We are looking for someone who can help us in the process of defining the distribution of invasive plant species using remote sensing techniques. The main resources to attain this goal are satellite and drone Imagery. The base methodology, which involves the use of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and a Random Forest model programmed in R, has already been developed. We are looking for help applying the same methodology to more areas of the inhabited Islands of the Galápagos archipelago, as well as exploring options to further refine the outcome of the model.

Volunteer’s responsibilities

· Carry out field trips to obtain ground data for geo-referencing of plant species

· Continue deploying and developing a Random Forest model formulated using QGis, GDAL and R

· Processing drone imagery into orthophotos

· Documenting the methodology applied as well as all achieved results and challenges

Required profile

· A good understanding of the ensemble learning technique "Random Forest" and its application on satellite imagery

· Previous experience with the R programming language. The volunteer will need to follow and understand already existing R scripts, and implement new scripts to further develop the modeling process

· Previous experience with Geographic Information Systems, either QGIS or ArcGIS, and ideally having used GDAL before

· Experience in the photogrammetric processing of drone aerial images, in order to generate 3D spatial data. Ideally, experience with the Agrisoft Photoscan software

· Familiarization with the management of a simple relational database

· The willingness to carry out field work. This involves planning and going to field trips to geo-reference some of the most important invasive plant species of Galápagos

· Ideally, the volunteer should have practical experience flying multirotor drones

Terms and Conditions

While we very much appreciate the support given to this project, we are unfortunately not able to cover any expenses associated with this. The candidate will have to cover his/her own expenses for flight tickets, transportation, insurance, food and other. We are seeking funds to cover housing expenses at the Charles Darwin Research Station, but this cannot be guaranteed yet.

How to apply

For those interested in applying to this position, please write to Heinke Jäger (heinke.jaeger@fcdarwin.org.ec) at the Charles Darwin Research Station.