation, and decision-making.

The SSI/Islands 2030 Research Scientist will: conduct research that integrates museum specimen species occurrence (presence only) data with environmental data (climate, land cover, etc.) and genomic data (community-scale DNA barcodes and population genomic data), to develop and apply biodiversity indicator metrics (i.e. "resilience scores") and predictive spatial models for community resilience; and develop and teach workshops or courses for undergraduate and graduate students relevant to their expertise.

Additionally, this position will support our Islands 2030 STEM Leadership Cohort and Summer Systematics Institute undergraduate training and mentorship. The SSI/Islands 2030 Research Scientist will develop and lead a museum-based curriculum that includes lectures and lab exercises on phylogenetics and systematics, molecular techniques, biodiversity, evolutionary biology, global change, and other contemporary issues in the natural sciences. As well as coordinating other activities like collections tours, popular writing, and science communication workshops, and time out on the museum floor directly communicating with the public.

Organizational Culture:
Join a team dedicated to the Academy’s mission, vision and values! Currently, the Academy has a new strategic plan including three initiatives – Hope for Reefs, Thriving California, and Islands 2030 – that leverage biodiversity science, environmental learning, and collaborative engagement to regenerate fragile ecosystems around the world. Learn more at https://www.calacademy.org/about-us/major-initiatives.

We hope you are inspired by what we do and are excited to contribute to our mission. The mission of the California Academy of Sciences is to regenerate the natural world through science, learning, and collaboration. The Academy is looking for candidates who do great work, and we know they may come from a number of different backgrounds and experiences. We encourage you to apply even if you do not believe you meet every one of the qualifications for the position.

This position is based in San Francisco, California. Staff are currently expected to work from the Academy offices at least 2-3 times per week, which may fluctuate based on business needs. Please do not apply if you are not able to work onsite. Candidates are required to have up-to-date COVID-19 vaccination, including receiving a booster shot, as a condition of employment, absent qualifying exemptions in accordance with applicable laws. Individuals receiving a conditional offer of employment from the California Academy of Sciences will be provided the full text of the vaccination policy.

About the Islands 2030/SSI Team
Islands 2030 is a new strategic initiative at the California Academy of Sciences working to create a new paradigm for conservation work by introducing a novel, evolutionary perspective. Working on five tropical archipelagos around the world, we’ll focus on six broad groups of terrestrial plants and animals that will allow us to understand how biological communities are formed on islands, and what happens at the ecosystem-level when stable communities fall out of equilibrium. We will: 1) Document biodiversity by digitizing collections data and launching new, comprehensive expeditions, resulting in the most complete inventory of terrestrial flora and fauna in these regions to date; 2) collect genomic data to assess and model the evolutionary history and vulnerability of each island assemblage; 3) predict species loss under current trends; and 4) develop a “resilience score” (the likelihood that an island will experience ecosystem collapse) that allows us to direct resources to the places that will most effectively sustain island communities into the future. The five archipelagos—the Galapagos, Lesser Antilles, Madagascar, Philippines, and Gulf of Guinea islands—were chosen because they: collectively span each major ocean and represent a range of geologic ages and levels of isolation from the mainland; are sites of longstanding Academy investment in both scientific research and community relationships; are sites where our Hope for Reefs initiative has a historical and/or current presence.

The Summer Systematics Institute integrates the greatest strengths of a public-facing institution– informal science education on the public floor, public scientific communication, and world class research– to train the next generation of museum scientists: the 21st Century Scientist. We train undergraduate students over 3 summers (30 total) in our Summer Systematics Institute (SSI), established in 1995. Interns are paired with 1:1 mentors, our curators, to work on individual research projects, as well as attend seminars which provide tools in the field of systematics and phylogenetics. Interns present their work at our annual SSI Symposium, as well as at international conferences, and are supported to see their projects through to publication by a dedicated program postdoc. Participants of the SSI will begin their summer with a week of fieldwork, learning field collection and specimen preparation methods from museum curators, and participating in workshops on science communication, developing citizen/community science projects, informal science education, field note methods, and data analysis. The interns’ summer culminates with the writing of a scientific abstract, a popular science article explaining their work, and an oral presentation at our Research Symposium for the greater Academy community.

