Department of Fish and Wildlife
Job Advertisement
RPA#: BDB-18-064
Position#: 565-037-5758-005
Classification Title: Research Data Specialist II
Salary: $6,003.00-$7,514.00 per month
Location County: Sacramento
Tenure/Time Base: Full time, permanent
Final Filing Date: Open until filled
Program Contact: Diana Hickson diana.hickson@wildlife.ca.gov or (916) 327-
5956
Required Application Items: State Application Form, Cover Letter, Resume, and
Statement of Qualifications
See:
https://www.calcareers.ca.gov/CalHrPublic/Jobs/JobPosting.aspx?JobControlId=153631

Job Description: This position provides a unique opportunity to contribute to the
goal of securing the future of California’s biodiversity through data analysis and
collaboration. As a member of Department’s Conservation Analysis Unit (CAU),
the Research Program Specialist II will collaborate with technical and natural
resource professionals to develop models and produce tools for wildlife and
habitat conservation planning and analysis. CAU works to further the
understanding of priority conservation areas in California through habitat
suitability modeling, species range and distribution modeling, climate change
vulnerability assessment, habitat connectivity modeling, and the compilation
and integration of landscape datasets.

The incumbent will coordinate and lead intra and inter-departmental technical
teams to conduct complex analyses, spatial and temporal modeling, and
complex descriptive and inferential statistical analyses relative to species or
habitat conservation. The incumbent will oversee management and
technological enhancement of the existing Areas of Conservation Emphasis
(ACE) and California Wildlife Habitat Relationships (CWHR) systems; train
Department staff and others to use ACE and CWHR and new tools; and work
with the Vegetation Classification and Mapping Program to optimize their
existing vegetation databases to allow integration of the State Vegetation
Classification into CWHR. The incumbent will prepare written documentation
and manuscripts of research results for peer review and publishing by the
Department and/or in other primary scientific literature sources.

Desirable Qualifications: The ideal candidate will have a depth of experience in
developing ecological models and have used ArcGIS and relational databases,
R statistical package, Python, and Microsoft Products for data capture,
generation, and analysis. Experience with graph databases desirable. The
incumbent must be able to effectively articulate the scope, purpose, use and
limitations of the tools to people with a range of knowledge of GIS and
species/habitat models. The successful candidate will be able to work
independently, take initiative, and work collaboratively with a variety of staff
and stakeholders.

Special Requirements: Ability to work outdoors in variable weather conditions
and walk over uneven outdoor terrain carrying a 20 lb. backpack for up to 8
hours may be required.

Working Conditions: The position will be located downtown at 1700 9th Street,
Sacramento, CA 95811, within walking distance of the State Capital and many
good eateries, as well as regional transportation system. Parking is not provided
but is available on-site for a fee. Some travel throughout the state for meetings
and potentially field work requires possession of a valid driver’s license and
ability to drive for up to 8 hours a day. Interaction with a network of scientists
and conservation professionals provides for an enriching work experience.

To Apply: Applicants must take the Research Data Specialist II Exam and rank
high enough to be on the eligible list. Exam directions are here:
https://www.calcareers.ca.gov/CalHrPublic/Exams/Bulletin.aspx?examCD=8PB40
To be considered for this position you must provide a Statement of Qualifications
with your State application, cover letter, and resume/cv. The SOQ is a narrative
discussion of how the candidate's education, training, experience, and skills
meet the minimum and desirable qualifications and qualify them for the
position. The SOQ must be numbered in the same order as the following areas
while addressing the Desirable Qualifications and include specific examples.
The SOQ must be typed in a minimum of 12-point font, single spaced, on
standard sized paper (8.5" x 11") and be no more than two pages in length.
1. Your background, experience, education, and /or training in conducting or
leading research projects, particularly in the field of ecology.
2. Your experience of conducting complex qualitative and quantitative data
analyses with a spatial component. Please include the steps you take to identify
the study question, your methodology used, and the final product(s).
3. Your experience leading or collaborating with others in a team environment.
4. Your experience teaching and presenting complex topics to a wide range of
audiences.

Benefits: Information may be obtained at the California Department of Human
Resources website at www.calhr.ca.gov and to the California Public Employees'
Retirement System website for Health Benefits at
www.calhr.ca.gov/employees/Pages/salary-and-benefits.aspx