Florida Natural Areas Inventory (FNAI)

The Florida Natural Areas Inventory (FNAI) at Florida State University is seeking a spatial conservation analyst with a strong personal interest in supporting conservation in Florida through systematic planning work. Work will involve a wide variety of data analysis and processing work including mapping, modeling, and spatial prioritization to guide land acquisition and land management decision making. We invite applications from people of all natural resource backgrounds (planning, biology, forestry, etc) who also have strong multi-platform GIS skills and an analytical mindset. This position will be approved for up to two days per week of remote work.

• Conduct and assist in assessments of spatial conservation priorities for natural resources, particularly biodiversity, natural communities, and landscape integrity. Develop measures and tools to evaluate the success of conservation decisions and actions compared to conservation priorities.
• Prepare reports, presentations, data analysis, and summaries for GIS-related departmental projects; conduct outreach with entities outside of FNAI for data and information.
• Provide technical expertise and make recommendations in development and application of geospatial analysis, design, database implementation, procedures, and quality assurance/quality control for departmental projects.
• Develop species and ecosystem spatial models using a variety of methods ranging from expert-driven to machine-learning algorithms (e.g., Maxent, Random Forest, etc.).
• Develop scripts and tools to facilitate workflow efficiency, data consistency, and reproducible analysis.
• Develop and maintain natural resource-based GIS layers and conduct spatial analyses for state and regional conservation planning
• Assist with acquisition, organization, and maintenance of the program’s base GIS data and other databases.
• Provide technical GIS support for FNAI operations; assist with GIS training for staff; assist with GIS software maintenance
• Develop data dictionaries, data models, and metadata for geospatial applications, including web-based applications.

Bachelor’s degree and two years of experience or a Master's degree.

• A strong personal interest in developing a career in conservation
• Experience with ESRI ArcGIS software
• Demonstrable experience using at least one scripting language for data analysis and presentation (Python, R, or both)
• Familiarity with the strengths and weaknesses of AI tools for code development
• Strong digital organization skills and a commitment to reproducible analysis methods
• Some experience in the use of remote sensing
• Ability to communicate well in person and in writing.
• Ability to work well with FNAI staff scientists.
• Ability to work independently and meet deadlines.
• Ability to serve as a representative of FNAI and interface well with professional colleagues and the public
• Bachelor’s degree in GIS, Geography, Environmental Science, Biology, Forestry, Urban Planning, or a related field and a minimum of two years of experience or an MS in one of these same fields
• Some background in statistical analysis
• Familiarity with geospatial foundation models and their potential conservation applications
• Experience conducting analysis with Google Earth Engine
• Familiarity with use of UAVs (drones) and processing UAV collected data
• Familiarity with databases and SQL
• Experience in species habitat or distribution modeling
• Experience with natural community and habitat interpretation from aerial photographs, satellite imagery, and soil surveys.
• Familiarity with Florida’s natural communities, flora, and fauna
• Familiarity with Florida’s current and recent state conservation and land use planning programs, including land acquisition.
• Awareness of major conservation issues, challenges, and opportunities in Florida.

The Florida Natural Areas Inventory (FNAI) is Florida's Natural Heritage Program and state member of the NatureServe network. We are housed within the Florida Resources and Environmental Analysis Center at Florida State University . FNAI maintains a spatial database of information on Florida's rarest species and conservation lands and works on an array of applied research projects to inform conservation and land management decisions. Our funding is provided by contracts and grants from state and federal agency partners.

For questions, or more information, contact Frank Price, FNAI Director or Jon Oetting, Chief of Conservation Planning Services.

One of the nation's elite research universities, Florida State University preserves, expands, and disseminates knowledge in the sciences, technology, arts, humanities, and professions, while embracing a philosophy of learning strongly rooted in the traditions of the liberal arts and critical thinking. Founded in 1851, Florida State University is the oldest continuous site of higher education in Florida. FSU is a community steeped in tradition that fosters research and encourages creativity. At FSU, there’s the excitement of being part of a vibrant academic and professional community, surrounded by people whose ideas are shaping tomorrow’s news!

Learn more about Florida State University and our campuses.

Starting at $52,000.

FSU offers a robust Total Rewards package. Visit our FSU Total Rewards website to learn more about our Compensation, Benefits, Wellness, Recognition, and Employee Development programs.

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If qualified and interested in a specific job opening as advertised, apply through the FSU Careers site (jobs.fsu.edu). If you are a current FSU employee, apply through myFSU Self Service.

Applicants are required to complete the online application with all applicable information. Applications must include all work history up to ten years, and education details even if attaching a resume.

This is an A&P position.

This position requires successful completion of a criminal history background check.

FSU is an Equal Employment Opportunity Employer.