Key Responsibilities

• Conducts original biodiversity science research in collaboration with Academy scientists and external partners.
• Leads data collection, analysis, and visualization of biodiversity data
• Provides mentorship to early career scientists (postdoctoral researchers, graduate and undergraduate students)
• May develop and teach workshops or courses for undergraduate and graduate students, based on the appointment and departmental needs
• Dedicated to training scientists and building capacity in developing countries and to increasing participation of groups historically underrepresented in systematics, evolutionary biology and sustainability.
• Engages in educational activities for Academy staff and volunteers, including docents
• Ensure scientific accuracy in Academy messaging.
• Provides regular updates on project progress to funders and partners
• Disseminates findings in written technical reports and academic publications, as well as oral presentations at scientific conferences and public meetings
• Establishes and maintains professional partnerships and networks.
• Participates in the activities of and/or provides advice to local, national, and international scientific societies, academic institutions and government agencies.
• Provides specimen identifications in areas of expertise as appropriate.
• Serves as a reviewer of scientific manuscripts, grant proposals, and other scientists and institutions as requested.
• Participates in the Academy's fieldwork, as needed
• Follows all Academy safety regulations
• Other duties as assigned

Qualifications
EXPERIENCE and/or EDUCATION:
A qualified candidate will possess a combination of the following experience and/or equivalent education:

• Postdoctoral research experience.
• 7 years or more of research experience in biodiversity science, including doctoral work.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills (English) and a strong background in science communication with diverse audiences.
• Strong interest in biodiversity and ability to communicate that passion.
• Ph.D. degree in evolutionary biology, ecology, statistics, bioinformatics, data science, or related fields.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES:

• Expertise in biodiversity data analysis and/or modeling.
• Experience in reproducible workflows, code version control, and management (Git, GitHub)
• Works as a part of multi-disciplinary teams and diverse stakeholder groups
• Committed to working on a team that is striving to be anti-racist in work, interactions, systems, and tools
• Confident and flexible communicator, both written and verbal, to diverse audiences
• Excellent organizational skills and attention to detail
• Ability to work independently, and as a member of interdisciplinary teams on cross-cutting issues
• Demonstrated ability to successfully collaborate with non-scientists
• Flexible and creative
• Expertise in R programming and statistical environment for the integration, manipulation, and analysis of big data, preferred.
• Experience in geo-spatial analysis and data visualization (R, QGIS, ArcGIS, etc.), preferred.
• Ability to read and interpret documents such as safety rules, operating and maintenance instructions, and procedure manuals

Physical Environment: To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential job duty satisfactorily. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable qualified individuals with disabilities to perform essential job functions.

Compensation and Benefits
Hiring range: $95,600-$115,000
Schedule: Full-Time, 40 hours per week

Starting salary will vary based on experience and relevant skills/knowledge set.

The Academy offers a total compensation package that emphasizes both base salary and comprehensive benefits.

APPLICATION DEADLINE: Review of applications will begin on January 9, 2023 and will continue until the position is filled.  

The California Academy of Sciences will give full consideration for employment to all qualified applicants with criminal histories in a manner consistent with the requirements of the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance (SF Police Code, Article 49).

The California Academy of Sciences is an Equal Opportunity Employer and is committed to ensure that all employees and applicants receive equal consideration and treatment, regardless of race, color, creed, gender (including gender identity or gender expression), religion, marital or domestic partner status, age, place of birth, national origin or ancestry, physical, mental or medical disability, height or weight, sex, sexual orientation, citizenship, military service status, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by state or federal law or local ordinance.